Duke vs St. John's: Elite Eight Showdown

0:00On March 26, this Friday, at 7-10pm Eastern Time, top-seated Duke takes on 5th-seated St. John's in the sweet 16, with a trip to the Elite 8 on the line. Duke, under coach John Shire, hopes to reach the Elite 8 for a third straight year, while St. John's chases its first since 1999, with Rick Patino at the helm. The boo-devils are shaking off injuries, with sophomore-centered Patrick Engongba back after missing 5 games, though Junior Guard Caleb Foster remains sidelined and unlikely to play. St. John's has surged lately, winning 21 of their last 22 games, thanks to a tough defense that ranks among the nation's best at, stopping opponents. They lack Duke's height but make up for it with physical play inside. Duke faced one of the toughest schedules all season, which helped them grab the number one overall seed, and they dominate near the basket, better than most teams. Still, the Red Storm present the blue devil's stiffest defensive test yet.

1:01Both squads are fired up in this match-up, but Duke's interior edge could prove decisive as they push deeper into March madness.