LINDY'S POSTGAME REPORT

Duke Survives UCF, 77-76, advnaces to Sweet 16

Dick Cox

March 26, 2019 at 11:27 pm.

With 2:09 remaining, Duke trailed UCF by four points and the Blue Devils season was on life support when Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett willed the team to the 77-76 win and a spot in the Sweet 16 in Washington DC.

After the game, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, “The will to win of Zion and RJ, you can’t measure it. It’s just there .. they are young .. we are a young group, but what they did right at the end of the game willing us to win was just absolutely sensational.”

Duke trailed by one point with 11 seconds remaining when Williamson drove to the basket where the Knight’s 7-6 center Tacko Falls was waiting. Williamson made a spectacular play and made the shot and was fouled on the play. He had a chance to tie the game at 76-all but missed the free throw and Barrett got the offensive rebound and scored on the put-back basket to give the Blue Devils a 77-76 lead with 8.2 seconds remaining. UCF had two chances to win on a drive to the basket by B.J. Taylor, and a tip in attempt by Aubrey Dawkins, but neither shot would stay down.

Williamson was asked about what he was thinking on the game winning drive to the basket against Falls who is almost one foot taller than him. “You know, it’s March Madness. A lot’s going through my mind, but like Coach said, at the 2:09 mark when they were reviewing the play … you know I consider him the greatest coach of all time. When he looks at you and tells you that you’re made for this moment, it’s like the most confidence you can ever be given. So when I went to the basket, I knew it was going in,” Williamson said.

Barrett said that before Williamson’s missed free throw he was thinking what he could do to win the game. “I remember watching March Madness and watching a whole bunch of games and seeing missed free throws, somebody gets a rebound and a put back. So I thought, I’m just going to try to do whatever I can to get this rebound,” Barrett said.

Duke lead 44-36 at the half, but UCF scored the first seven points of the second half to cut the lead to one point and get back in the game. The lead changed hands 13 times throughout the game and the score was tied seven times.

The Blue Devils were lead by Williamson with 32 points and 11 rebounds, Barrett 16 points, Cam Reddish 13 points and Trey Jones with 11 points. Dawkins score 32 points to lead the Knights in scoring, while Taylor and Falls added 15 points each.

Next #1 seed Duke will play ACC foe # 4 seed Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16 match-up on Friday.

With 2:09 remaining, Duke trailed UCF by four points and the Blue Devils season was on life support when Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett willed the team to the 77-76 win and a spot in the Sweet 16 in Washington DC. After the game, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, “The will to win of Zion and RJ, you can’t measure it. It’s just there .. they are young .. we are a young group, but what they did right at the end of the game willing us to win was just absolutely sensational.”

Duke trailed by one point with 11 seconds remaining when Williamson drove to the basket where the Knight’s 7-6 center Tacko Falls was waiting. Williamson made a spectacular play and made the shot and was fouled on the play. He had a chance to tie the game at 76-all but missed the free throw and Barrett got the offensive rebound and scored on the put-back basket to give the Blue Devils a 77-76 lead with 8.2 seconds remaining. UCF had two chances to win on a drive to the basket by B.J. Taylor, and a tip in attempt by Aubrey Dawkins, but neither shot would stay down.

Williamson was asked about what he was thinking on the game winning drive to the basket against Falls who is almost one foot taller than him. “You know, it’s March Madness. A lot’s going through my mind, but like Coach said, at the 2:09 mark when they were reviewing the play … you know I consider him the greatest coach of all time. When he looks at you and tells you that you’re made for this moment, it’s like the most confidence you can ever be given. So when I went to the basket, I knew it was going in,” Williamson said.

Barrett said that before Williamson’s missed free throw he was thinking what he could do to win the game. “I remember watching March Madness and watching a whole bunch of games and seeing missed free throws, somebody gets a rebound and a put back. So I thought, I’m just going to try to do whatever I can to get this rebound,” Barrett said.

Duke lead 44-36 at the half, but UCF scored the first seven points of the second half to cut the lead to one point and get back in the game. The lead changed hands 13 times throughout the game and the score was tied seven times.

The Blue Devils were lead by Williamson with 32 points and 11 rebounds, Barrett 16 points, Cam Reddish 13 points and Trey Jones with 11 points. Dawkins score 32 points to lead the Knights in scoring, while Taylor and Falls added 15 points each.

Next #1 seed Duke will play ACC foe # 4 seed Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16 match-up on Friday.

Watch the Lindy’s Postgame Report here