Top 10 NCAA Tournament Losses by Duke

March Madness is back, and once again, the Duke Blue Devils, America's most despised basketball school, return looking to win their sixth national championship. When the Blue Devils lose in the NCAA Tournament, it is a joy for America and for the team that wins, because beating Duke is a marquee achievement.

Here are the top 10 NCAA Tournament losses by Duke.

The Top Ten

UConn Huskies - 1999 National Championship

Despite being a 1-seed in their region, the Huskies were nearly 10-point underdogs when they met Duke in the national title game. But UConn led by one when they forced a turnover on the Blue Devils with five seconds left. After making a pair of free throws, the Huskies' defense stopped the Blue Devils to win, 77-74.
UNLV Runnin' Rebels - 1990 National Championship

It remains the biggest blowout in NCAA championship game history. UNLV, with Greg Anthony, Larry Johnson, and Anderson Hunt, destroyed the Blue Devils, led by Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, 103-73 to win the program's first national championship.
Arkansas Razorbacks - 1994 National Championship

The Blue Devils were returning to the national championship for the third time in four years and battled tough with Arkansas. In the final minute, the Razorbacks sealed the victory with a three-pointer by Scotty Thurman.
Kentucky Wildcats - 1998 Elite Eight

Six years after Christian Laettner broke Kentucky's hearts with a buzzer-beater in the 1992 Elite Eight epic thriller, the Wildcats would get their revenge on Duke in the 1998 Elite Eight. The hero of the game was Scott Padgett, who knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer, which propelled Kentucky to the Final Four.
Indiana Hoosiers - 2002 Sweet Sixteen

Against five-seeded Indiana, top-seeded Duke was up double-digits at halftime, but the Hoosiers rallied back and led by four with under ten seconds to go. Despite Jay Williams hitting a three-pointer and drawing a foul with a chance to tie the game, he missed the free throw and Indiana held on for the victory.
North Carolina Tar Heels - 2022 Final Four

In what would be Coach Mike Krzyzewski's final game, the Blue Devils met with their bitter rival, the North Carolina Tar Heels, in the Final Four. The game was nip and tuck all the way until the final moments when UNC pulled away and reached the national championship game.
Lehigh Mountain Hawks - 2012 First Round

As a two-seed, the Blue Devils were stunned by 15-seeded Lehigh in 2012. The Mountain Hawks were led by CJ McCollum, who went off for 30 points to pull off a 75-70 upset.
Houston Cougars - 2025 Final Four

The Blue Devils were ahead of Houston 67-61 with a minute left to go in the Final Four, but the Cougars pulled off one of the greatest comebacks by scoring nine points to reach the national championship game.
Michigan State Spartans - 2019 Elite Eight

In what was a battle between the two best teams in the region, the second-seeded Spartans put an end to Zion Williamson's one-and-done season at Duke with a 68-67 victory to advance to the Final Four.
VCU Rams - 2007 First Round

Sixth-seeded Duke fell in a heartbreaking finish as 11th-seeded VCU, with a game-winning shot by Eric Maynor, won 79-77 to advance to the next round.