DUKE DEFEATS GONZAGA IN BATTLE OF UNBEATENS
Paolo Banchero scored 21 points to lead No. 5 Duke over No. 1 Gonzaga 84-81 on Friday night in Las Vegas.
Duke (7-0) handed Gonzaga (6-1) its first loss since April’s national title game, when Baylor beat the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga battled back from a nine-point deficit thanks to Julian Strawther’s offensive prowess early in the second half, as he scored eight of the Bulldogs’ first 14 points to help them get within two. But Gonzaga suffered through a 0-for-5 span down the stretch and turned the ball over three times to allow Duke to seize the momentum and close the game on a 13-9 run.
Wendell Moore Jr. scored 20 points and Mark Williams added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Blue Devils.
Strawther led Gonzaga with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Drew Timme added 17 points, Chet Holmgren had 16 points and Rasir Bolton chipped in 15 for the Bulldogs.
The long-anticipated showdown involving Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski became a battle of Duke’s relentless defensive pressure and Gonzaga’s precise passing through lanes that the Bulldogs created on the fly.
No. 3 Purdue 97, Omaha 40: Zach Edey scored 20 points in 16 minutes, and host Purdue (6-0) pounded Omaha (1-5).
Dayton 74, No. 4 Kansas 73: Mustapha Amzil’s lone basket of the game was a memorable one.
Amzil hit a running jumper in the lane at the buzzer, and the Flyers (3-3) beat the Jayhawks (4-1) at the ESPN Events Invitational in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Kansas’ David McCormack blocked Malachi Smith’s layup with 3 seconds left. Amzil picked up the loose ball, and his shot went off the rim and backboard before going in.
“It was great,” Amzil said. “I had to watch the ball bounce in and down. It’s hard to describe. It’s surreal. It’s a great feeling.”
It was Amzil’s only shot from the field. He also went 2 for 4 at the free-throw line.
No. 6 Baylor 75, Michigan State 58: James Akinjo scored 15 points and Baylor (7-0) blew the game open after halftime to beat Michigan State (5-2) for the Battle 4 Atlantis championship in the Bahamas.
Iowa State 79, No. 9 Memphis 58: Gabe Kalscheur scored 30 points to lead the Cyclones (6-0) past the Tigers (5-1) in the NIT Season Tip-Off championship game in New York.
No. 10 Kentucky 86, North Florida 52: TyTy Washington scored 14 points to lead Kentucky (5-1) over visiting North Florida (1-6).
No. 10 Alabama 80, Drake 71: Jahvon Quinerly scored 18 points, Jaden Shackelford and Juwan Gary each had 14, and Alabama (5-1) beat Drake (3-2) in the consolation round of ESPN Events Invitational.
No. 14 Illinois 94,Texas
Rio Grande Valley 85: Kofi Cockburn scored a careerhigh 38 points to lead host Illinois (4-2) to a hardfought win over Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-3).
No. 15 Tennessee 80, Tennessee Tech 69: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield scored eight of his 12 points during a key second-half spurt and Tennessee (4-1) beat visiting Tennessee Tech (2-4).
No. 19 Auburn 89, Syracuse 68: Jabari Smith scored 22 points and Auburn (5-1) beat Syracuse (3-3) in the fifth-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
No. 22 UConn 70, VCU 63 (OT): R.J. Cole scored 26 points and Isaiah Whaley hit two late 3-pointers in his return to the lineup, helping UConn (6-1) beat VCU (3-4) for third place at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
No. 25 Xavier 59, Virginia Tech 58: Nate Johnson scored 30 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 25 seconds left, and Xavier (5-1) beat Virginia Tech (5-2) in the consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off.