LAS VEGAS — Paolo Banchero scored 21 points to lead the No. 5 Duke over No. 1 Gonzaga 84-81 on Saturday night.
Duke (7-0) handed Gonzaga (6-1) its first loss since April’s national title game when Baylor beat the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga battled back from a nine-point deficit thanks to Julian Strawther’s offensive prowess early in the second half, as he scored eight of the Bulldogs’ first 14 points to help them get within two. But Gonzaga suffered through a 0-for-5 span down the stretch and turned the ball over three times to allow Duke to seize the momentum and close the game on a 13-9 run.
Wendell Moore Jr. scored 20 points and Mark Williams added 17 points and 9 rebounds for the Blue Devils.
Strawther led Gonzaga with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Drew Timme added 17 points, Chet Holmgren had 16 points and Rasir Bolton chipped in 15 for the Bulldogs.
The long-anticipated showdown involving Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski became a battle of Duke’s relentless defensive pressure and Gonzaga’s precise passing through lanes that the Bulldogs created on the fly.
After Gonzaga took an early 4-0 lead, Duke quickly established dominance with a 17-6 run, with Banchero and Williams putting on a show for the heavily favored Duke crowd.
The Bulldogs closed the gap to three, 19-16, but Banchero scored 13 of Duke’s next 21 points. Holmgren, who had to sit midway in the first half due to foul trouble, returned with 1:27 left in the half and drained a soft one-handed jumper followed by a 3-pointer by Strawther.
Duke held 45-42 lead at halftime.
The Blue Devils visit Ohio State on Tuesday.
Wake Forest 80, Oregon State 77 (OT)
DESTIN, Fla. — Alondes Williams scored seven of his game-high 24 points in overtime and Wake Forest held off Oregon State, 80-77 Friday night to advance to the championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic.
The Demon Deacons have won six straight games to start the season, their best start since 2008-09. They will face LSU in the tournament championship game Saturday.
Wake Forest came into the game having shot 50% or better in five straight games and knocked down 54.5% in the first half against the Beavers to build a 19-point lead at the break, 48-29. The Demon Deacons led by 20, 55-35 after Jake LaRavia scored on a fast break with 16:06 left.
And then the Deacons went cold from the field, shooting just 28% in the second half. Oregon State roared back, taking the lead with five minutes left on a jump hook in the lane by Rodrigue Andela. Williams converted two free throws and scored from underneath the basket to put Wake Forest up, 69-67 with 1:10 left but Gianni Hunt dunked with 53 seconds left to pull the Beavers even and force the extra period.
Williams drove for a layup with 2:16 left to put the Deacons on top, 76-75, and LaRavia extended the lead with a driving layup. Williams hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it 79-77 and Laravia pulled down the offensive rebound on his missed second attempt.
Jarod Lucas missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer for Oregon State.
LaRavia finished with 17 points and Daivien Williamson added 14 for Wake Forest.
Andela scored 16 points to lead the Beavers. Hunt added 11 and Dexter Akanno and Warith Alatishe each added 10.
The Beavers, who won the Pac-12 Tournament and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, have now lost five straight following a season-opening win over Portland State, their last three by a total of five points.
Samford 77, NC A&T 75
NICEVILLE, Fla. — Ques Glover had a career-high 25 points as Samford narrowly beat North Carolina A&T 77-75 in the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday.
Glover converted all 12 of his free throw attempts. He added seven assists.
Jaden Campbell had 15 points for Samford (4-1). Jermaine Marshall added 13 rebounds. Cooper Kaifes had six rebounds and nine points.
Demetric Horton scored a career-high 24 points, making six 3-pointers, and had seven rebounds for the Aggies (1-6). Marcus Watson scored a career-high 22 points. Kameron Langley had 10 points and 15 assists.
