new york – It’s been pouring rain in Brooklyn since Saturday, but it rained during the second round of March Madness on Sunday.
Duke’s Jared McCain gave a masterclass at Barclays Center in the Round of 32, helping the fourth-seeded Blue Devils defeat No. 12 James Madison 93-55.
Duke dominated the first half thanks to lights-out 3-point shooting by the true freshman. McCain gave the go-ahead all night, drilling his first six from behind the perimeter. JMU, on the other hand, was 1-of-7 from three in the first half.
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Jared McCain of the Duke Blue Devils makes a 3-point shot in the first half against the James Madison Dukes in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center in New York City on March 24, 2024. reacts. (Sarah Steer/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, James Madison made five of his first seven free throws before missing four in a row. But that hardly mattered, mainly because McCain scored 22 points in the first half. He only scored more points three times all season.
Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor also each added eight points in the first half, giving the Blue Devils a 24-point lead. But McCain remained calm at halftime, hitting two of his first three shots after the break.
Duke Blue Devils #0 Jared McCain reacts during the first half against the James Madison Dukes in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 24, 2024 in New York City. (Sarah Steer/Getty Images)
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But the only thing that stood in the way of a record-setting performance was time. With 9:29 left and Duke holding a 28-point lead, John Scheier sat him down.
McCain’s 30 points were the second-most in his young career. He dropped 35 points against Florida State on February 17th. His eight 3-pointers tied his career high, also coming against the Seminoles.
After taking just one shot in the first round, Filipovskiy revamped his offensive line Sunday, dropping 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Proctor added 18 on the night and went just 4-of-10 from three.
Duke Blue Devils #0 Jared McCain reacts during the first half against the James Madison Dukes in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 24, 2024 in New York City. (Sarah Steer/Getty Images)
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With the win, the Blue Devils qualified for the Sweet 16 for the 33rd time in school history. They await the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 9 Texas A&M.
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