Duke, Arkansas Are Facing One Another Tonight In The Elite 8 At The Chase Center Home Of The Golden State Warriors Of The NBA With Trip To The Final Four In New Orleans At Stake
Duke who is a 2 seed in the West Region , Arkansas who is a 4 seed in the West Region are facing one another tonight in the Elite 8 at the Chase Center Home Of The Golden State Warriors of the NBA with trip to Final Four in New Orleans at stake.
Why?
Because Duke who is the 2 seed in the West Region uke who is a two seed in the West Region in the NCAA Tournament knocked off Texas Tech who was a three seed in Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament 78-73, advanced to Elite 8 where they are going to face Arkansas who is a 4 seed in the West Region at Chase Center home of the Golden State Warriors of the NBA Saturday with opportunity to advance to final four.
Though,
Before Duke who is a 2 seed in the West Region could advance to the Elite 8 with a 78-73 win over they had to come back from a 4 point deficit at the 8:19 mark of the second half that included being down two 68-66 when Kevin McCuller who scored 17 points for Texas Tech hit a 3 pointer with 3:16 to go in regulation. Paolo Banchero answered with his own 3 - pointer at 2:55 that ignited a 7-0 run that turned the game in Duke’s favor. Then Jeremy Roach hit two tough baskets with a jumper, shot in the lane with 25 seconds to seal the win and reach the Elite 8 for the third time in the last four NCAA Tournaments.
“according to Stephen Wiseman’s article on newsobserver.com”
Arkansas who is the 4 seed in the West Region knocked off Gonzaga who was the top seed team in the West Region 74-68 Thursday in the Sweet Sixteen.
In Arkansas 74-68 win over Gonzaga Arkansas became the first team to ever beat an AP #1 team in the regular season (vs Auburn on Feb 8) and defeat the AP #!1 (overall #1 seed Gonzaga) in the NCAA Tournament (ESPN Stats).
Also, no men’s college basketball team had beaten two different No. 1 teams from the AP poll in the same season since 1992-93 when Georgia Tech beat Duke and North Carolina in the same season, until the Razorbacks added No. 1 Gonzaga to the win column alongside a victory over No. 1 Auburn from the regular season. Neither victory came easy, but Thursday’s put the Hogs in the team’s second straight Elite 8, something that had not happened since back-to-back trips to the Final at the end of the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
Arkansas’ defensive effort was the difference against the Bulldogs, holding the nation’s best scoring offense (87.8 ppg) and best shooting offense (52.6%) to just 68 points on 37.5% shooting. After enduring a four-minute scoring drought midway through the first half, the Razorbacks responded with a 9-0 run to take the lead and finished the half on a 13-2 run to take a 32-29 lead into the locker rooms. The late half run was fueled by forcing four Gonzaga turnovers and holding the Zags to just 1-of-7 from the field over the final 6:29.
Gonzaga quickly he drew even to open the second half but again the Razorbacks answered with a run again fueled by defense. Arkansas held the Bulldogs without a field goal for nearly five minutes to help build an eight-point lead.
Nursing a five-point lead with just eight seconds left, Au’Diese Toney’s block of a Drew Timme shot was the final momentum swing the Hogs needed. Toney put an exclamation point on the victory with a dunk with one second remaining to keep the Hogs dancing.
JD Notae led the Razorbacks with 21 points, six assists and three steals. Jaylin Williams scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to record his 15th double-double of the season while becoming Arkansas’ all-time leader in rebounds in a single season. Trey Wade’s 15 points and seven rebounds were huge in the win and marked just the fourth time this season he has scored in double digits.
Timme led Gonzaga with 25 points. Chet Holmgren scored 11 points and had 14 rebounds before fouling out.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 32 – Gonzaga: 29
Both teams were having success on the offensive end with the Gonzaga leading 16-14 at the second media timeout (11:54).
Over the next five minutes, Gonzaga used a 6-0 run to lead 22-17 at the under eight media timeout (7:26).
Jaylin Williams became the school’s single-season leader for rebounds, passing Derek Hood’s 349 in 1998-98. Williams tied the mar at 5:12 then surpassed Hood with is eighth rebound of the game with 3:53 left in the first half.
Arkansas used a 7-0 run to get to within one, 27-26, before taking a timeout at 2:46. The Hogs extended the run to 9-0 in a Jaylin Williams dunk to give the Hogs a 28-27 lead.
Jaylin Williams took his second charge of the half (52nd of the year) with six seconds left and Notae hit a layup as time expired to give Arkansas a 32-39 lead at the break.
Notae led the Hogs with 10 points and Williams had eight rebounds.
