Duke Basketball: Blue Devils survive UCF and advance to Sweet 16

The Duke Basketball team hung on, barely, to defeat the UCF Knights in the Round of 32 to advance to the Sweet 16.

Survive and advance. Literally.

That’s what happened tonight in Columbia, South Carolina between the Duke Blue Devils and the UCF Knights.

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After taking an eight point lead into halftime, the Knights came out firing in the second half, cutting the Duke lead to one in the opening minutes.

Duke would respond and restore its eight point lead, only to see it be cut back down to a single point.

UCF would tie the game midway through the second half, only to take a 3-point lead seconds later.

Once again, the Blue Devils responded, taking a seven point lead, however, the Knights had another run in them, taking a four point lead with under two minutes to go.

After a missed 3-pointer, the Knights had a two-on-one fast break and Dayon Griffin attempted to throw a lob to Aubrey Dawkins, but Dawkins could not control the pass and Duke regained possession.

Cam Reddish stepped up and knocked a clutch 3-pointer to cut the Duke deficit to one. After two misses at the free throw line by Javin DeLaurier, Zion Williamson fouled B.J. Taylor and he knocked down two free throws to give the Knights a three point lead.

Williamson then missed a 3-pointer, but DeLaurier was able to track down the rebound to give Duke another life.

Zion took the ball at the left wing, drove to the free throw line, spun, absorbed contact from Tacko Fall and made the basket. The play fouled out Fall and sent Williamson to the line for one free throw to tie the game.

He missed the free throw, but R.J. Barrett was there to grab the offensive rebound and lay the ball in to give the Blue Devils a one point lead.

After a UCF timeout, Taylor drove the baseline and had a jumper roll off the rim, but no one boxed out Aubrey Dawkins and he soared in for a put back layup, but it rolled all around the rim and out as time expired and Duke escaped with a 77-76 victory.

The Blue Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 on Friday in Washington D.C., and will play the winner of the Virginia Tech vs. Liberty game.

Zion Williamson led the way for Duke with 32 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Williamson was 12-of-24 from the field and three of seven from 3-point range.

Barrett finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, struggling from the field in the second half, ending the game shooting 6-of-15 from the field, but two of three from 3-point range.

Cam Reddish was also quiet in the second half, but had the major shot to aid Duke’s comeback, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists. However, he was efficient from the floor, making five of his eight shots and three of four from 3-point range.

Tre Jones had a very rough shooting night, despite finishing with 11 points. Jones made 5-of-15 from the field, but only 1-of-8 from 3-point range.

However, despite all the heroics from the Blue Devils, the real star of this game was UCF’s Aubrey Dawkins.

The son of head coach Johnny Dawkins finished with 32 points, three rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Dawkins was 12-of-18 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

B.J. Taylor and Tacko Fall had 15 points each, but due to foul trouble Fall only had six rebounds.

Duke survived and it will advance to the Sweet 16, and that’s all you can ask of a team in the NCAA Tournament.

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