The Duke Blue Devils, led by seniors Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry, solidified their position as one of college basketball’s premiere powerhouses by beating the Minnesota Golden Gophers in game two of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Curry finished the game with 25 points while Plumlee tallied a double-double, finishing with 20 points and 17 rebounds. The Blue Devils’ supporting cast helped seal the win as well. Quinn Cook chipped in 17 points and four assists, Ryan Kelly had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks, while freshman Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 11 points.
Duke shot 54 per cent from the field and 80 per cent from both the three-point line and the free throw line. Duke led by as many as 11 in the first half and Cook’s three-point buzzer beater gave his team a 40-33 lead heading into halftime.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski commented that his team performed well under the lights of the Imperial Arena.
“It was definitely hot out there and that’s something we will have to watch as the tournament goes on, keeping guys hydrated,” Coach Krzyzewski told The Tribune. “These guys prepare to play 40 minutes, so they never want to come off the floor. It goes back to the work they put into the offseason.”
Rodney Williams led four Golden Gophers with 16 points and 7 rebounds.
