Duke HC Jon Scheyer offers strong 5-word self-criticism after Final Four loss to Houston

The dream of becoming the new NCAA champions finally came to an end for the Duke Blue Devils. The defeat at the hands of the Houston Cougars left Jon Scheyer‘s squad empty-handed, and it was the head coach himself who took full responsibility after the game.

Perhaps the final score of 70-67 doesn’t fully reflect the flow of the game, where Cooper Flagg‘s team was slightly better than their opponents in several stretches. However, key mistakes from Duke led to a 25-9 run for the Cougars, who took full advantage of the situation.

Scheyer didn’t hide his frustration after his team’s elimination from this March Madness and, in a press conversation, delivered a strong five-word self-criticism: “I didn’t help them enough,” the head coach said.

Could more have been contributed from the sideline in moments of struggle? Perhaps. In any case, Duke showed it was up to the task despite the defeat, handling the situation with professionalism and already thinking about what’s next.

Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils talks with the team against the Houston Cougars during the second half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.

“This is part of it. You’ve got handle the wins, and you’ve got to handle the losses too,” Jon Scheyer also added.

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The disappointment with the final result

Losses are always painful, even more so when the outcome was favorable for much of the game. This was one of the main reasons why coach Jon Scheyer ended up disappointed with how the game against the Cougars unfolded.

“It’s been a special ride that ended in a heartbreaking way. Frankly, the game, we did what we wanted to do. I thought our guys followed the game plan, controlled the game, we had the lead for 35 minutes,” Scheyer said to the press. “It’s heartbreaking. It’s incredibly disappointing. There’s a lot of pain that comes with this.

“That’s what the tournament is all about. You’re an inch away from the national championship game,” he finally concluded.