Duke vs. UConn NCAA Tournament history: 2026 Elite 8 clash is rematch of 1999 National title game

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The Elite Eight will be headlined by a battle between Duke and UConn, two teams that have combined for 11 national championships.

Since the 1990s, these two teams have been the cream of the crop in college basketball, as no other teams have had more success. In the process, the Blue Devils and Huskies have had some fierce battles in the NCAA Tournament and should add another with a Final Four trip on the line.

Here’s a look back at the history between Duke and UConn.

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Duke-UConn NCAA Tournament history

1990 Elite Eight: Duke, 79-78

The first time these two teams met in the NCAA Tournament came in the 1990 Elite Eight, when UConn was a No. 1 seed and Duke was a No. 3 seed. It was a tight game that went to overtime, but the Blue Devils outscored the Huskies 7-6 in the extra minutes to get the win.

Duke saw Alaa Abdelnaby, Christian Laettner and Phil Henderson all score at least 20 points, while Bobby Hurley struggled to score throughout the night. UConn was led by Chris Smith and Nadav Henefeld, but fell short of making its first Final Four.

The Blue Devils would go on to lose to UNLV in the national championship.

1991 Sweet 16: Duke, 81-67

The following year, Duke was a No. 2 seed while UConn was a No. 11 seed when they met again in the tournament. The Huskies were tied for the lowest seed left in the tournament, which is part of why Duke beat them by double digits.

Both teams were similar to the year before, but Duke had a key addition in Grant Hill. The Blue Devils had four players score in double digits, and Hurley had a much better performance this time around.

Duke would go on to win its first national championship, defeating UNLV in the Final Four and Kansas in the title game. 

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1999 National Championship: UConn, 77-74

One of the most famous games in NCAA Tournament history, underdog UConn defeated powerhouse Duke in the 1999 national championship game for its first title. The Huskies lost just two games that season but still faced an uphill battle in their first NCAA championship appearance.

UConn got 27 points from Richard Hamilton as Duke used a 40-point second half to win 77-74. At the time, both teams were No. 1 seeds, but Duke was a favorite by almost 10 points, so the Huskies’ win was a shocker.

This was UConn’s first Final Four appearance, and it would propel the Huskies to becoming one of the top programs in the country.

2004 Final Four: UConn, 79-78

Five years later, Duke and UConn once again met in the Final Four, this time with a trip to the national championship on the line. Duke’s team featured J.J. Redick and Luol Deng, while UConn had future NBA players Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon.

After Duke went into halftime up seven, UConn outscored the Blue Devils by eight in the second half to win by one point. Gordon and Okafor both had 18 points, while Duke’s five players in double figures were not enough.

The Huskies would go on to defeat Georgia Tech two days later for their second national title. 

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Remembering the 1999 National Championship game

The 1999 National Championship is one of the most memorable in college basketball history. At the time, Duke already had two national titles and was considered a heavy favorite as they entered the game with a 32-game winning streal. Meanwhile, UConn was in its first Final Four and National Championship game.

The Blue Devils had future NBA playrer all over the court with Shane Battier, Corey Maggette, Elton Brand and Trajan Langdon. Duke cruised through the first two weekends with four double-digit wins, making people believe a championship was a foregone conclusion.

The Huskies shocked the world with a three-point win, despite UConn having only two losses on the year. Richard Hamilton's 27 points led all scorers, while Ricky Moore and Khalid El-Amin combined for 25 points between the two.

Since this win, UConn has won six National Championships, more than any other program. The victory also cemented Jim Calhoun's place among the best coaches in college basketball history.

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Duke-UConn all-time series

Duke and UConn have played nine times in their history, with Duke having the edge 5-4. The Huskies won four-straight between 1994-2004, but the Blue Devils won the last two, with the most recent matchup coming in 2014.

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