Duke will face Michigan State in the Final Four.
For Gonzaga, Kyle Wiltjer had 16, and Byron Wesley had 10 points.
Matt Jones and Justise Winslow each had 16 points for Duke. Tyus Jones added 15, and Quinn Cook had 10.
2nd Half (0.0) We have a winner! The Duke Blue Devils are headed back to the Final Four for Coach K's 12th time.
2nd Half (2.8) Duke shot clock violation.
2nd Half (36.7) Timeout on the floor.
2nd Half (45.0) Matt Jones with a steal and layup. This game is over folks.
2nd Half (56.4) Kyle Dranginis fouls Tyus. Jones hits both. 64-52.
2nd Half (1:18) Tyus Jones gets fouled. He converts on both shots of the 1-and-1. 62-52 Duke.
2nd Half (1:23) Przemek Karnowski is called for traveling! The game is pretty much iced!
2nd Half (1:46) After review, the ball went out of bounds off of Winslow. Gonzaga ball.
2nd Half (1:46) Justise Winslow with another hustle play! An offensive board to get a new shot clock!
2nd Half (2:26) Wesley hits one of two shots. 60-52.
2nd Half (2:26) Byron Wesley to the line. Almost an and-one.
Winslow is officially a beast. Free throws, powerful rebounds, buckets. It's not fair.
2nd Half (2:50) Justise Winslow for THREE! 60-51 Duke, TIMEOUT.
2nd Half (3:38) At the stripe, Winslow makes a pair.
2nd Half (3:38) Justise Winslow gets fouled on a second-chance attempt. To the line, after the break.
2nd Half (4:33) Justise hits both from the charity stripe. 55-51 Duke.
2nd Half (4:33) Winslow draws contact and goes to the line. Karnowski now has 4 fouls. Sabonis replaces him.
2nd Half (4:49) Wiltjer misses the tying layup!
2nd Half (5:43) Kyle Wiltjer makes one of two at the line.
2nd Half (5:43) Wiltjer, back in, drives and gets fouled. To the stripe he goes.
2nd Half (6:37) Pangos all the way to the hole for two! 53-50 Duke.
2nd Half (7:08) Karnowski with another putback!
2nd Half (7:34) Cook at the line. Misses the first of two. Nails the second.
Gonzaga needs to go back inside to score the majority of their points. That is the only way for them to get back in this game. They aren't a jump-shooting team! Duke is exploiting thier offensive shortcomings and drawing fouls on the Gonzaga big men.
2nd Half (7:34) Quinn Cook gets fouled on a drive. Foul shots coming up. First a timeout. 52-46 Duke.
2nd Half (8:02) Dranginis with the putback! 52-46!
2nd Half (8:24) Przemek Karnowski is called for a foul. Tyus Jones hits both at the line. 52-44 Duke is on fire!
2nd Half (9:07) Justise Winslow finishes inside. 50-44 Duke!
2nd Half (9:20) Sabonis misses the shot from the stripe.
2nd Half (9:20) Domantas Sabonis AND-ONE! To the line we go!
2nd Half (9:36) Timeout Duke.
2nd Half (9:40) Matt Jones! His fourth triple of the contest! 48-42 Duke on top.
2nd Half (10:10) Karnowski for two! 45-42 Duke.
2nd Half (10:36) Tyus Jones lays it up and in. 45-40.
2nd Half (10:53) Zags layup is good! Dranginis!
Turnover margin - 11 to 2 in Duke's favor. "Go figure".
2nd Half (11:34) Timeout on the floor after another Gonzaga turnover. Duke up 5 and rolling.
9 unanswered for Duke.
2nd Half (12:04) Jahlil Okafor gets one to go in the post! 43-38 Duke on top!
2nd Half (12:44) Gonzaga timeout on the floor! Duke is finding their fire!
2nd Half (12:55) Matt Jones for three! 41-38 Duke.
2nd Half (14:00) A bit of a dry spell for both teams here. Last 3 possessions have been empty.
2nd Half (15:29) Winslow with a nice finish off a drive to the hole. 38-38.
2nd Half (15:31) Duke has missed 2 threes on this possession. They cannot hit a shot or get a good one off.
WOW. The Zags have come out in the second half with fire. Attacking the rim, being aggressive on defense, and making Duke feel really uncomfortable. Duke needs to do something to get the momentum back.
