SI Weekend Roundup: America’s Favorite Villain Is Back: Duke Enters March Madness as the Team to Beat

Fueled by Cameron Boozer and battle-tested by last season's heartbreak, the ACC champions shrugged off injuries to enter the NCAA tournament playing their best basketball of the season.

SI WEEKEND ROUNDUP America's Favorite Villain Is Back: Duke Enters March Madness as the Team to Beat Bryan Fischer Fueled by Cameron Boozer and battle-tested by last season's heartbreak, the ACC champions shrugged off injuries to enter the NCAA tournament playing their best basketball of the season. READ MORE Running on Sheer Joy, Venezuela Dances Into WBC Semifinal by Stunning Japan Tom Verducci No team is having more fun at the World Baseball Classic than the South American nation, which injected even more energy into the tourney by eliminating the defending champs. READ MORE Join Verducci's View Newsletter Tom Verducci delivers a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball's biggest storylines. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE UConn's Week of Collapses Raises March Madness Questions Zach Koons The Huskies let the Big East regular-season title slip away and were run off the floor by St. John's—leaving Dan Hurley likening the experience to "Chernobyl." READ MORE More from Sports Illustrated Ludvig Åberg Closes in on Career-Defining Victory at Players Championship Read More Albert Breer's Free Agency Notes: Evaluating the Kyler Murray Deal in Minnesota Read More Men's Basketball Bracket Watch: Final March Madness Projections for Selection Sunday Read More March Madness: Five Questions Ahead of Men's Bracket Reveal on Selection Sunday Read More Ten Great March Madness Cinderella Stories You May Have Forgotten Read More Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. Click to subscribe! Join the SI College Basketball Newsletter SI's college basketball newsletter delivers insider reporting and can't-miss stories on the biggest moments from across the country. From weekly previews to in-depth features, it's your essential guide to staying ahead in the world of NCAA hoops. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Sports Illustrated newsletter. You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the Sports Illustrated newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.