Duke beats Wisconsin, wins fifth national title
By JIM JOHNSON
ISL Contributor
(Photo by Tyler Smith)
INDIANAPOLIS – Tyus Jones went to Duke to be a part of something special and to make sure coach Mike Krzyzewski won a fifth national title.
The freshman guard scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Blue Devils to a 68-63 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in Monday’s NCAA national championship game.
“This has been our one goal that we were working for,” Jones said. “No matter if it was getting up extra shots or extra running, trying to get in better shape, tough practices, just believing in one another, believing in coach and everything they were telling us because we knew at the end if we did accomplish this, it was all going to be worth it.”
Grayson Allen scored 16 points and Justise Winslow finished with 11 points and nine rebounds for the Blue Devils (35-4), who last won a national championship in 2010 in the same Lucas Oil Stadium venue.
Frank Kaminsky had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Nigel Hayes added 13 for the Badgers (36-4), who landed in the final game for the first time in 74 years.
Jones scored the go ahead 3-pointer with 4:08 remaining to give the Blue Devils a 59-58 lead for good. Jahlil Okakor, who finished with 10 points, scored two more baskets before Jones made another three to give Duke a 66-58 lead – its largest lead of the game.
“My team had great grit and determination,” Krzyzewski said. “We were fabulous down the stretch. I mean, I don’t know how you can be any better than we were down the stretch.”
The Blue Devils trailed by as much as nine points when Kaminsky scored a lay-up to give the Badgers a 48-39 lead midway through the second half.
Allen then made a 3-pointer, converted a 3-point play and, later, made a pair of free throws to get Duke back within four. The Blue Devils shot 16-of-20 from the line and made 12 in the second half. The Badgers were just 6-of-10.
“(We’re) a team that committed the least number of fouls during the year,” Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. “A team that got to the free throw line. It’s just unfortunate that this one had to be played out that way.”
