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It took 3 days, but March Madness arrived for Duke-UCF

Lance King / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The audience may have had to endure three days of blowout-filled basketball, but March Madness officially arrived late Sunday afternoon in an epic clash between No. 1 Duke and No. 9 UCF.

After clawing back from a seven-point deficit with just over seven minutes to play, UCF took a late lead following two B.J. Taylor free throws. That left Duke trailing by three with under 30 seconds to play - not a good scenario for a team that ranks an astonishing 339th in the country in 3-point shooting.

Luckily for the Blue Devils, they have the phenom that is Zion Williamson, and the star forward took matters into his own hands with Duke facing elimination.

Zion used his strength to swat aside a defender like a mosquito before scaling 7-foot-6 UCF center Tacko Fall for a remarkable layup plus the foul. A free throw was all that was needed for Williamson to complete the "old-fashioned 3-point play" and see Duke level the affair.

But if there is one hole in the presumptive No. 1 overall NBA pick's game, it might be free-throw shooting, as Zion makes just 64.9 percent of his shots from the stripe. Williamson, possibly gassed from the previous feat of athletic brilliance, came up short on the foul shot, and for a second, it looked as though UCF might still escape. Then the world was reminded that Duke has not one, but two otherworldly 18-year-olds playing basketball for them, as RJ Barrett muscled in for the rebound and putback to give the Blue Devils the one-point advantage.

UCF then had a chance to imprint itself in March Madness lore with a buzzer-beater for the ages. Taylor drove on Tre Jones and got a solid look, only to see it rim out at the last second. But the threat wasn't done, as Aubrey Dawkins soared in and tapped a follow off the glass that appeared destined to drop and give the Knights the win.

Somehow it stayed out and the pre-tournament favorite was through to the Sweet 16, with a finish so wild that even the legendary Mike Krzyzewski admitted afterward that the Blue Devils were lucky.

Duke now moves on to face Virginia Tech, while the Knights head home wondering what may have been. While they may be ending the tournament without a trophy, they can go home fully aware that the effort on Sunday officially brought the madness back to March.

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