March Madness Schedule Today: No. 1 Duke escapes Siena scare, 71-65, as Round of 64 drama spikes
march madness schedule today is being reshaped in real time after No. 1 Duke survived a first-round scare, edging No. 16 Siena 71-65 on Thursday. The Blue Devils, labeled the betting favorite to win the men’s NCAA Tournament, spent most of the afternoon chasing a deficit before finally pulling away late. The result locks in Duke’s next step: a Round of 32 meeting with No. 9 TCU, which beat No. 8 Ohio State earlier Thursday.
Duke 71, Siena 65: A near-upset that lasted deep into the second half
Duke trailed from the 15: 31 mark of the first half until the 4: 25 mark of the second, when an Isaiah Evans layup finally put the Blue Devils back in front. From there, Duke closed with a decisive 15-4 run, snuffing out Siena’s upset bid in the final minutes.
The scare was real: No. 16 seeds have beaten No. 1 seeds only twice before in the men’s tournament, in 2018 and 2023. Siena pushed hard to become the third, controlling long stretches before its offense stalled late.
march madness schedule today: Siena’s starters stayed in, but the offense ran out of fuel
Siena’s Gavin Doty led the Saints with 21 points, with big man Francis Folefac adding 18. Both were productive early, but they cooled off in the second half along with the rest of the lineup. Siena shot 17-for-31 from the field in the first half, then went just eight-for-34 after halftime.
At one point, Siena went more than six minutes without scoring, a drought that opened the door for Duke’s comeback and late surge. Siena also made a striking tactical gamble: the Saints did not make a single substitution until the final minute, nearly becoming the first team since 1979 to play its starters all 40 minutes.
Free throws and finishers: The Boozer brothers power Duke’s escape
For Duke, the Boozer brothers carried the load. Cameron Boozer scored 22 points, doing much of his damage at the free-throw line by going 13 of 14. Cayden Boozer added 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting, helping Duke stay close during the long chase and then close the door when Siena’s legs and shooting faded.
With the win, Duke improved to 33-2 on the season. The path now moves immediately to the Round of 32, where the Blue Devils will face No. 9 TCU, a winner earlier Thursday over No. 8 Ohio State.
What’s next after the Thursday scare
The bracket advances with Duke still alive, but the narrow margin against Siena underscores how quickly the opening round can swing. For fans tracking march madness schedule today, the immediate focus shifts to Duke’s Round of 32 matchup with TCU after a survival test that turned on one key lead change at 4: 25 of the second half and a closing 15-4 run.
