By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Fifteen minutes or so after the final buzzer sounded at the NCAA Final Four on Saturday night, the cavernous Alamodome was nearly empty. The Houston Cougars and the Duke Blue Devils had long since retreated to their respective dressing rooms.

As for the announced crowd of 68,252 fans, most had filed out through glass doors and into the night in downtown San Antonio.

But with members of media seated in the north end of the dome typing furiously to put into words one of the most thrilling NCAA tournament game finishes of the year, some Cougars’ fans could still be heard on the outer concourses.

Screaming in delight in intermittent bursts of emotion, they apparently didn’t want to leave the scene, and who could blame them? The Cougars had just erased a 14-point deficit in the last eight minutes and shocked the Blue Devils, 70-67, in the NCAA semifinals.

“Yeah, awesome win for my kids,” 69-year-old Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Obviously we have great respect for Duke and their team, their tradition, what Coach K and Duke has meant to this game for so long.”

Coach Jon Scheyer, who took the Duke job three years ago after the legendary Mike Krzyzewski retired, was clearly emotional in his opening remarks to the assembled press corps. Flanked by NCAA Player of the Year Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel on the dais, Scheyer talked about pride.

“So, for me, the very first thing I want to say is how proud I am to coach these two guys next to me and our entire team,” Scheyer said. “I mean, it’s been a special ride that ended in a heartbreaking way.”

Riding a 15-game winning streak into the Final Four, the Blue Devils (35-4) likely will long remember how this one got away from them. The Cougars (also 35-4) will in turn try capitalize on the momentum and carry it into a championship setting.

Houston will play Florida (35-4) for the NCAA title at the dome on Monday night. The Gators advanced by winning the earlier game of Saturday’s doubleheader, downing the Auburn Tigers, 79-73 behind Walter Clayton Jr.’s 34 points.

How it happened

Guard L.J. Cryer scored eight of his 26 points in the last 7:58 of the game in leading Houston to its 18th straight victory.

In a 9-0 run over the final minute and 14 seconds, Cougars reserve guard Mylik Wilson contributed with a steal on a Duke inbounds pass that led to dunk by Joseph Tugler.

After the steal, Wilson dribbled out to the three-point line and shot the ball. The rebound went to Tugler, who dunked it, bringing the Cougars to within one point with 25 seconds left.

Duke, still with the upper hand, promptly advanced the other way in an effort to clinch the victory.

The Blue Devils couldn’t get it done, though, as Houston fouled and Duke guard Tyrese Proctor missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation with 20 seconds remaining. It was a miss that opened the door for the Cougars to win it.

Houston forward J’Wan Roberts snared the rebound and was fouled, walking the length of the court with a chance to give his team the lead at the free-throw line. Roberts, in his sixth year with the Cougars, came through.

He hit two with 19.6 seconds left, pushing the Cougars into a 68-67 lead, a development that prompted Cougars’ fans to unleash a high-decibel roar.

After a Duke timeout failed to quiet the crowd, the Blue Devils inbounded and passed once to Flagg, who misfired on a turnaround jumper with eight seconds left.

Cryer hit two free throws with 3.7 seconds remaining to account for the game’s final points.

Individuals

Houston — When the Houston offense seemed hopelessly stalled in the first half, L.J. Cryer kept the Cougars in it. He scored 12 points on four of seven shooting before intermission. The former Houston area high school standout, who started his career at Baylor University, finished his day by hitting eight of 14 from the field and six of nine from behind the three-point arc. Guard Emanuel Sharp scored 16 points, including nine in the final two minutes. Forward J’Wan Roberts produced 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

Duke — Duke freshman Cooper Flagg was sensational. Not only did he have 27 points and seven rebounds, he also passed for four assists, made two steals and blocked three shots. Freshman guard Kon Knueppel produced 16 points and seven rebounds. Both Flagg and Knueppel hit three three-point baskets. While Flagg and Knueppel shot a combined 13 for 28 from the field, the rest of the team made only 8 for 25.

First half

Knueppel, one of Duke’s outstanding freshmen, scored 12 points in the half as the Duke Blue Devils grinded their way to a 34-28 lead on the Houston Cougars at intermission.

Another Duke freshman, national player of the year Cooper Flagg, showed off multiple skills with eight points, four rebounds and two assists.

In the beginning, the Cougars played hard but couldn’t hit a shot and fell behind 18-9 on the scoreboard.

They missed their first three shots, eight of their first nine and 14 of their first 17 in a frustrating opening 11 minutes.

Quotable

Asked how they executed what was the third-largest comeback in NCAA semifinals history, the Cougars offered varying explanations.

“I mean, it ain’t over because they still got time on the clock,” Cryer said. “As long as there’s time on the clock, we’re going out there and give it our all. We’ve been in positions like that before.

“At Kansas, I don’t remember how much we (were) down, but it was late in the game. That game looked like it was pretty much over, too. Somehow, we ended up winning it.”

Sampson put it more succinctly, saying that as far as the Cougars are concerned, “quitting isn’t part of the deal.”

Records

Houston 35-4
Duke 35-4

Coming up

Houston vs. Florida for the NCAA title, Monday at 7:50 p.m. in the Alamodome.