Duke’s win over Michigan draws record crowd — and sends a message for March originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It wasn’t your average night at the Capital One Arena, and it certainly wasn’t your average NCAA Basketball game. 20,537 fans packed the Capital One Arena to watch No. 3 Duke take on No. 1 Michigan in the high-profile non-conference matchup ahead of March Madness.
The trip for both Duke and Michigan is part of the “Duel in the District,” a high-profile, neutral-site non-conference game intended to boost both teams’ NCAA resumes late in the season.
It is the highest-attended neutral-site game of the season and the highest-attended college basketball game at Capital One Arena. While it certainly does not touch the numbers of the NCAA Tournament or Final Four, it is an exciting sight to see in the weeks leading up to Selection Sunday and the Road to Indianapolis.
Duke and Michigan are currently viewed as the leading candidates for No. 1 seeds in the tournament, according to Bill Bender's projections for Sporting News from late last week. His projections identify Michigan, Duke, Arizona, and Houston as the top four teams. Recent games, including Arizona's victory over Houston, are expected to significantly impact these projections early next week.
Selection Sunday is set for March 15 on CBS after the conclusion of conference championships.
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