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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils suffer first loss in Maui Title Game

By Kevin Connelly

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives the baseline during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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In the most anticipated game of the Maui Invitational, the Duke Basketball team fell to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Championship Game.

Well, it lived up to the hype, but it didn’t end up the way Duke Blue Devils fans would have wanted it to.

The No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs held on to defeat the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils 89-87 in the Championship Game of the Maui Invitational.

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The Bulldogs punched the Blue Devils in the mouth constantly in the first half and for the majority of the second half, but Duke found a way to muster up a comeback, tying the game at 87 before a Rui Hachimura layup that put the Zags up for good.

In the final minute of the game, R.J. Barrett missed his final five attempts from the floor as the Zags tried to give the Blue Devils the game, missing their last four free throws on Duke intentional fouls.

The most the Blue Devils were down 16 points in the second half but led by Barrett, Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones the Blue Devils showed why they still ooze potential and can be one of the most dangerous teams in the country.

Barrett was the leading scorer from the Blue Devils with 23 points, seven rebounds, and three assists but only made nine of his twenty five field goal attempts, one of four from three point range, and four of eight from the free throw line.

Williamson finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists and steals, while Tre Jones finished with 17 points, four rebounds, three assist, and two steals on seven of fourteen shooting.

Like many of the Blue Devils, Reddish struggled in the first half but found his stroke in the second half to finish with 10 points.

The Blue Devils didn’t get much production out of the trio of Marques Bolden, Javin DeLaurier, or Jack White. The trio combined for 15 points, but they did manage to grab 16 rebounds.

Leading the way for Gonzaga was Hachimura who had 20 points while Zach Norvell Jr. had 18 points, Brandon Clarke finished with 17 points, five rebounds, and six blocks while Josh Perkins had nine points and seven assists.

The Duke loss was their first of the season and their first ever at the Maui Invitational.

The Blue Devils are now 5-1 on the season and fans are now hit with the reality that this season is going to bring.

Duke is not going undefeated, Duke cannot beat the Cleveland Cavaliers who only lost to a LeBron James led team by four points on Wednesday night.

The Blue Devils will lose again this regular season, it’s going to happen, but the great thing about college basketball is that the season is a continuous progression towards March and to have your team playing their best basketball entering the postseason, and that is what Mike Krzyzewski.

The Duke Blue Devils will get some time off and look to get back on track on Tuesday, November 27 against the Indiana Hoosiers.

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