All no. 1 seeds advance to Sweet 16
Top seeds advance to Sweet 16 as Florida hangs on, Duke dominates in second round
RALEIGH, N.C. (KYMA, KECY) -Â In one of this year's most exciting finishes, No. 1 seed Florida edged out UConn 77-75, ending the Huskies' pursuit of a third consecutive national title.
Walter Clayton Jr. emerged as the hero for the Gators, drilling two clutch three-pointers in the final three minutes to propel his team forward. Clayton, a first-team All-America selection, led Florida with 23 points as they fended off a determined UConn squad.
The Huskies, an eighth seed, pushed Florida to the limit, leading for most of the second half before Clayton's late-game heroics shifted momentum. UConn, seeking to become the first team to three-peat since UCLA's legendary run from 1967-73, fell just short.
With the victory, Florida advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017, where they will face the winner of Colorado State vs. Maryland in the West Region semifinals.
Shortly after, No. 1 seed Duke left no doubt in their matchup against No. 9 Baylor, rolling to an 89-66 win behind a stellar shooting performance. The Blue Devils seized control with a game-defining 12-0 run in the final three minutes of the first half, turning a close contest into a comfortable 17-point halftime lead. Baylor never recovered, as Duke maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half.
Duke's offensive efficiency was on full display, as the team shot 64.4% from the field, their best mark ever in an NCAA Tournament game. Junior guard Tyrese Proctor was lights out, scoring a career-best 25 points, fueled by seven three-pointers.
His recent hot streak from beyond the arc has been instrumental in Duke's success, making him the first Blue Devil since 2010 to hit five or more threes in back-to-back NCAA Tournament games.
With all no. 1 seeds advancing to the Sweet 16, the road to the Final Four continues to take shape. Florida, Houston, Auburn and Duke demonstrated why they are among the tournament favorites, but tougher challenges await as March Madness heads into its most thrilling rounds.
