Duke - Georgetown: Gameday Open Thread
Duke faces Georgetown on Friday night in the championship game of the 2K Empire Classic. The 5-0 Blue Devils earned a spot in the title game with an 87-52 win over Cal on Thursday night.
Duke met the Hoyas for the 2K championship exactly four years earlier, with the Blue Devils winning 86-84 in overtime to take the title.
The 4-1 Hoyas beat Texas, 82-66 on Thursday, on the strength of a 21-point edge in the second half, to advance to the title game.
Georgetown is led by former NC State big man Omer Yurtseven, who averages 15.6 points and 10.8 rebounds. Yurtseven was scoreless with one rebound against Duke in 12 minutes as a freshman. The following year, he scored 16 points with nine rebounds.
Mac McClung, who scored 19 against Texas and averages 13.6, and James Akinjo, who averages 12.6 with 4.8 rebounds, are the other double-figure scorers for the Hoyas.
A Duke win will give coach Mike Krzyzewski his 20 regular-season tournament title with Duke and his 100 win in those events. It would also be Coach K’s 218 win as the number one team in the nation, breaking a tie with John Wooden.
Starters are the same as last night: Tre Jones and the four freshmen--Wendell Moore, Vernon Carey, Cassius Stanley, Matthew Hurt.
Your officials: Brian Dorsey, Paul Szelc, Rob Riley
Duke had some shaky offensive decisions early last night. Tonight problem is on the other end. Georgetown scoring very easily in early minutes.
Hoyas hit five of first six shots, 2-of-2 from three to take a 12-5 lead into the under 16.
Yurtseven fouled out last night. Has two fouls in the first four and a half minutes tonight.
Duke cut the Georgetown lead to 12-11 before the Hoyas got a three pointer. Georgetown struggling to keep up on the boards. 11-6 rebounding edge to Duke. Blue Devils aren't hitting so far, shooting 25 percent from the field, which is keeping the Hoyas in front, 15-11 at the under 12.
Like everyone else, Georgetown has no answer for Vernon Carey. He has six points, two rebounds early. Hoyas' James Akinjo leading the way with seven points, two assists.
Duke offense is struggling. Blue Devils have 12 points. Stanley free throw snaps a 7-0 Georgetown run. As many Duke possessions have ended with a turnover as a made shot (four each).
Georgetown doing what many of the small conference schools did earlier this season, packing the middle and swiping away the ball. It still works, and the Hoyas have the size and talent to capitalize. Hoyas up 22-12 with 9:04 to go in the first.
Every possession is apparently going to end on an offensive foul at both ends of the floor tonight. We head to the under 8 with Georgetown up 22-14.
No one on Duke has been able to guard Akinjo. He can get to the middle of the lane at will. Georgetown also getting to every loose ball on the other end. Duke has nothing working outside of Carey, who has 12 of its 20.
Referees have called seven offensive fouls in 15 minutes, which seems excessive.
Duke lurking at the under four, lucky to be down just 30-24. Outside of Akinjo, Georgetown struggling to click on offense. Hoyas have 11 turnovers already.
Big foul on McClung as he collides with Tre Jones at midcourt. That's three on him.
Duke ties it with just over two minutes left in the half. 31-31. On a 13-2 run.
The refs' love of offensive fouls is the only thing that can stop Vernon Carey. He scores at the rim for the third straight possession, but it's waved off. Duke up 2 with 1:20 left.
Third straight Duke possession ends in an offensive foul. That's 10 in the first half called by the refs (both teams)
Nothing settled in the first half. We're tied at 33. Big missed opportunity for Georgetown, who was up 10 and had Duke reeling.
Duke wins the boards 20-13, which kept them in the game, as did 13 Hoya turnovers (although Duke had 10).
Duke shot just 39 percent. Hoyas shot 57.
Tre Jones steals the second half inbound, triggering a 6-0 run in the first minute. Time out Georgetown. 39-33 Duke.
Only negative for Duke coming out of the locker room, Carey picks up his third foul.
Omer Yurtseven, we hardly knew ye. Back in the game for this half, he picks up his third foul 2:18 in. And at 13:05 remaining, he picks up his fourth.
Duke has gone up by nine, thanks to that early spurt. It's 59-50 at the under 12.
Georgetown with pressure after a made free throw. Appeared to get a steal but the ref whistled a late foul, and Patrick Ewing, who has been annoyed with the officials for awhile now, picked up a technical foul.
Duke has matched its first-half scoring with 33 in the second half, with 9 minutes still to go. Blue Devils up 10.
Duke just dominating the boards. 36-19, including 16-6 this half. Blue Devils have 18 offensive rebounds, outscoring Georgetown on second-chance points 16-4.
Very interesting series of events there: Yurtseven elbows Carey in the face and gets whistled for the game's 13th offensive foul, and his fifth foul of the game. Officials go to the monitor and reverse the call. Yurtseven stays in the game and Carey picks up his fourth for not giving Yurtseven room to move.
At the under eight, Duke is up 70-57.
Georgetown making a final push. An 8-0 run cuts the Duke lead to six with just under a minute left. Duke calls time out.
Nice inbounds play by Duke. Carey faked a screen and got open under the basket. Misses both free throws though.
Duke hits the rest of its free throws and finishes things off to win 81-73.
