“I love this tournament, I love this place, I love Maui,” expressed a jubilant Mark Few after Gonzaga claimed its second title at the Maui Invitational following a thrilling 89-87 win over the Duke Blue Devils. The loss was a first for Duke in Maui, who had been 17-0 with five titles going into the final at this event.
It was the matchup every college basketball fan was hoping for, and it delivered on all counts. No. 1 Duke and its heralded freshmen got top billing heading into the tournament, but the Blue Devils discovered an opponent in Gonzaga that was ready and able to meet the challenge.