Fifth Ranked Duke, Top Ranked Gonzaga Who Are Unbeaten Who Have Identical Records Are Matching Up Tonight In The Continental Tire Challenge In Las Vegas
Fifth ranked Duke, top ranked Gonzaga who are unbeaten who have identical records are matching up tonight in the Continental Tire Challenge in Las Vegas.
Duke is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference!
Gonzaga is a member of the West Coast Conference!
Duke comes into the game with a record 6-0!
Their most recent game?
A 107-81 win over The Citadel on Monday!
Duke was on opposite ends of the spectrum defensively, offensively in their 107-81 win over The Citadel Monday.
Where?
Durham!
Duke allowed The Citadel shot 52.9 % from 3 point range!
Brent Davis went 5-of-6 from deep, while Hayden Brown shot 4-of-5 from long range as each finished with 19 points. Rudy Fitzgibbons III knocked down each of his three three-point attempts for nine points.
After three quick buckets by The Citadel cut its deficit to nine early in the second half, Duke responded with a 10-0 run to break the game open. Banchero had five points in the run, while Moore converted a three-point play on a driving layup.
Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski had this to about Duke’s defense verses The Citadel on Monday night!
He said that Duke’s defense “wasn’t horrible “despite the Citadel’s shooting prowess. He credited The Citadel with hitting some tough shots.
For the season as a hole, , Krzyzewski stated that I do think we’re playing good defense. Though that will be tested by Gonzaga which has one of the nations top in 6-10 junior forward Drew Timme. Gonzaga also starts 7 foot freshman Chet Holmgren, 6-5 senior guard Andrew Nembhard to lead their perimeter game.
Mike Krzyzewski had this to say about Gonzaga’s perimeter game!
Everyone talks about Timmie and Holmgren but Nembhard killed UCLA . Krzyzewski said Wednesday on his Sirius XM Radio Show Basketball and Beyond with Coach K.
How?
Andrew Nembhard had twenty -four points , six assists , five rebounds but he added a verve like , he pushed the ball up the court . He was strong physically , mentally and he set the tone of the game, there’s no question so that’ll be key match up.
Offensively 5th ranked Duke was good on Monday night in was 36-74 on field goals shooting 48.6 % though they were 26.7 % from 3 point range.
“according to espn.com”
Freshman Paolo Banchero and junior Wendell Moore Jr., combined for 50 points to lead No. 5 Duke to a 107-81 win over The Citadel on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke (6-0) dished out 25 assists while committing just three turnovers and won their fifth straight game by double-digits. Duke's +22 assist-to-turnover ratio was the second-best mark in a game in program history.
Paolo Banchero set career highs with 28 points and six assists to go with eight boards, two steals and no turnovers. Moore also did not surrender the ball in 34 minutes and was just shy of his second triple-double of the season, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
Sophomore Mark Williams added 14 points, freshman Trevor Keels had 11 and sophomore Jeremy Roach had 10 for Duke.
Duke shot 27-of-29 (.931) from the free throw line, its highest percentage of the season. Senior Joey Baker made each of his seven free throw attempts in a nine-point outing, while Banchero went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Though, before the game barely got underway it was delayed!
Why?
- The Citadel coach Duggar Baucom was taken to a hospital after collapsing barely a minute into Monday night's game against No. 5 Duke.
The 61-year-old Baucom fell along the sideline with Duke leading 3-2 and 18:57 left in the first half. He was conscious as he was helped out of the gym by medical personnel and taken to Duke University Hospital.
“according to an article by Stephen Wiseman’s on newsobserver.com”
Because Citadel Head Coach Dugger Baucom was taken to Duke University Hospital.
Associate head coach Jack Castleberry took over for The Citadel, which ended up losing to the Blue Devils, 107-81.
Jack Castleberry had this to say about Dugger Baucom All things considered, he's as good as he can be,'' Castleberry said. "He was coherent the entire time. ... He just said he was in pain.''
