Duke edges Wisconsin to win fifth national championship

[Omaha Steve]

Source: USA Today

Paul Myerberg,

INDIANAPOLIS — Breaking down Duke's 68-63 win against Wisconsin to capture the 2015 NCAA men's basketball national championship:

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Sixteen lead changes. Five ties. Enough stress, tension and pressure for the entire month of March – and all of April, for that matter. When push came to shove, however, Duke had the answer for every Wisconsin run. The Blue Devils outscored the Badgers 14-9 during the final seven minutes to win, 68-63, and capture the fifth national title in program history. In nearly every way imaginable, it was a contest worthy of college basketball's largest stage.

Duke was lifted by its freshman class – but not necessarily by star Jahlil Okafor, who was mired in foul trouble for most of the second half. Even with the All-America selection sidelined, Duke freshmen accounted for 60 points, led by a combined 39 points from guards Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen.

Wisconsin's scoring output was more balanced: Five players scored in double figures, paced by Frank Kaminsky's 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting. But Wisconsin's normally efficient offense crumbled during the final minutes, allowing the Blue Devils' offense the time to pull away while their defense clamped down on Kaminsky and the Badgers.

FULL story at link.



Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) celebrates with guard Quinn Cook (2) after scoring a basket while being fouled against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/04/06/duke-wisconsin-national-championship-final-four-ncaa-tournament/25386447/

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BOX SCORE: Blue Devils 68, Badgers 63: http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/mens-basketball/event/2014/79304/boxscore/

[Still In Wisconsin]

1. Congrats to Duke, clearly the better team on this day but...

ouch. This one is going to hurt for a long, long time around these parts.

[keroro gunsou]

3. hard to win

when you are fighting a two-front war. duke AND the zebras.

[jamzrockz]

4. Duke fan here

and totally agree, it takes a lot out of the celebration when you know the refs gave you a leg up on the competition. The ball that was tipped out of bounds by the duke players, the foot on the line that was not called etc etc.

Bad reffing is the reason (2002 kings vs lakers playoff) why I no longer watch the NBA.

[mnhtnbb]

2. Duke's win should be credited with an assist from the refs

both in questionable calls--and lack of calls--especially in the second half.

[INdemo]

8. You noticed that too?

Its funny hpw one bad call or a no call call can shift momentum to the other team so easily.
Never mind the fact about all the millions Vegas would have lost had Wisconsin won..Just sayin

[mnhtnbb]

10. Well, living in Chapel Hill with one son a Carolina grad, we're NOT Dukie fans.

Besides, Coach K is a $%*^ Repub a$$hole. Yes, he might be good at coaching basketball,
but he is not the person that Dean Smith, or John Wooden (I'm a UCLA grad) was.

The calls were pretty blatant.

[Dawgs]

5. Great. One of two teams that has pushed popularity of sport from 2 to 6.

Thanks ESPN.

[Gamecock Lefty]

6. Can You Say 'National Champs!'

Lots of people try and trash any Duke win by blaming it on a blown call.

How about Kaminsky’s obviously intentional grabbing of Okafor when Okafor was driving for a layup (the announcers even made a comment about it)? It should have been an intentional foul and Duke ball. You guessed it – not called and no outrage. How about Dekker obviously walking while driving for a layup (announcers made a comment about that, too). You guessed it – not called and no outrage.

Wisky may have had the national player of the year, but Duke had a much better supporting cast and proved it down the stretch!

Go Duke! National Champs!

[Still In Wisconsin]

7. Duke won it.

Duke was better. Proud of my guys but Duke won. We were second. Unlike elections, second is worth a lot. It hurts a lot now but perspective will come. Coach K was all class.

[Corey_Baker08]

9. I Think We Can All Agree It Was A Great Game!

[KamaAina]

12. What I'll be talking about: The refs who might as well have been dressed in Duke blue

http://www.democraticunderground.com/120453488

Did somebody pay them off?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/120453476