Surprisingly, Duke Loss Didn't Bust All Brackets
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - After Duke's 78-71 loss to Mercer in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament, you may be thinking there is no way anyone is still in the running for the billion dollar bracket challenge issued by Quicken Loans and Warren Buffett. You'd be wrong.
The Quicken Loans Bracket Challenge page lists the top 50 brackets. Before the Duke/Mercer game, all 50 of them were perfect and tied for first place. Surprisingly, 13 of those brackets had Mercer topping Duke in Friday's matchup. Of the 13 people who are still in the running, all of them have Baylor beating Nebraska. All of them, also have New Mexico and Arizona advancing to the next round. Those games are in process now. (NOTE: There could be more than 13 perfect brackets left in the contest. The contest page only lists the Top 50 and was checked during the Duke/Mercer game).
Social media blew up after Mercer's win, with the hashtags #bracketsbusted, #Mercer, #DownGoesDuke:
RIP to our Bracket. Sad, sad day. #bracketbusted #DownGoesDuke #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/JJMrQRK9iZ
— ViSalus (@ViSalus) March 21, 2014
Welp! Last time I ever put faith in #Duke. NCAA bball is a sham. #1andDone is serial killin powerhouse programs left & right. #BracketBusted
— J. (@JfromCompton) March 21, 2014
I am never picking Duke to ever win a tournament game ever again, they always let me down year after year #disappointed #bracketbusted
— Haris Arshad (@BMOHarisBank) March 21, 2014
Yep #bracketbusted, but thanks, Mercer. That was a good game! Now, who are you again?!
— Elyse Alley Darling (@elysedarling) March 21, 2014