Kyle Filipowski's GF Caitlin Hutchison gushes over Duke star after nail-biting 54-51 win against Houston: "Pretty boy!!!" 

Duke center Kyle Filipowski played a pivotal role in the Blue Devils' narrow 54-51 win against the No. 1 seeded Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16 of the Big Dance to advance to the Elite Eight.

Filipowski registered 16 points, nine rebounds, and two assists on 42.9% shooting from the field. He went 3-for-5 from deep.

His girlfriend, Caitlin Hutchison, gushed over the Duke star's performance on Instagram, reposting a picture of the center on her stories with the caption:

"Pretty boy!!!"

Caitlin Hutchison's IG

Kyle Filipowski revving up for Duke

While star Duke freshman Jared McCain has been getting plaudits for leading the Blue Devils' offense during the 2024 NCAA tournament, Kyle Filipowski has been improving with each game.

He started slowly registering three points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the Blue Devils' first-round 64-47 win against the Vermont Catamounts.

Against the James Madison Dukes, the center tallied 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 75% shooting from the field in the 93-55 win.

Influential Houston guard Jamal Shead, the bedrock of the Cougars' defensive excellence this season got hurt in the first half with the Blue Devils behind 16-10 and the tide of the game turned.

Kyle Filipowski was instrumental in Duke's rebounding efforts, tallying nine of the 34 rebounds the team made, allowing them to control the clock and limit the Cougars' offensive game plan.

During his postgame news conference, Filipowski lauded his team for not letting the physicality of the game get to them.

“This game right here was that same type of game. Just a great, gritty team and their culture. Just seeing the togetherness, how we didn’t quit out there tonight, that really shows the growth from last year,” Filipowski said.

“We remember how upset we were from last year, and we didn’t want to repeat that again.”

The Blue Devils will face a familiar opponent in their next matchup. The NC State Wolfpack have faced Duke twice this season in the last three weeks, winning once and losing once.

Most crucially, Duke lost to NC State 74-69 in the quarterfinal of the ACC tournament. However, Filipowski had one of his best games, registering 28 points, 14 rebounds and one assist.

If the Blue Devils are to eke out a place in the Final Four, Kyle Filipowski's performance will be crucial.