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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils looking to get back to Final Four with a win

By Kevin Connelly

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates a basket against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates a basket against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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The Duke Basketball team is looking to get back to the Final Four with a win over the Michigan State Spartans in the Elite 8.

The biggest question coming into this showdown in the Elite 8 between Duke and Michigan State was the health of Cam Reddish.

Reddish was not listed in the starting lineup but he did come off the bench for the Blue Devils in the first three minutes of this game.

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Mike Krzyzewski rolled with the same starting five that he put on the floor in the Sweet 16 in Tre Jones, Alex O’Connell, R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson, and Javin DeLaurier.

Like the first three games of this tournament, it was a slow start for the Blue Devils.

Michigan State was hounding and tenacious on defense while asserting its dominance in the paint early in the first half, but Duke would respond to take a seven point lead, but the Spartans had an answer, taking a 34-30 lead into halftime.

In his return to action, Reddish scored five points in the first half, along with four rebounds, and a block.

R.J. Barrett led the Blue Devils with 12 points, two rebounds, and three assists.

Zion Williamson got into foul trouble in the first half with two unnecessary fouls and finished the first 20 minutes with seven points, six rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

After a career game, Tre Jones was not as aggressive hunting his shot, but still affected the game with his defense and his court vision.

Jones finished the half with just two points, but four rebounds and four assists.

In the second half, Duke has to continue to be aggressive in getting to the basket, but more importantly, the Blue Devil defense was stellar in the last ten minutes of the first half and that is what got them the lead in this game.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham on Twitter, @Ball_Durham, and here at our website, balldurham.com, for complete coverage of the Duke Blue Devils vs. the Michigan State Spartans. 

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