The Citadel later said in a statement that Baucom is "alert and in good spirits" and will remain in the hospital overnight for further evaluation. He'll return with the team Tuesday morning to Charleston, South Carolina.
“according to an article by ESPN News Services”
Gonzaga comes into the game with a record of 6-0 like Duke!
Their previous game?
An 83-63 win over UCLA on Tuesday Chet Holmgren swatted the ball off the backboard, turned and coolly brought it up the floor like a spider-legged point guard. He lost a defender with a dribble behind his back at the top of the key, took two steps and stretched out his 7-foot-1 frame for a two-handed dunk.
Gonzaga's lanky freshman has an unmatched skill set. His team may not have a rival at this point, either.
Holmgren put on a show with an array of dunks and blocked shots, and top-ranked Gonzaga overwhelmed No. 2 UCLA 83-63 Tuesday night to win the Empire Classic.
Gonzaga (6-0) played like Vegas headliners, showing there's a big gap between No. 1 and the current No. 2 with a dazzling display at both ends. Gonzaga shell shocked UCLA (5-1) with a huge early blitz and never let up to beat its second top-5 team this season.
Holmgren stole the show as a soloist at times, denying shots, swooping for dunks and awing the crowd with his agility. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
Andrew Nembhard was the best player on the floor, according to UCLA coach Mick Cronin, finishing with 24 points. Timme was crafty as usual, scoring 18 points in a raucous environment that felt a bit like March Madness.
"It reminded me of something you'd see in a regional final or regional semifinal," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "It was a great atmosphere and it matched perfectly for the game, what was at stake and the two teams that were out there."
Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19 points, but had to work for everything he got, and preseason All-American Johnny Juzang was held to 11 points.
UCLA found a bit of a rhythm after an ugly offensive first half but had no chance of stopping the Zags, who shot 56%.
"We're not a good defensive team and we got exposed by a great team," Cronin said.
The Strip's bright lights shined on college hoops luminaries all week, with No. 4 Michigan, No. 5 Duke, No. 12 Houston, Arizona, Oregon and Wisconsin appearing on the marquee.
Top billing went to the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting of teams from the Pacific Time Zone.
Gonzaga, UCLA previously played an all-timer last April in Indianapolis, an epic Final Four game won by Gonzaga on Jalen Suggs'running 3-point buzzer beater.
Gonzaga lost Suggs and a few others, but Few filled in the roster holes with transfers and talented freshman, headlined by Holmgren. The Zags have looked just as good, winning their first six games by an average of 31.3 points.
UCLA has everyone back, though big man Cody Riley has been out since injuring his knee in the season opener. The Bruins didn't look so good against Bellarmine on Monday, prompting Cronin to say his team was not ready for Gonzaga after the 75-62 win.
He was right.
Gonzaga was at its free-flowing best on offense, picking apart the Bruins with crisp cuts and passes. The Zags made eight of their first nine shots and used a 19-2 run to go up 29-8. Even after the pace slowed, Gonzaga still led 45-25 at halftime.
Gonzaga caused even more problems with their quick hands and feet, swatting away passes and shots to set up transition opportunities.
UCLA took numerous difficult shots and missed most of the open ones it got, going 11 for 41 from the field in the first half.
Even when UCLA started to somewhat solve Gonzaga's defense in the second half, they couldn't stop Gonzaga.
Holmgren put a punctuation to the crushing, hitting a 3 and waving to the crowd as he ran back.
Jon Scheyer who is currently the Associate Head Coach to Mike Krzyzewski who is going to be the new Head Of the Duke Men’s Basketball Program in April 2023 because Mike Krzyzewski is retiring after the 2021-2022 season had this to say about Gonzaga’s performance verses UCLA on Tuesday night as well as Duke’s match up with Gonzaga recently.
Obviously they’re really good,”he said Wednesday “That was an impressive performance
The whole group said , Jon Scheyer said will give Duke a tough match up. But they are ready.
