***DUKE VS GONZAGA MAUI INVITE FINAL OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***

[krzyzewskiville]

REALLY - excited about today’s matchup - I’m sure we all are.

It’s going to come down to perimeter shooting and defense. If we hit 3’s - we can’t be beat because you can’t really pick your poison with us.

The only way I see us losing this game is if we play sloppy.

Game is slated for a 5pm est tip and will air on ESPN HD.

Duke 86

Gonzaga 79

GO DUKE!!!!

 

[JohnstonCDevil]

Will be interesting to see how Bolden plays against their bigs. If he plays well and we shoot good from the 3 point line and stay out of early foul trouble, I think we win by double digits. GO DUKE!!!
OFC

 

[jwill133]

Duke 90
Gonzaga 79

We shoot better than last night, game never in doubt.

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

If Zion and Cam can stay out of early foul trouble, then Duke should be fine. Duke playing for its 6th Maui Championship. I don’t care how they do it, just bring it back to Durham fellas!

Duke: 85
Zags: 76

Let’s go Duke!!!

 

[Laettner15]

Duke - 87
Gonzaga - 79

 

[jwill133]

I hope we go to the basket constantly and don’t settle for jumpers. Gonzaga is not an elite defensive team, they can’t stay in front of our guys.

Their best chance is we settle for a lot of jumpers. They are world’s better than Auburn and SDSU on offense, but we should have a much easier time on our offensive end than the last 2 games.

 

[SoCal_Dukie3]

Duke 85
Zags 84

 

[hart2chesson]

Duke 90-86, but we need to improve our free throw shooting....

OFC

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

I thought Zona had the Zags last night, but they turned it on and almost made it look easy at the end. Can't relax against this team. Need to trust in one another a little more, and not force our shots. Hitting fts would help also.

Duke 88
Gonzaga 82

OFC

 

[Canadian Dukie]

Duke has never lost a game at Maui,it wont start today 79-70 Duke gotta hit those free throws boys

 

[HonkeyT]

This will be Maloxx Masher. 85-84 Duke.

 

[pisgah101]

Duke-102
Zags-90

 

[QC Dukie]

Duke 85
Zags 84

Holy s*** SoCal. My heart can’t take that.

 

[GillJET]

This start time though, gonna have to watch the replay.

 

[skysdad]

Duke 86
Gonzaga 79


OFC

 

[layneja]

Duke 88
Zags 78

Back to winning by double digits !!!

 

[DukeDenver]

This will be a battle won by the team making the fewest mistakes. We had more turnovers than assists last game. That can’t happen here.

-ok, here I go-

92-91 Zags. FTs may sink us.

 

[CharlotteDukeFan]

I have a feeling we will come out on fire and we will cost to a 11 point victory

 

[chov1125]

This will be a battle won by the team making the fewest mistakes. We had more turnovers than assists last game. That can’t happen here.

-ok, here I go-

92-91 Zags. FTs may sink us.

Booooo hissssssss

 

[dachampishere2]

I hope we go to the basket constantly and don’t settle for jumpers. Gonzaga is not an elite defensive team, they can’t stay in front of our guys.

Their best chance is we settle for a lot of jumpers. They are world’s better than Auburn and SDSU on offense, but we should have a much easier time on our offensive end than the last 2 games.

I think we actually take pretty good shots though. Teams are just making us drive and kick for 3s. Sometimes we get stagnant and force shots but generally we take high quality shots. They just don’t fall all the time

 

[FearTheBeard]

Duke 82
Zags 81

 

[Mac9192]

I don't have a problem taking a lot of 3s. This offense is designed for that. Take what is given. I love this style of play. The better we move the ball, the better we will generally shoot.

Can't wait til 5. Best team and coach we will face until conference play starts.
No prediction.

 

[dukiejay]

I don't have a problem taking a lot of 3s. This offense is designed for that. Take what is given. I love this style of play. The better we move the ball, the better we will generally shoot.

Can't wait til 5. Best team and coach we will face until conference play starts.
No prediction.

I think we will win by more today than we did last night, but I think this game --- overall --- will be closer and more contested, if that makes sense.

Duke pulls away slightly late.

Duke 85
Gonzaga 74

 

[dukiejay]

Sorry, Mac....didn't mean to quote you. I'm on day two of sitting in budget meetings and my brain is just about fried.

 

[Mpm277]

Need to do better at the line.

 

[jcdevilfan]

Another big assignment for Tre. If he can keep Perkins in check, I really like our chances. I also think Zion will relax and play better tonight. Should be a great game and I like Duke to bring home the Maui Championship!
Go Duke!
OFC

 

[bullettoothtony]

Us, 102-79.

 

[hallside]

We take better care of the ball and get the offense flowing well. Both teams are tired, but I think our guys will want to respond after the closest win of the year. They don't just want to win. They want to dominate. Especially a team like Gonzaga. This game has a lot to do with who has the most heart. 3 games, 3 days, nobody is in midseason shape. Gut check time.

Watched the Zags game last night. They're talented, and have a lot of shooters. If Rui plays aggressive, he will score his points. Perkins is one of the best PG's in the country. Norvell was 0-9 before going for 20. They have the tools to compete with us. But if we play well, we'll win this game by double digits. Same I'd say for every game this year.


Duke - 92
Gonzaga - 76

 

[QC Dukie]

I think we win by a larger margin than last night. Tre has a monster game for us both offensively and defensively and we win going away.

87-72

 

[denverexpat]

Out of Few comes many - interesting how Mark Few consistently finds talent that can compete every year with the elite programs. I dont know any of the current Zag squad but they certainly look like they can play both individually and as a team. I dont follow recruiting outside of the threads here so maybe they are household names to those that do.
This will be a close one and a great test.

Better defensive rebounding and hit FT's and we win in a squeaker.

 

[Dad2ze]

If Duke boxes out and drives the paint we should win by 15. If not, we win by less than 5.

Duke - 83
Zags - 78

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

I think we have a stretch where we are playing from behind. But I ain’t picking against us at this point. Duke wins 88-80.

 

[SoCal_Dukie3]

I have a feeling we will come out on fire and we will cost to a 11 point victory

I see what you did there; looks like OFC paid off the refs. We're set!

 

[LTDukeFan]

Gonzaga starts 1 - senior, 2 - Juniors, and 2 - Sophomores. They are listed by ESPN having 54.8% chance of winning.

I think Duke wins -- I think they get shellshocked.

Duke - 103
Gonzaga - 88

 

[dukehokie]

We match up well with them, and without Tillie, we can take advantage with our length.

We need to move the ball better than yesterday and Monday. We need to take smarter shots than yesterday and Monday and we need to defend smarter than yesterday and Monday. I can’t see Duke playing three straight days of not so good basketball, especially as cohesive and talented as they are.

Today’s the day RJ gets a gameball.

Duke - 94
Gonzaga - 78

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

Duke 90
Zags 80

 

[wswartz34]

Auburn is better than Gonzaga without Tillie.

Duke wins by 15+

 

[ponarkel]

I know I'm a broken record but if we hit our free throws we will win. We get fouled a lot and got to make them specially at crunch time. OFC

 

[Dad2ze]

Another game I have to tape...

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

I know I'm a broken record but if we hit our free throws we will win. We get fouled a lot and got to make them specially at crunch time. OFC

I want to see the ball in Cam’s hands late in the game because he’s our best free throw shooter by far.