With less than 45 days until the Final Four, men’s college basketball fans were given a preview of potential national semifinal matchups in Indianapolis.
The top four teams in the latest AP poll headlined a loaded Saturday slate, with No. 3 Duke and No. 4 Arizona taking down No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Houston, respectively. It was the first time the Nos. 1 and 2 teams lost on the same day since Feb. 8, 2025.
What did the results teach us about each contender? And how should all four be ranked coming out of the day? ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break it down.
Duke 68, Michigan 63
What we learned about Duke
Duke is as good as any team in college basketball. While its record and ranking already reflected that, it hadn’t really yet been considered among the top of the national championship contenders this season. Michigan, Arizona, UConn (at times) and Houston (more recently) have all been in that conversation. Now, Duke is too, placing the Blue Devils squarely in the mix to earn the No. 1 overall seed on Selection Sunday…