Beyond the Arc: Duke basketball vs Oregon

Fourth-seeded Duke never got going in its Sweet 16 clash with top-seeded Oregon, trailing by double-digits for almost the entire second half after Duck point guard Casey Benson nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to start the period and Chris Boucher got a transition dunk to stretch the team's five-point halftime lead to 10. Oregon went on to win 82-68 to punch its ticket to the team's first Elite Eight since 2007 and end the Blue Devils' season.

Revisiting the three keys to the game:

• Take advantage of size: Oregon's versatility and athleticism negated any size advantage Duke had. Versatile forwards Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher and Elgin Cook combined for 49 points and 18 rebounds, exhausting Brandon Ingram, Marshall Plumlee and Chase Jeter by making them guard in space. Duck reserve Jordan Bell was the most active bench player in the contest, adding 13 points and seven rebounds by aggressively attacking the rim throughout the game. Oregon dominated the boards 42-32 and blocked five shots, using its dominance inside to set up open looks from the perimeter in the second half. 
• Get offensive production from someone not named Brandon Ingram or Grayson Allen: Although guard Luke Kennard had a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards for Duke, the Blue Devils never found a rhythm offensively against the Ducks' length. The five players other than Ingram and Allen combined for just 29 points and were unable to create their own offense to take pressure off the team's leading duo.  Even Allen—who powered Duke to the Sweet 16 with 52 points in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament—struggled, going just 4-for-13 from the field for 15 points.
• Stay out of foul trouble: This one also did not go according to plan for head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Plumlee committed two early fouls on the offensive end, which limited his ability to protect the paint in the first half. Although no Blue Devils fouled out, Duke was forced to play a conservative zone for much of the contest to protect Plumlee and Ingram—who had three fouls—which played right into the hands of the Ducks.

Three key stats:

• Oregon records 22 assists on 32 made field goals: The Blue Devils' offense largely consisted of Ingram creating his own looks for much of the game, but the Ducks consistently generated open shots and made the Duke defense work. Benson led the way with eight assists and Brooks used his versatility to play all over the court and record six assists to go along with his 22 points and five rebounds.
• Duke goes 9-for-15 from the free throw line: The Blue Devils could have used more free-throw attempts to slow down Oregon's transition attack, but the Ducks stymied Allen without fouling the explosive 6-foot-4 guard and blew the game open in the second half as a result. Although Ingram and Allen combined for 13 of the 15 free throw attempts, Kennard and reserve guard Derryck Thornton were unable to get to the charity stripe at all and never looked comfortable attacking the rim against the Duck defense.
• Marshall Plumlee and Matt Jones limited to six points apiece: The Blue Devil veterans could not make their mark on Thursday's game, with all six of Jones' points coming with the outcome essentially decided and Plumlee negated by Oregon's athleticism.

Three key plays:

• 14:37 remaining, first half: Plumlee picks up his second foul trying to grab an offensive rebound before Jeter can come in as a substitute, meaning the 7-footer had to play the rest of the period on his heels and without his normal aggression. The Warsaw, Ind., native sparked Duke many times this season but was at the wrong place at the wrong time early in the game—his last in a Blue Devil uniform.
• 18:40 remaining, second half: Brooks leads the break, finding Boucher sprinting down the court for a transition dunk to extend Oregon's lead to 10. The play came after Benson's two 3-pointers to open the second half sandwiched around an Allen 3-pointer and was indicative of the Ducks' quickness advantage all night long.
• 4:50 remaining, second half: Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey swings the ball into the corner to Brooks for a wide open 3-pointer against the Blue Devil zone which puts the Ducks up 72-56. Brooks was the best player on the court Thursday and his dagger jump shot essentially sealed the win.

And the Duke game ball goes to.... Brandon Ingram