How did Houston beat Duke in Final Four? Key Moments, Stats, Turning Points & Tactical Breakdown Explained

The Houston Cougars stunned the sports world by beating the Duke Blue Devils 70-67 in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Best of all, they pulled it off with an incredible rally.

The Cougars now have an opportunity to win their first-ever national championship in program history. They are 0-2 in their previous attempts, when Hakeem Olajuwon led the team in 1983 and 1984.

They face the Florida Gators on Monday at 8:50 p.m. ET. But it would be reasonable to take a look back at how they took down one of the favorites in the Blue Devils.

How did Houston beat Duke in Final Four?

The Blue Devils led by a convincing margin against the Cougars. They were up 58-45 with over 10 minutes left in the game.

The Blue Devils are known for their high-level talent on both sides of the ball. Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel highlighted the unit with their remarkable scoring ability, while Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James made their contributions in playmaking and defense.

However, the Cougars stepped up on the defensive side of the ball, which has also been their identity throughout the season. They swarmed Duke's players, not allowing them to get off easy shots, and took advantage of their errors down the stretch.

This allowed them to make a 25-9 run, taking the lead in the final minute and not giving it up. Duke shot 1-of-9 from the field in this stretch, showing the crucial defense Houston played against them.

Houston vs. Duke Stats: Numbers Behind the Upset

Offensively, the Cougars and Blue Devils evened out.

The Cougars shot 38% from the field, including 46% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line. On the other hand, the Blue Devils had shooting splits of 40%, 41% and 78% in those respective categories.

Rebounds played a significant role in Houston winning, having a 38-29 edge in that department. This included 18 offensive rebounds for them, showing their willingness to crash the glass as they pulled off the comeback.

How many points did Cooper Flagg score against Houston?

Cooper Flagg had a strong overall performance for the Blue Devils, barring the final minute of the contest.

In 36 minutes of action, Flagg finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He shot 8-of-19 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

However, Flagg was unable to help Duke fend off Houston's rally. He committed a critical foul within the last 20 seconds and missed a shot that could have given the Blue Devils the lead.

What was the foul on Cooper Flagg?

There was a foul near the end of the game against Cooper Flagg that proved costly for Duke.

With 19 seconds left in regulation, and the Blue Devils leading 67-66, Flagg committed an over-the-back foul while trying to get possession of the ball. This ended up giving more momentum to the Cougars, as they scored four unanswered points after that foul.