As the 2025 NCAA Tournament gears up, launching with the First Four matchups on March 18, basketball fans are already buzzing—not just about the games, but about a brutally relatable White Lotus meme targeting Duke.
The tournament opener will see St. Francis (PA) face Alabama State for a shot at challenging No. 1 seed Auburn. Meanwhile, Mount St. Mary’s and American University clash on March 19 to determine who will take on second-overall seed Duke in the first round.
March Madness inevitably reignites widespread disdain for the Blue Devils on social media, with memes and jokes exploding whenever the team stumbles early. This year, the HBO series. The White Lotus has already set the tone. During Sunday’s bracket reveal, a scene featuring actor Jason Isaacs as Timothy Ratliff—a Duke alum character—went viral. In the meme, Ratliff wears a Duke shirt while miming a gun to his head, symbolizing the despair of fans if the team underperforms.
The image, pulled from Season 1 of the hit show, quickly amassed over 56,000 likes and three million views, cementing its status as the go-called humor for Duke critics. With the Blue Devils’ reputation as perennial villains of college basketball, the meme is poised to flood timelines if they suffer an unexpected exit.
As the Madness begins, one thing is clear: Duke’s haters are locked, loaded, and ready to meme.
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