MBB: Duke 84, Gonzaga 81 Post-Game Thread

[ClemmonsDevil]

This was a title fight. We’re going to see these guys again down the line, I imagine.

What a worthy final that would be.

[TheOldBattleship]

2.) Moore stealing the inbounds after a Roach jumper and going right at Holmgren for the foul and making two free throws. Those were huge.

That was such a brilliant play: the Zags had been hurting us ALL NIGHT with their push after the made baskets, and he finally caught them pushing without looking. A total vet move!

Also Coach K will never get the credit he deserves because he has so many 5 star players, but that was a masterful coaching job. Blowing up the ball screens to keep Gonzaga off balance, using the full court press on the final possession to cause Gonzaga to expend all of the game clock... the man has still got it.

K went with that zone pressure (was it a 2-2-1? Nice to have the "1" be Mark freaking Williams...) twice tonight, and both times it had a big impact and changed the course of crucial possessions, with the last play, of course, being THE play. Truly GOAT stuff.

[FerryFor50]

And some of y'all were worried about Mark dealing with Timme's "head shakes"...smh.

He had 4 fouls and could have picked up his 5th on a Timme head fake but the refs missed the call (thankfully).

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

My son just showed me Paolo went IG Live from the locker room. The fellas were having a good time in there!

[SkyBrickey]

I had a good feeling we were going to show the country just how good this Duke team is. And we did.

Mark Williams. Wow. You played a man’s game.

And if Paolo had not been cramping up, I think we win by 8+.

[LasVegas]

Since Tre Jones 2 years ago?

That’s what I was going to say. Feels like a long time ago though with the long Covid years.

[TheOldBattleship]

Love the victory tweet from Filipowski. He's going to fit right in.

[simplyluvin]

What a great game! Our defensive pressure was really good all game, and Mark and Paolo were equal to the task against a really good frontcourt. Great, great win. Proud of our guys.

[TheOldBattleship]

My son just showed me Paolo went IG Live from the locker room. The fellas were having a good time in there!

For the curious: https://twitter.com/UpdateDuke/statu...76827578245120

[DavidBenAkiva]

The most talented played cramped up and missed most of the second half.

The defensive anchor for the team was saddled with trash foul calls

The captain was dealing with cramping

The team missed multiple front-ends of the one-and-one

Only shot 60% from the FT line for the game

Only shot 7-23 (30.4%) from 3

Got outrebounded 42-31

Didn't matter, because Duke came out with the win.

[dukelion]

He had 4 fouls and could have picked up his 5th on a Timme head fake but the refs missed the call (thankfully).

And they also missed the call his ridiculous block as well.

Bottom line is that Mark was the most impactful big on the court tonight...17pts, 9rbs, 5blks, ZERO TURNOVERS, on only 9 shots...just an amazing performance.

Timme and Chet had their moments but also some moments of pretty sloppy play....they had 8 turnovers between the two of them...Duke had 8 turnovers for the entire game.

[robed deity]

He had 4 fouls and could have picked up his 5th on a Timme head fake but the refs missed the call (thankfully).

That was pretty iffy, and it would have really been his 4th anyway. He was owed one after that horrid call on his 3rd.

[Bluedevil114]

What an incredible game. Roach came through late after such a bad offensive effort. Moore was incredible along with Mark. Keels was solid on defense. Banchero was unstoppable in the first half. This team is young and resilient. That was a Final Four performance. No let downs for Ohio State. Now let’s drink more water. Go Duke. GTHGTH. 9F

[LasVegas]

The most talented played cramped up and missed most of the second half.

The defensive anchor for the team was saddled with trash foul calls

The captain was dealing with cramping

The team missed multiple front-ends of the one-and-one

Only shot 60% from the FT line for the game

Only shot 7-23 (30.4%) from 3

Got outrebounded 42-31

Didn't matter, because Duke came out with the win.

This is pretty amazing. One thing is for sure, Banchero and Williams were the two best bigs on the floor tonight and that was huge. TIMME the NPOY? Yeah right.

[dukelion]

The most talented played cramped up and missed most of the second half.

The defensive anchor for the team was saddled with trash foul calls

The captain was dealing with cramping

The team missed multiple front-ends of the one-and-one

Only shot 60% from the FT line for the game

Only shot 7-23 (30.4%) from 3

Got outrebounded 42-31

Didn't matter, because Duke came out with the win.

Truly felt like we were the better team on the night and if some things went our way...like even a quarter of the things you listed above....we win by double digits.

[FerryFor50]

That was pretty iffy, and it would have really been his 4th anyway. He was owed one after that horrid call on his 3rd.

Oh no doubt. He was jobbed on the blocked dunk attempt, and his 2nd foul was pretty iffy, too (ball poked away).

But Timme also was in foul trouble most of the game. He played 27 minutes to Mark’s 29. Hard to head fake when you’re stuck on the bench for nearly half the game.

[FerryFor50]

And they also missed the call his ridiculous block as well.

Bottom line is that Mark was the most impactful big on the court tonight...17pts, 9rbs, 5blks, ZERO TURNOVERS, on only 9 shots...just an amazing performance.

Timme and Chet had their moments but also some moments of pretty sloppy play...they had 8 turnovers between the two of them...Duke had 8 turnovers for the entire game.

Yea Williams and Banchero were by far the best big duo on the floor tonight..

[kshepinthehouse]

Oh no doubt. He was jobbed on the blocked dunk attempt, and his 2nd foul was pretty iffy, too (ball poked away).

But Timme also was in foul trouble most of the game. He played 27 minutes to Mark’s 29. Hard to head fake when you’re stuck on the bench for nearly half the game.

Nah. His second foul was a dumb reach. I thought his first foul was the other iffy one. 10:34 left in the first half.

[heyman25]

Moore was the leader for sure. Williams was great the entire game. Banchero was fantastic, but how our trainers can't neutralize his cramping issues is very strange. Keels and Roach were solid, but shooting was off the charts terrible. Baker made a few , but the man is never ready to catch and shoot. He defers too damn much. Griffin was overwhelmed and has a lot of work to do. Johns was a force when he was in the game.

It was an incredible game. Gonzaga will make it to the Final 4 for sure. Coach K was masterful in calling the 2-2 -1 defense the last 17 seconds. Also his managing the second half with our best player being out with leg cramps.

[UrinalCake]

How did we get 67 field goal attempts to their 64, when they outrebounded us 42-31? TURNOVERS! We forced them into 17 while only commiting 8 ourselves, giving us a 23-2 advantage in points off turnovers. When the dust settles I think that will be seen as the difference in the game between two really good teams.