Deja vu. Freshman point guard Tyus Jones led Duke past Wisconsin for the second time this season, only this time it was for the national championship. The Blue Devils cut down the nets for the fifth time ever and second time at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in the past five years thanks to 23 points from Jones and 16 from reserve Grayson Allen:
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Win the free throw battle: This is how Jones, Allen and swingman Justise Winslow turned the game around for Duke in the second half after the Badgers took a nine-point lead with 13:25 left in the game. The Blue Devils got to the line 20 times Monday night—including 16 attempts in the second half—with all but one of the trips coming from the trio. Once Duke started getting defensive stops late in the game and rebounding, its ability to get to the free throw line on the other end took Wisconsin's high-powered offense out of its rhythm. The Badgers—known for winning the free throw battle—got to the line just 10 times Monday night.
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Keep up the strong defense: Jones and company were great, but the Blue Devils took home the title thanks to another stingy defensive effort. Duke held the nation's most efficient offense to 41 percent shooting and forced Wisconsin to miss seven of its final nine shots, which led to a 10-0 Blue Devil run and the cap on a storybook season.
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Keep Winslow rolling: Winslow wasn't great Monday night—finishing with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting—but his nine big rebounds and ability to play defense down low with freshman center Jahlil Okafor in foul trouble were huge down the stretch. The Houston native also played a role in limiting Badger swingman Sam Dekker to just 12 points on 6-of-15 and holding Wisconsin to just three offensive rebounds in the second half. The Badgers looked on their way to claiming their first title since 1941 after getting 11 second-chance points in the opening period, but generated just two in the second half.
Three key plays:
- 12:52, second half: Welcome to the show, Grayson Allen. With his team down nine, the Jacksonville, Fla., native cans a huge 3-pointer to start Duke's comeback effort.
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4:08, second half: Tyus Stones delivers as he has all season, coming off a high ball screen—the play the Blue Devils used exclusively late in the game—to can a 3-pointer and give Duke a one-point lead 59-58 it would never relinquish. The play initiates Monday night's game-defining 10-0 run.
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1:24, second half: Dagger. After two huge Okafor buckets put the Blue Devils up five, Jones caps the run with another long 3-pointer to put Duke up eight and essentially seal the win.
Three key stats:
- National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky outscores Okafor 21-10 but ends storied career in Madison without a title
- Up two with 9:07 left, Wisconsin is unable to extend the lead despite Okafor being on the bench and the Blue Devils going scoreless for 2:03
- Freshmen score 60 of 68 points, get what they came to Durham for
And the Duke game ball goes to... Tyus Jones
The dynamic point guard sent a text to Coach K after Duke lost in the tournament last year saying it wouldn't happen again this year. Boy, was he right. The Apple Valley, Minn., native finished with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting and added five rebounds to break Wisconsin's hearts for the second time this year. Nineteen of Jones' points came in the second half, when the Badgers threatened to pull away but the Blue Devil floor general refused to let his team die.
And the Wisconsin game ball goes to... Frank Kaminsky
The National Player of the Year left it all out on the court Monday, pouring in 21 points on 7-of-16 and adding 12 rebounds. Most importantly, Kaminsky got Okafor in foul trouble to put his team in position to win, but the 7-footer ultimately did not get enough help from his supporting cast to end his career with a title. After Okafor exited with foul trouble, junior captain Amile Jefferson was able to slow down Kaminsky enough to give Duke the advantage it needed late.
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