Gonzaga showed everyone that Duke was beatable in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational with their 89-87 win. Gonzaga remains undefeated on the season at 5-0 and will most likely move up to No. 1. For Duke, they drop their first loss and will look to move on.
Recap
It started off fast. Both teams were scoring faster than the court clock could keep track of. Then, it really seemed to slow down for Duke. Duke was missing dunks, layups, jumpers and all other type of things that they don’t normally do. However, when they got it together, it was too late. The Gonzaga Bulldog had pieced together a 15-point lead over the Blue Devils and seemed to keep it for most of the game. It seemed even where Duke started to chip away, that the Bulldogs would buffer up their lead once again. And just when Gonzaga felt they had it in the bag, this Duke team climbed back to bring it within 2-points. This team had everything on their side in the closing minutes: momentum, scoring-run, and the crowd. But unfortunately for Duke, it just wasn’t enough. Gonzaga’s stars managed to get the calls when they needed them and scored on smart shots. This game really highlighted that teams that match Duke in intensity, can ultimately beat them. That doesn’t mean it will be that easy, but it is possible.
Player of the Game
Rui Hachimura showed up this game for Gonzaga in a big way. Hachimura had 20 points (7-14 FG, 1-2 3PT), 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. This is an impressive stat line for a lot of players, including Hachimura himself. You might want to keep an eye on this kid as he pushes his draft stock for this year.
Up Next
Gonzaga: vs. North Dakota State University – 11/26 at 9:00 PM ETt
Duke: vs. Indiana – 11/27 at 9:30 PM ET
Photo Credits: https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/11/21/duke-basketball-gonzaga-highlights-maui-invitational