Arkansas held Gonzaga to 37.5 FG% in the first half and 16.7 3PT% (2-of-12). The Bulldogs entered the game as the NCAA leader in FG% at 53.6% and were 24th in 3PT% at 37.4%.
SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 42 – Gonzaga: 39
Gonzaga scored the first four points of the second half to take a one-point lead. The teams traded baskets and Chet Holmgren tied the game at 36-36 with 16:54 left. Trey Wade drained a 3-pointer and the Hogs did not give up the lead the rest of the half.
Au’Diese Toney converted an old-fashion 3-point play at 8:36 in the period to give Arkansas a 52-46 lead. The six-point lead was the largest of the game by the Hogs through the first 27:28 of the game.
Jaylin Williams scored a jumper in the lane with 7:53 left to Arkansas an eight-point lead and give him 10 points and secure his 15th double-double of the season.
Gonzaga got to within four (66-62) with 1:27 left but the Hogs made six straight at the line inside the final 21 seconds to seal the win.
“according to arkansasrazorbacks.com
Tip off is set for 8:49 eastern time, 5:49 west coast time on TBS with Grant Hill, Jim Nantz, Bill Raverty!
During his collegiate career playing for Mike Krzyzewski Grant Hill’s statistics at Duke University revealed his remarkable range of talent. In four years, he averaged 14.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while hitting 53 percent of his shots and 70 percent of his free throws. Hill can also score from long distance as he buried 39 three-pointers in his senior year. Upon graduation, Hill stood ninth on the Duke all-time scoring list, sixth in assists and fourth in both blocks and steals.
During his four years of college, Hill helped lead Duke to one of the best four-year records since the John Wooden-led UCLA teams of the mid-1970’s. The Blue Devils won consecutive NCAA titles during Hill’s freshman and sophomore years, and posted a program-best four year mark of 118-23.
As soon as Hill arrived at Duke in 1990, the high school All-American became an integral part of Coach Mike Kryzewski’s team. A starter in 31 games, Hill earned Freshman All-American honors and developed a big game reputation with a solid performance in the NCAA Tournament.
In his sophomore season, Hill established himself as one of the premier players in college basketball with his versatility. During the regular season, Hill moved to point guard for five games to fill in for injured starter Bobby Hurley. Hill averaged 16.4 points and 5.6 assists in those games, which included a victory over a Shaquille O’Neal-led Louisiana State University team.
Hill played his best in pressure situations. In the 1992 ACC title game, Hill came off the bench and shot a perfect eight-for eight from the field and converting four free throws for 20 points. In the regional finals against Kentucky, he scored 11 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists, including the incredible and memorable ¾ court pass to Christian Laettner which set up the winning basket. And, in the national championship game against Michigan’s “ Fab Five”, Hill scored 18 points and added 10 rebounds. Kryzewski credited Hill as being the best player on the court during the game’s last seven minutes.
Throughout his junior year in 1992-93, Hill’s name was touted continuously as a lottery pick. After coming off a summer of scrimmaging against the Dream Team as a member of the Olympic Developmental squad, Hill led the Blue Devils in scoring at 18.0 per game and earned the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the nation’s top defensive player.
During 1993-94, his senior year, Hill displayed impressive leadership as he took Duke to the national championship game against Arkansas. Hill earned Southeast Regional MVP honors by tallying 69 points, 30 rebounds and 23 assists in four contests. However, the numbers alone cannot show how Hill thwarted Marquette’s hopes of an upset with 16 second-half points or how Hill limited Purdue’s Glenn Robinson, the nation’s leading scorer, to just 13 points in the regional final.
Grant’s Collegiate Career Highlights
1990-1994
Ninth basketball player to have his number retired by Duke University
2-time member of NCAA Championship team (1991 & 1992)
Eleventh all-time for points scored at Duke (1,924)
Ninth all-time in assists at Duke (461)
Sixth all-time in steals (218) and in blocks (133) at Duke
Unanimous First Team All-American (1994)
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 1994 Player of the Year
Finalist for the 1994 Naismith, Wooden, and RVA/USBWA National Player of the Year Awards
NCAA All-Tournament Team and Southeastern Regional MVP (1994)
2-time First Team All-ACC (1993 & 1994)
USBWA Second Team All-American (1993)
1993 Henry Iba Corinthian Award as nation's top defensive player
2-time nominee to the UPI Second Team All-American (1992 & 1993)
Selected to the 1992 NCAA All-Final Four team
Member of the 1992 USA Olympic Development team
Voted to All-American Freshman and All-ACC Freshman teams (1991)
Member of the 1991 USA National Team at the Pan American Games