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Arizona goes into Durham & Stuns #2 Duke 78-73
Keshad Johnson hit a tough whistle-drawing layup for a three-point play with 46.8 seconds left that pushed No. 12 Arizona to a late lead on the way to a 78-73 win at No. 2 Duke on Friday night.
Johnson finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats (2-0), his biggest coming on that contact layup off a feed from Caleb Love.
Love - a transfer from hated Duke rival North Carolina who heard plenty from the “Cameron Crazies� all night - also came up big late by making four free throws during Arizona's 6-for-6 finish at the line in the final 20 seconds.
When it was over, Arizona's players celebrated near midcourt, with Love waving goodbye to the irate Crazies and offering some testy words as big man Oumar Ballo extended his arms to blow them kisses.
Ballo had 13 points and Love had 11 for Arizona, which shot 46% and finished with a 45-33 rebounding edge.
Preseason Associated Press All-American Kyle Filipowski had 25 points to lead the Blue Devils (1-1), who never caught up after Johnson's late basket.
The game opened a home-and-home series between marquee-brand programs, the kind of matchup that's becoming trickier for coaches to schedule in a time of changing conferences and neutral-court dates. And in addition to Love, the game featured the return of former Duke Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski to a courtside seat for just his second game here since his 2022 retirement.
Along the way, the game featured some postseason vibes of tension in the ear-ringing backdrop of Duke's famously rowdy home arena.
But the Wildcats bullied the Blue Devils in the first half on the glass and led by eight at the break. In the final tense nine minutes, the teams were never separated by more than four points until the last moments.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona: The Wildcats showed off their depth and athleticism, from Johnson's range ability at both ends to Ballo inside. Arizona's board-work stood out, including the Wildcats nearly doubling Duke on the offensive glass (15-8).
Duke: The Blue Devils got a boost with the return of athletic wing Mark Mitchell from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the opener. Duke needed him to counter the Wildcats' athleticism. But outside of Jeremy Roach (17 points), the Blue Devils got little offensive support for Filipowski.
UP NEXT
Arizona: The Wildcats host Southern on Monday.
Box score
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Watch player interviews and highlights ⤵️
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Heck of a basketball game,nothing like a hard fought win an beating a top program on the road.
This was total team win, so many guys
Contributed to the win.
Arizona won an still missed so many shots around the rim, ballo,johnson,krivas all missed alot of shots around the rim.
An 17 TO are to many but still winning was great.
Love struggled but came through in the end win it mattered.
I think Boswell played great to bad he dealt with cramping or else he may have had a better Stat line.
An johnson with that huge an one to give Arizona the win, credit to pelle I thought he played very well to bad he couldn't be on the floor more do to fouls.
I think krivas still has to work on finishing inside I notice he brings the ball down alot, which he gets striped.
Overall great win against a top program.
I do not like
Coach K and Duke.
I do not like them
Makes me puke.
This win goes on my forever great game list. We have some junk yard dogs now and we were not rattled by the hallowed walls of Cameron or it's retired sainted coach. Such a great team win.
I'm still smiling.
I completely understand why you dislike Duke so much Deb.
I honestly thought arizona was losing this game on the road
Glad I was wrong on that.
Credit to the coaching staff.
Quote from: Deb on November 11, 2023, 06:38:08 PMI do not like
Coach K and Duke.
I do not like them
Makes me puke.
This win goes on my forever great game list. We have some junk yard dogs now and we were not rattled by the hallowed walls of Cameron or it's retired sainted coach. Such a great team win.
I'm still smiling.
100% What grit and toughness ! And of the road in a very tough environment. It was fantastic shutting down the puke student second, but that was second to the look on ole Coach K's face. This will go down as a classic win !
We did not even play great basketball and still won. I am sure Duke would say the same thing though.
17 turnovers and 12-18 from the line is no bueno. The only guys that played close to their game were Boswell and Pelle imo.
Arizona had 5 players score in double digits, Duke had just two. This team is talented and deep.
Arizona fan may come and go but true #BDUFAN here for life