2nd Half (16:05) Duke gets possession after a skirmish. Timeout on the floor. 38-36 GONZAGA on top!
2nd Half (16:07) Quinn Cook with a floater in the lane for two.
2nd Half (16:21) Wesley hits the free. 38-34 Zags.
2nd Half (16:21) Byron Wesley!!! AND-ONE FOR BYRON WESLEY!
2nd Half (17:09) Gonzaga takes the lead! Pangos hits a jumper! 35-34 Zags.
2nd Half (17:17) Okafor misses both, including an airball on the first.
2nd Half (17:17) Foul on Bell. Okafor to the line.
2nd Half (17:49) Wesley drains a jumper! 34-33 Duke.
2nd Half (18:08) Matt Jones hits a corner three! 34-31 Blue Devils. Coach K is FIRED UP!
Gonzaga has picked up the pace. Duke isn't ready for it, which is why Coach K is understandably frustrated.
2nd Half (18:37) Off a steal, Kyle Wiltjer puts back in a missed layup by Byron Wesley! 31-31! Timeout Duke!
2nd Half (19:03) Open three canned by Gary Bell Jr.!!!
2nd Half (20:00) Duke inbounds the ball to begin the second half of play.
Halftime Report: This exciting first half was very even. It will all come down to who can execute better in the second half. Gonzaga looks to be in a bit better shape to come back and take a lead sometime in the second half, but anything is possible in March Madness. Especially in the Elite Eight.
Halftime Report: Duke is winning the turnover battle emphatically, 6-1. This has allowed them to have more possessions and to get higher-percentage transition shots. Otherwise, Gonzaga has won the battle of team statistics. Duke has only shot 35.5 percent from the field, surprisingly enough. The Bulldogs in that category are shooting 42.3 percent. Gonzaga has control on the boards with a 19-16 advantage under the glass. Duke is 4-11 from beyond the arc, and Gonzaga is only 1-2.
Halftime Report: For Duke, they have played efficient team ball. Tyus Jones leads the Blue Devils with 11 points and 3 assists. Okafor has 7 points and 6 rebounds, fighting off the trio of Gonzaga big men. Justise Winslow was injured in the middle of the half, but did return to finish with 5 points, just like teammate Matt Jones.
Halftime Report: Pretty even game so far. It's a battle of the bigs in the paint and in the post. For the Zags, Kyle Wiltjer leads all with 13 points and 4 rebounds on 5-7 shooting. The Bulldogs need to give it to him more. Domantas Sabonis has also been a huge presence in the paint. He has recorded 7 points and 4 rebounds, as well as a huge block on Jahlil Okafor and providing a frightening defensive presence.
OUTSTANDING DEFENSE being played today, Coach K even agrees.
1st Half (0.0) Neither team converts on their final possession. 31-26, Duke on top at the half.
1st Half (58.9) Timeout called. Gonzaga. Duke up 31-26.
1st Half (58.9) Winslow hits both. 31-26 Duke.
1st Half (58.9) Justise Winslow to the line for two free throws after getting fouled en route to the hoop.
1st Half (1:28) Domantas Sabonis gets called for his 3rd foul, an offensive charge.
1st Half (1:43) Jahlil Okafor gets called for the charge. BRILLIANT JOB by Sabonis to draw that call. #2 on Okafor. Also the first Blue Devils turnover of the game.
1st Half (2:23) Okafor all over Sabonis for the deuce driving to the hole.
Still no turnovers for Duke.
Duke can't do anything anymore on offense. They need high-percentage shots, not jumper after jumper.
Sabonis is playing well in the offensive hustle game, and he is doing a great job defending Jahlil Okafor in the post on his end of the court.
1st Half (3:29) Timeout on the floor!
1st Half (3:55) Domantas Sabonis tips in Pangos's missed layup in transition! 27-26 Duke.
Gonzaga is finding their groove alright. Duke went on a cold spell offensively, and the Bulldogs took advantage by going on a 7-2 run. Wiltjer is the main attacker, but Sabonis is playing another big role roaming the paint.
1st Half (5:13) Bulldogs down three! Wesley with a transition layup off of the feed from Sabonis. Duke timeout on the floor. 27-24.
1st Half (6:17) Wiltjer for THREE! 27-22 Duke.
