In the Sweet 16 matchup between Duke basketball and Houston, an unfortunate injury had a significant impact on the game. Jamal Shead, the talented Houston player who was named Consensus First Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, suffered a badly sprained ankle during the first half.

With just under seven minutes remaining in the first half, Shead drove to the basket, but as he planted his right leg, his ankle gave out and twisted awkwardly. He remained on the court in pain while play continued on the other end, eventually being taken back to the locker room by trainers.

Shead did not return for the rest of the first half and was seen using a transport scooter during halftime. He joined his teammates on the bench for the second half, hoping to reenter the game, but his ankle did not have enough strength. Despite his injury, Shead showed support for his team but could barely stand to cheer when Houston made a basket.

The X-Rays for Shead's ankle came back negative, but the injury was described as a badly sprained ankle. Houston had his ankle retaped tightly and hoped he could make a comeback in the second half at some point.

As the game came to an intense end, with Duke holding on for a 54-51 victory, the Blue Devils displayed exceptional sportsmanship. Duke players approached the Houston bench to congratulate Shead on his outstanding season, even though he was unable to walk through the postgame handshake line.

Prior to his injury, Shead had only scored two points on a 1-for-5 shooting performance. However, his defense was making a significant impact for the Cougars, as they held Duke to a 4-of-17 shooting from the field and 2-of-8 from behind the arc, with seven turnovers. Despite Houston's early lead of 16-10, Duke managed to outscore them in the final minutes of the first half, leading 23-22 at halftime.

In the second half, Duke shot 46-percent from the field, but Houston's offense remained strong, shooting 50-percent after halftime.

Duke will now face its ACC rival, NC State, in the Elite Eight on Sunday afternoon (5:05 p.m. ET, CBS), as they continue their journey in the NCAA tournament.