NEW YORK – In a game Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski deemed “worthy of a championship game,” Duke outlasted Georgetown 86-84 to capture the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden. The numbers of note….
Possessions: Duke 66, Georgetown 68
Offensive efficiency: Duke 130, Georgetown 124
eFG pct: Duke 56, Georgetown 64
FT rate: Duke 69, Georgetown 47
TO rate: Duke 14, Georgetown 18
A look at the shooting percentages and under 20 percent TO rates attest to the quality of this game. MVP Grayson Allen of Duke hit a three with 2:40 to go that put the Blue Devils ahead by 8. It appeared to be the essential dagger. Georgetown rallied and had a chance to win, but Isaac Copeland came up short with a rushed three-point try at the buzzer.
Leading scorers:
Allen, Duke: 32 points, 38 eff
Copeland, Georgetown: 21 points, 21 eff.
“I thought both teams had answers for each other. We just had a stretch where Duke continued to score while we got looks but did not convert.” – Georgetown coach John Thompson III
Thompson III’s assessment ultimately spelled the difference in this thriller.