1st Half (6:29) Tyus Jones for the jumper.
1st Half (6:56) Sabonis for two.
1st Half (7:00) Duke hasn't made a field goal in 5 minutes.
1st Half (7:57) At the line, Tyus Jones buries a pair of free throws. 25-17 Duke.
Gonzaga is finding success in the paint on offense, and slowing it down is helping them make their way back into the game. Okafor just came out of the game for Duke, so they will be small and most likely take more jumpers for the next few minutes.
1st Half (7:57) Duke to the line, but first, a TV timeout on the floor. 23-17, Duke Blue Devils on top of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
1st Half (8:17) AND-ONE!!! Domantas Sabonis for the bucket AND THE FOUL off of the inbounds pass. 23-17 Duke.
1st Half (10:00) Halfway through half number one. Duke has a clear advantage. 23-14 Blue Devils.
1st Half (10:23) After being taped up, Justise Winslow is back in the game.
1st Half (11:18) Kyle Wiltjer in the post once again for two!
1st Half (11:45) The basket goes! Jahlil Okafor AND-ONE off of the inbounds pass. 23-12 Duke way ahead.
This is an intense first half. Duke is controlling the pace and flow of this game with their great passing, transition play, and penetrating basketball. Gonzaga needs to step it up on D. Hopefully for Duke, Winslow will be okay and able to return to the court.
1st Half (11:46) Timeout on the floor. 20-12, Blue Devils on top.
Every Duke starter already has at least one basket and one assist.
1st Half (12:15) Winslow goes off the court with an injury.
1st Half (12:48) Quinn Cook for three! 20-12 Duke!
1st Half (13:14) Kyle Wiltjer hits both shots.
Gonzaga is now slowing it down and giving it to Wiltjer. It's working so far.
1st Half (13:14) Wiltjer gets fouled, will go to the line for two shots.
1st Half (13:59) Tyus Jones FOR THREE! 17-10 Duke!
1st Half (14:17) Kyle Wiltjer for an easy two on a mismatch following substitutions.
EXTREMELY fast-paced affair so far. Duke clearly has the advantage, but Zags started out faster and both teams are pushing the ball and getting good shots. Duke and Gonzaga could be on a pace for record scoring if this goes on!
1st Half (15:21) Wiltjer quiets things with a basket for the Zags. 14-8 Duke.
1st Half (15:46) Matt Jones for THREE!
1st Half (16:34) Tyus Jones for two more!
1st Half (16:51) Tyus Jones hits a jumper!
1st Half (17:25) Jahlil Okafor with a fastbreak layup!
1st Half (17:49) Kyle Wiltjer with a putback!
1st Half(18:14) Matt Jones for the Devils!
1st Half (19:03) Gary Bell Jr. for two!
1st Half (19:17) Justise Winslow for THREE! 3-2 UK.
1st Half (19:48) Byron Wesley with the first 2 points.
1st Half (20:00) WE HAVE TIPOFF! The Zags control the ball, Kevin Pangos.
Here we are. Welcome to the South Regional Final, a battle for the last spot in the Final Four. Duke vs. Gonzaga!
5 minutes until tipoff.
Tipoff is in 15. Update: Michigan State has beaten Louisville to advance to the Final Four, where they will face the winner of this Duke-Gonzaga game.
Now we have 30 minutes or until the end of the overtime MSU-Louisville game.
45 minutes to go.
Gametime in 1 hour.
The game starts at 5:05 ET on Sunday. Be here at VAVEL to catch every second of the thrilling action we are sure to see in this 1-2 battle.
Duke needs to make sure Jahlil Okafor has room to work. Running plays designed to get him the ball, such as the pick-and-roll, will be crucial the the Blue Devils' offensive success. Next, if Okafor is being harassed inside, Duke must make sure to penetrate and kick the ball out to their shooters. The pace of play will be key too, but the young players under Coach K must not go too fast to the point that they are out of control. The nerves will get to anyone, especially freshman in the final rounds of the NCAA Tournament. And finally, the last point the Blue Devils must touch on is guarding Kyle Wiltjer. He can attack the paint as well as shoot from outside, so they will need an athletic, yet big player to track his every move. That will have to be Justise Winslow, and that might be a big problem.
