Duke rally from 13-point deficit to beat Siena in NCAA Tournament
Number one overall seed Duke avoided a historic upset by rallying from 13 points down to beat 16th-seeded Siena 71-65 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville.
The heavily favoured Blue Devils found themselves trailing by 11 points at half-time, becoming the first top seed in tournament history to face a double-digit deficit at the break against a 16 seed.
Cameron Boozer led the comeback effort for the East Region headliners, securing a dominant double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Saints push bluebloods to the brink
The fearless upstart programme, employing a rotation of just five players until the final seconds, took the fight to a team that boasts five national titles.
Gavin Doty spearheaded the underdog charge with 21 points, sinking a crucial three-pointer to give his side a 61-56 advantage with under eight minutes remaining.
Facing the prospect of joining Virginia and Purdue as the only top seeds to lose an opening match to a 16 seed, the tournament favourites responded emphatically.
Late surge secures progression
A decisive run of 11 unanswered points allowed the pre-match 28.5-point favourites to finally establish control and wrestle the game away from their opponents.
The hard-fought 33rd victory of the season ensures the five-time champions survive an almighty scare to advance to the second round.