NCAA championship game gets best overnight TV ratings in 18 years

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Duke forward Jahlil Okafor had 10 points in the Blue Devils’ 68-63 NCAA Tournament final victory over the Wisconsin Blue Devils.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

2/27

Members of the Duke basketball team and Coach Mike Krzyzewski celebrate after the Blue Devils’ 68-63 victory over Wisconsin in the championship game of the NCAA tournament.

(Darron Cummings / Associated Press)

3/27

Duke forward Jahlil Okafor cuts down the net after the Blue Devils’ 68-63 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the national championship.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky consoles teammate Josh Gasser after the Badgers’ 68-63 loss to Duke in the national championship game.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks with NCAA President Mark Emmert and CBS’s Jim Nantz after the Blue Devils’ 68-63 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker (15) and Josh Gasser (21) look on as Duke’s Tyus Jones (5) and Grayson Allen celebrate the Blue Devils’ fifth national championship under Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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Justise Winslow and Matt Jones of Duke celebrate after their 68-63 NCAA Tournament final victory over the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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Wisconsin’s Bronson Koenig drives to the hoop against Duke’s Justise Winslow during the second half of the Blue Devils’ 68-63 victory over the Badgers.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Duke’s Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen react after a play late in the second half of the Blue Devils’ 68-63 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Tournament final.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

10/27

Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky reacts after a play in the second half of the national championship game against Duke. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Duke guards Grayson Allen and Quinn Cook react after a play during the second half of the NCAA championship game between the Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

12/27

Duke’s Justise Winslow greets Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky before the start of the national championship game Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

13/27

Duke’s Justise Winslow goes up for a shot against Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky during the first half of the NCAA tournament championship game Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Chris Steppig / Associated Press)

14/27

Wisconsin forward Duje Dukan reacts after making a three pointer against Duke during the first half of the national championship game.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

15/27

Duke guard Quinn Cook looks on during the first half of the NCAA championship game between the Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

16/27

Dukes’ Justise Winslow and Jahlil Okafor have position on Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes for a loose ball during the first have of the NCAA Tournament final Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski questions a call during the first half of the NCAA tournament final between his Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

18/27

Former Wisconsin football player J.J. Watt, now a member of the Houston Texans, looks on from the crowd during the national championship game between the Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan reacts during the first half of the national championship game between his Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

20/27

A bald eagle flies over the court during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the NCAA Tournament final between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

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Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky runs on to the court before the NCAA national championship game between the Badgers and the Blue Devils on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

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Wisconsin guard Josh Gasser runs to the court before the NCAA Tournament final between the Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils.

(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

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Duke guard Quinn Cook stretches before the NCAA national championship game between the Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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College basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale poses for a photo with Duke fans before the NCAA National Championship game between the Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

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Duke guard Tyus Jones warms up before the national championship game against Wisconsin on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

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Wisconsin masctot Bucky Badger hypes up the crowd before the national championship game Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

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The Duke mascot has “Destiny” on his mind ahead of the national championship game Monday between the Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

By Chuck SchilkenStaff Writer

April 7, 2015 9:30 AM PT

Duke and Wisconsin put on quite a show Monday night, and a whole lot of people were watching.

The NCAA championship game on CBS drew a 17.1 overnight rating (the percentage of U.S. homes tuned in) and 27 share (the percentage of TVs in use at the time), according to the network and Turner Sports.

Those numbers are up 33% from last year’s 12.9/21 when Connecticut beat Kentucky.

The last time a March Madness finale had preliminary ratings so high was back in 1997 (18/28), when defending champion Kentucky lost to Arizona in overtime.

This year’s game was a thriller as well. After a halftime tie, Wisconsin claimed a nine-point lead only to be outscored by Duke, 29-15, in the final 13 minutes. Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils ended up claiming their fifth national title with a 68-63 victory.

The ratings must have come as great news to the network, which was probably concerned after undefeated Kentucky lost to Wisconsin in the national semifinals on Saturday.

Overnight ratings measure only the largest markets in the U.S. Final numbers will be released Tuesday afternoon.

Twitter: @chewkiii