For the second time this month, the No. 1 team fell at home to an unranked nonconference foe.
And this time it came at the buzzer and ended a nearly 20-year streak.
Top-ranked Duke lost to Stephen F. Austin, 85-83 in overtime, Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium — exactly two weeks after Evansville shocked then-No. 1 Kentucky at Rupp Arena. The Blue Devils also became the third top-ranked team to lose in the season's first month (Preseason No. 1 Michigan State lost to Kentucky on Nov. 5).
Though Duke had the chance to win it late, Stephen F. Austin came up with the steal and got Nathan Bain's layup just before the buzzer secured the shocker.
🚨 UPSET ALERT 🚨
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness)
Stephen F. Austin ends No. 1 Duke’s 150-straight non-conference home game win streak!
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Duke had won 150 games in a row at home against nonconference teams. St. John's was the last team to win at Duke : Feb. 26, 2000, when Savage Garden topped the charts with "I Knew I Loved You" and The Whole Nine Yards was No. 1 at the box office.
Stephen F. Austin had never played Duke before. And in their most recent game, the Lumberjacks lost to Rutgers by 12 on November 20.
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But on Tuesday, a team that had as many NCAA tournament appearances as Duke has national titles (5) handed the Blue Devils a shocking defeat.
RAISE THE AXE BABY!
— SFA Basketball (@SFA_MBB)
IT'S OVER!
DOWN GOES NO. 1 DUKE TO THE 'JACKS!
SFA remained close throughout as Kevon Harris scored 20 of his 26 points by halftime. Duke led 45-40 at the break.
The last nine minutes of the second half saw the teams exchange points and leads, as neither team led by more than two points.
After a Harris free throw tied the game at 79, Duke's Tre Jones gave his team the lead with a pair of free throws with about 29 seconds to go...only for Gavin Kensmil to score and force OT at 81-81.
Vernon Carey Jr. led Duke with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting. But Cameron Johnson scored 16 off the bench for the Lumberjacks, who shot 48.6 percent from the floor.
But Bain's fifth field goal of the game was the biggest.
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