For Gonzaga, they must attack inside with Sabonis and Karnowski, and crash the offensive class to exploit to Okafor-relient Duke inside rebounding game. Feed it to Wiltjer. His combination of athleticism and shooting skill is unmatched on defense by any Duke players. Next, they must limit Okafor on the other end of the floor, maybe doubling him in the post and at least making sure to contest every one of his shots. The Bulldogs cannot forget about Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones, or Justise Winslow. The Blue Devils are loaded with talent, and Gonzaga must look to match up as best they can to limit the explosive Duke offense. Lastly, Gonzaga needs to get to the line in an effort to control the pace and let the game run at the tempo of their choice.
So here they are, the keys to victory for each team.
The Blue Devils have also been playing to their strengths up to today's game. They were 4th in scoring in the regular season with 80.6 points per game as a team, as well as 3rd in field goal percentage out of all Division I teams in the nation (50.2%). In their last 2 games, against SDSU and Utah, Duke didn't break 70 points, which raises a bit of concern. They still shot at a stellar rate over 50 percent from the field, but they most likely didn't put as many points up on the board as expected due to the slow-paced opponents they matched up against. Utah, their Sweet 16 opponent, however, did expose a flaw of theirs: their weakness under the glass. The Utes controlled the boards with a 36-31 advantage against the Blue Devils, which could pave the way for the strong rebounding Bulldogs to have a field day in the paint in this contest.
Doing what they do, Gonzaga has scored at will thus far, continuing from where they left off at the conclusion of the regular season, in which they had the best field goal percentage (52.4%), the 6th most assists per game (16.5) and the 10th most points per game (79.1).
Obviously, both teams have gone through 3 teams to make it to this Elite Eight matchup in the South Region. In fact, they have both made it through their opponents pretty easily, cruising to double-digit wins in each of their first 3 tourney contests, except for Duke's 6-point win over Utah in the Sweet 16.
The skill on Gonzaga consists of some dexterous European big men, junior phenom Kyle Wiltjer, and senior guard Kevin Pangos. Przemek Karnowski and Domantas Sabonis have been key in the paint and under the glass for the Bulldogs, combining for 20.8 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game during the regular season. Wiltjer led the team in scoring with 16.8 points per contest, and he also grabbed 6.2 boards per game. Pangos is the real leader on the team, and he puts in 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Also, role player guards Gary Bell Jr. (8.3 PPG) and Byron Wesley (10.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG) have been key in getting to this point in the 2015 NCAA Tournament..
Coach K of Duke and Coach Mark Few of Gonzaga always seem to have top-level talent on their rosters, and this year is no different. The Blue Devils have that aforementioned trio of freshman who are top in their class. Okafor is undoubtedly the top prospect in the nation, and is projected to be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He has led Duke this year with averages of 17.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. This all comes while shooting at a field goal percentage of 67.4. Justise Winslow scored 12.4 points per game and grabbed 6.4 rebounds per game as well, not too shabby. Tyus Jones also contributed 11.5 points, a team-high 5.7 assists, and another team-high of 1.5 steals per game.
Experience could have a bit of a say in who comes away with a trip to the Final Four, but the bigger battle will be of talent and scheme.
The Gonzaga roster of players who have been playing in this year's big dance consists of all seniors and juniors aside from starting freshman center Przemek Karnowski and freshman reserve guard Silas Melson who played only 2 minutes in the Bulldogs' Sweet 16 matchup with UCLA.
There is a flipside to the 'experience' part of the equation. The Duke lineup includes a trio of freshman (Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones) and a class of freshman that make up for half of the minutes played for the Blue Devils, and more than half of the scoring, assists, and rebounds for the team.
Duke has made it to the tournament for the 20th straight year, Gonzaga for their 17th straight year. While Coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Blue Devils has taken his team to the Elite Eight 14 times, the Final Four 11 times, and has won 8 national titles, the Bulldogs were a Cinderella story when they entered the tourney conversation, and have only made it to the Elite Eight once leading up to this game. This experience could become key.
Our two teams here today, the #2 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs and the #1 seed Duke Blue Devils, are captivating squads who every year surprise us during the tournament. Most of the time, their seasons end in early upset. Not this year. This year is one of their years of deep runs and exciting contests.
We are at last a single game away from the Final Four. And this matchup will be one to remember.