Duke Basketball: Jayhawks End Duke’s Season in Overtime

The Duke Blue Devils season came to an end in Omaha, as the Kansas Jayhawks defeated them in overtime.

First, it was a shame that this was an Elite 8 game. With the teams left in the field, this deserved to be a Final Four game. Two of the three best teams left, Hall of Fame coaches, and elite programs.

Secondly, Roger Ayers isn’t the sole reason Duke lost, but he is a major factor.

Wendell Carter Jr. couldn’t have played worse in the first 30 minutes of this game. He had three fouls in the first half with only three points and picked up his fourth early in the second half.

However, Carter came alive in the final ten minutes of the game, helping to bring Duke back and give them a three-point lead with under a minute to go.

In overtime, Malik Newman drove into the lane and bulldozed into Carter. Carter was not in the restricted area and had his feet set before Newman took off for the layup.

Ayers called a block, which fouled Carter out and it was all Kansas from there.

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Duke had a shot, however, after a loose ball that was called out of bounds off Kansas. The referees took about seven minutes to review and magically decided that there was enough evidence to give the ball back to Kansas.

Kansas didn’t score after they were awarded the ball, but Duke settled for a Trevon Duval three to try and tie the game.

Duke was once again putrid from the outside. They shot 7 of 29 from beyond the arc. Gary Trent Jr. was 2-10, Grayson Allen 2-9, Duval 2-6, Carter 0-3, and Marvin Bagley III 1-1.

Kansas absolutely dominated Duke on the boards, outrebounding the Blue Devils 47-32. Although Carter was in foul trouble, it’s inconceivable how Kansas got 7 more offensive rebounds than Duke.

Jayhawks big man Udoka Azubukie was in foul trouble for a majority of the game too. Kansas was just more physical than Duke.

Malik Newman was just special tonight for the Jayhawks. He had 32 points, 8-19 from the floor, 5-12 from three, and 11-12 from the free throw line.

As expected Lagerald Vick was a pest in the middle of the Duke zone, going for 14 points. The Kansas seniors of Devonte Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk both had 11 points.

Mykhailiuk had the most important 3 points when he drilled a long range shot to tie the game at 72 with under 30 seconds to go in regulation.

Despite struggling from deep, Gary Trent Jr. adjusted and found a way into the lane to go 7-18 from the floor. Grayson Allen, on the other hand, seemed content to let it fly from three, except when Duke was trying to end the game in regulation when he got into the lane and the ball fell off the rim.

The play was very reminiscent of his buzzer beater against Virginia two years ago, but he just couldn’t get the shot to fall this time around.

Trevon Duval’s play was what Duke needed, and then some. He had 20 points on 9-16 shooting and 6 assists.

Marvin Bagley only has 9 shots. Duke cannot win when Marvin Bagley only has 9 shots. He made 5 of them and after being double teamed in the first half when he would touch the ball, things seemed to open up in the second half.

Duke doesn’t win when Bagley’s shots are limited, and today was another example of that.

For Kansas, they will go on and face Villanova in the Final Four and for Duke, they will wait and see who declares for the NBA Draft and who will return to Durham.