After overcoming a 9 point second half deficit, Duke pulled together and rebounded surging to a 68-63 win over Wisconsin in the NCAA title game from Indianapolis. The win gives Duke their 5th title in school history and their second in the last five years pitting Mike Krzyzewski in second on the all time list (5) behind Mike Wooden’s 10.
What was amazing though about this win for Duke was they were able to mount their comeback largely without Okafor and Winslow on the floor. Instead freshman guards Grayson Allen and Tyus Jones completely took the game over in the second half as Blue Devil guards at one point outscored the Badgers 54-12.
Allen finished with 14 points to lead Duke while Tyus Jones’ late three helped Duke put away Wisconsin. Jones ended up finishing with 13 points.
Meanwhile Okafor had a very forgettable game with 6 points as he got himself into foul trouble early in both the first and second half. Justise Winslow had 11 points and 3 boards.
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On the other end Frank Kaminsky had a huge game for the Badgers finishing with 16 points and for the most part took Okafor in the paint on both ends of the floor. Okafor was able to come up big though late in the second half forcing Kaminsky outside on one of Wisconsin’s final possessions. Sam Dekker and Bronson Koenig each had 10 points while Nigel Hayes added 11 including a big dunk late in the second giving Wisconsin hope.
Unfortunately though for Bo Ryan’s group the output from the bench simply couldn’t match up with Duke as the Badgers combined for just 7 points from their reserves.