1-seed Duke basketball advanced to the program's second straight Sweet Sixteen with its 89-66 victory over 9-seed Baylor in the Round of 32 last night. Duke will take on 4-seed Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen this Thursday at 9:39pm ET on CBS in Newark, New Jersey.
Now, a familiar foe will have one more chance to go up against the Blue Devils, and the Duke basketball program will have a chance to redeem what Caleb Love did to it in the 2022 Final Four.
Before Love played at Arizona, he was at North Carolina, and the Tar Heels met Duke in the 2022 Final Four in Coach K's final year at the helm. The Tar Heels were an 8-seed in the midst of a miraculous run and the Blue Devils were a 2-seed.
And what Love did to Duke will live in Blue Devil fans' nightmares forever, as Love delivered the dagger as time was winding down to send UNC to the national championship and end Mike Krzyzewski's coaching career.
Caleb Love just went OFF for Arizona 🔥
— Underdog (@Underdog) March 24, 2025
They now face No. 1 Duke in the Sweet 16. He ended Coach K’s career 3 years ago 👀 pic.twitter.com/xaINum9ue8
And here we are today, as the Blue Devils now have a chance to make up for it by beating the Wildcats, ending Love's college career, and sending Duke to the Elite Eight for the second straight season.
Love has had a storied career as Duke fans' least favorite player. He's put on a few unbelievable performances in wins over the Blue Devils throughout his time at both North Carolina and Arizona.
In that Final Four game, Love finished with 28 points including that shot to practically end the game. Last season, when Arizona came to Cameron Indoor, Love only finished with 11 points, but made sure to let Blue Devil fans know he was back after the Wildcats won 78-73 at Cameron.
Thursday's matchup gives Duke the perfect chance to have the last laugh if it can send Love and the Wildcats packing, ending Love's collegiate career. However, it can also end in heartbreak and make it the second time that Love has ended a Blue Devils' season.
"We'll be ready for them," Love said after Arizona's 87-83 Round of 32 victory over 5-seed Oregon last night.
Love finished last night's game with 29 points and nine rebounds in the winning effort.
The Blue Devils have a lot on their plate against a fiesty Wildcats team. Duke has already played Arizona this season and won at McKale Center 69-55, but it's difficult to beat a team twice and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Love will be out there giving everything he's got.