This was one of those games where the end echoed what Ernest Hemingway said about going broke: you go broke slowly and then all of a sudden.
Duke was going broke for a while before it sped up to all of a sudden.
Let’s just look at the last 5:00 and see how many small errors became magnified.
- 4:59: With Duke up 60-51, Carter turns the ball over and is called for a foul. Kerry Blackshear cuts the lead to seven.
- 4:33: Alex O’ Connell turnover
- 4:00: Marques Bolden misses a basket
- 3:35: Nickeil Alexander-Walker hits a three to cut the lead to four at 60-56
- 3:03: Grayson Allen misses a free throw
- 2:30: Marvin Bagley misses a jumper
- 2:23: Justin Robinson hits a pari of free throws to cut the lead to 61-58.