No one could have expected this.
The Arizona Wildcats rallied from a six point halftime deficit, wearing down the Duke Blue Devils to take a convincing 93-77 victory in the Sweet Sixteen in Anaheim.
Arizona was led by Derrick Williams in the first half, who scored 25 points to pace all scorers. The second half was a much more balanced attack, featuring Lamont Jones and Solomon Hill as significant contributors.
Williams ended the game with 32 points, while Jones scored 16 and Hill added 13. Other surprise contributions came from Jamelle Horne, who played excellent defense and showed an athletic side we haven't seen in a while.
Kyrie Irving led Duke with 25 points, showing off what the future might hold for Coach Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils. Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith played their final games for Duke, scoring 18 and 8 points respectively in a losing effort.
As the game went on, the depth of the Wildcats came through on the floor, with Momo Jones supplying a spark, making several key baskets at opportune times. The swagger became overwhelming, and Duke couldn't rally its troops to make a dent in the UA lead.
Verne Lundquist said it well during the final minute, noting the "jubilation" of the team and its fans. Coach Sean Miller should be truly proud of the effort his team put forth against Duke.
With this impressive win, the Arizona Wildcats advance to play the Connecticut Huskies in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
For Arizona fan reaction and "jubilation" after this epic victory, check out AZ Desert Swarm.