They have a complete team not many teams can do this in college, but they put five guys on the floor that can all pass, handle, shoot. That makes it always difficult for you as a defense but we’re excited about the opportunity . This is the probably the reason you come to Duke , to be in games like this , so I can you the excitement is there from our end. The belief for us, we’re going into this game to get a win.’’
Wendell Moore Jr. who is a junior, a forward a captain for for Duke this season had this to say about the Duke, Gonzaga game in Las Vegas!
The venue in Vegas , that’s going to be a sold -out venue
It’s probably been sold out for the past three months . That’s a game that we all want to play in , that’s a game that we wait for , and that’s a game that we come here for . We’re going to be ready for it.’’.
“according to an article by Stephen Wiseman on newsobserver.com”
Duke, Gonzaga previous meeting on the hardwood came on November 21, 2018 when Duke lost to Gonzaga 89-87 in the Maui Jim Mui Invitational!
In that match up trailed by 16 in the second half before mounting a massive charge with a series of dunks and drives to the basket. After the Blue Devils tied it at 87-all, Hachimura scored on a hard drive to put Gonzaga up.
Gonzaga missed four free throws to give Duke a final shot, but Brandon Clarke blocked R.J. Barrett's drive on the game's final play.
Gonzaga topped Duke 89-87 Gonzaga found itself in the same position as Duke's first five opponents: appearing helpless as the Blue Devils and their rim-rattling freshmen ran past and flew over them.
Gonzaga never panicked, never looked up in awe at the bouncy Blue Devils. They have too much experience to get rattled, even against college basketball's most talked-about team.
Playing with poise and grit down the stretch, No. 3 Gonzaga turned back top-ranked Duke's late-game charge to win the Maui Invitational title game 89-87 on Wednesday.
Gonzaga (6-0) put on an offensive show in the first half and battened down on defense after Duke made a second-half charge, blocking four shots in the final 46 seconds to win its second Maui title.
Rui Hachimura scored 20 points and the Zags beat a No. 1 team for the first time while ending the Blue Devils' unbeaten streak on the Valley Isle (17-1).
Dubbed a Final Four contender when Killie Tillie returns, Gonzaga already looks like one - even with one of their best players on the bench in a walking boot.
"The lights were on us tonight and we played good, which you have to against Duke," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "You have to pretty much play great. I thought we played great."
Five-time Maui champion Duke (5-1) made it look easy the season's first five games, its fantastic freshmen soaring through the spotlight, not cowering away from it while looking all but unbeatable.
The experienced Zags gave them a lesson in ball movement, orchestrating a master class in free-flowing, position-less basketball while building a 14-point first-half lead.
Duke's Maui run, done.
Well, not just yet.
Duke fell behind by 16 in the second half before firing up the Blue Devil express with a series of head-above-the-rim dunks and drives.
Taking advantage of Gonzaga big man Brandon Clarke's fourth foul, Duke pulled within a basket as Blue Devils fans sent an earthquake of noise off the rafters of tiny Lahaina Civic Center.
Hachimura put Gonzaga up 89-87 with a strong move at the basket with 75 seconds left, but the Zags kept giving Duke chances by missing four free throws. Clarke clanked two with 30 seconds left and Hachimura came up empty on two more with 10 seconds left.
Gonzaga's defense made up for it.
Hachimura and Clarke each had two blocked shots in the final minute, capped by Clarke's swat of R.J. Barrett's driving attempt at the buzzer.
A seated Barrett raised his arms, wondering why no foul was called .Gonzaga leaped in celebration after a game with a Final Four feel packaged in a small-town rec center.
Barrett had 23 points and Zion Williamson scored 22 for the suddenly humbled Duke.
.according to an article on gozags.com”
Tip-off is set for 10:30pm if you’re on the East Coast, 7:30pm if you’re on the West Coast from T- Mobile Arena that is home to the Vegas Golden Knights Of The NHL!