Duke Overcomes Wisconsin in NCAA Championship
April 7, 2015
Last Night, Duke vs Wisconsin played in a National Championship game filled with excitement and controversy. After freshman center Jahlil Okafor won the tip-off for the Duke Blue Devils, they drew first blood 30 seconds into the game, with a jump shot made by senior guard Quinn Cook. The Wisconsin Badgers responded two possessions later with a made three point shot by the AP National Player of the Year, senior forward Frank Kaminsky.
Over the course of the first half, it was a back and forth game, with teams repeatedly trading blows. After 13 lead changes in the first half, the game was tied 31-31 going into the locker room. Two minutes into the second half, the Badgers had a 38-33 lead on the Blue Devils. As the Badgers were beginning to gain confidence and momentum, Duke’s freshman guard Tyus Jones, who was named most outstanding player in the Final Four kept Wisconsin from going on a larger run with 6 points in a short span of time.
Just two minutes later, the game was 48-39, after a 6-0 run by Wisconsin. After a Duke timeout, Duke’s freshman reserve guard Grayson Allen scored 8 points to Wisconsin’s 3, leading his squad charging back. Jahlil Okafor reentered the game around the 3 minute mark because of his 4 fouls. With 1:53 left, Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig missed a layup, and there was a scramble for the ball.
But who did the ball go out of bounds off of? After a somewhat lengthy official review, the referees stuck with their original call: Duke ball. Social media instantly exploded, with many people questioning the referee’s call, and with some people supporting it. The closest the Badgers would get was within 5, but that was the final score. 68-63 Duke over Wisconsin.