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Easy as 1, 2, 3: Favorites Dominate the N.C.A.A. Bracket

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The best game of the N.C.A.A. tournament so far came Sunday afternoon, when Central Florida challenged no less than Duke.

The Blue Devils tend to be front-runners even in down seasons. And this is no down season: they are the No. 1 overall seed, and their best player, Zion Williamson, is the most popular college basketball player in years. Yet the Knights, led by their coach’s son (the upsets always seem to be led by the coach’s son), had Duke on the ropes all day. They held the lead as late as the game’s final minute.