Jay Bilas calls out ACC as factor in Duke's collapse versus Houston

Duke and Houston each won 35 games, won their league titles in regular season and conference tournaments, and made it to the Final Four. However, the difference in the difficulty in how they each accomplished those made the difference in their matchup in the Final Four to Jay Bilas.

Bilas broke down the ending of the 70-67 comeback win for Houston over Duke on Saturday ahead of the championship of the NCAA Tournament on Monday. He felt the Blue Devils’ season, which saw them dominate with little to no resistance, didn’t help them in that moment while the Cougars’ season, which was full of close calls, was a plus for them in that moment in their national semi.

“I thought the biggest factor in the game was the fact that Duke was inexperienced in close games. And that’s where I felt the ACC really let them down,” said Bilas. “Everybody else in this Final Four had played games that came down to the wire day after day and game after game.”

Duke went 35-4 overall this season and 22-1 against the ACC while posting the largest point differential of +20.4 points. They won by an average margin of 23.3 points with 22 coming by 20-plus, ten coming by 30-plus, four coming by 40-plus, and one by 51. That includes an average margin of 21 points in their wins versus the Atlantic Coast Conference as they won 17 of those by double-digits.

Houston also sits at 35-4 overall this year after going 22-1 against the Big 12 as they posted the fifth-best point differential of +15.4 with an average margin of victory of 17.6. However, the Cougars had to fight for a lot of those wins too throughout the last two months including several in conference play and in the postseason, including in the Round of 32 and Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. All four of their losses were close too with none more than five points and three of which went to overtime.

Bilas recalled it being similar to Duke winning over UNLV in the Final Four back 1991 after losing to the Rebels in the title game in 1990. The Blue Devils knew they were more tested than their opponent was – just like the Cougars were in San Antonio on Saturday.

“It reminded me of 1991, you know, when Duke was playing UNLV in the national semifinal. UNLV was undefeated, had Greg Anthony, Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon – but they hadn’t played in a close game,” said Bilas. “I remember Coach K telling the team, look, if we clean up the stuff from the game last year, we’ll be in the game at the end. We live in close games and they don’t.”

“I thought it was very similar that Houston has lived all year long in close games and they’ve executed in clutch time,” Bilas continued. “They have four losses. Three of those losses are in overtime. They’ve got a team that is not afraid, they’re fearless of consequences. So they’re willing to take a shot, not concerned about the consequences. They’re taking it to make it. They’re making the play, not worried about the consequences of not making the play.”

The only mark against Duke for a lot of the season was their strength of schedule and opponent. Despite making the Final Four, though, it may have contributed in what cost them in the end against a battled, veteran team like Houston is – which is why the Cougars will be playing for a national title tonight.

“I thought that sharpness of being in so many close games was really the difference in that one,” said Bilas. “Duke hadn’t been there before and Houston had been there multiple times. I think that was a force multiplier for them.”