We’ll be getting our first exit polls from Duke / Belmont in a bit. . .

UPDATE: Very interesting race coming out of Washington.

50% of the game reporting:

BELMONT: 35

DUKE: 42

The race is tighter than many predicted. And Dick Vitale isn’t calling the game, so Duke is out one automatic delegate. Belmont is the clear favorite among independents in the crowd. Could Duke’s history of questionable campaign tactics be backfiring? Could we be seeing an “anti-flop” backlash?

UPDATE II: UPSET???

Unbelievable . . . 99% of the game reporting. . .

BELMONT: 70

DUKE: 69

People, this could be huge. . .

UPDATE III: Networks call it for Duke.*

100% of the game reporting:

BELMONT: 70

DUKE: 71

A heartbreaker! Belmont almost pulls off an electoral coup. Duke came into this race with deeper institutional support and much, much more financing than Belmont. Belmont showed surprising organizational skills on the ground, and enjoyed overwhelming support from the netroots, but in the end it wasn’t enough. It’s hard to beat the machine.

If Belmont had won this race, everyone would’ve had egg on their face. Joshua Micah Marshall would have gone into early retirement; politico.com would have shut down completely.

John Zogby had Belmont by 35; how can people take him seriously at this point?

*Umm. . . nice apostrophe, ESPN. (Check out the “Men’s Basketball” banner.)