Top Ranked Duke Tops Georgetown To Win The 2K Empire Classic
Duke who is the top ranked team in the country had tougher opponent in the 2K Empire Championship then their first two games in the 2K Empire Classic but they found a way to beat Georgetown and win what was their first championship of the season.
Cassius Stanley, who led the Blue Devils with 21 points, made a pair of 3s to stretch the game open and shake off Georgetown, which was looking to knock off two straight Top 25 teams. The Hoyas, picked to finish sixth in the Big East preseason poll, knocked off No. 22 Texas a night earlier and went basket-for-basket with Duke in the first half. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/22/mens-basketball-krzyzewski-gets-milestone-duke-tops-tough-georgetown-in-nyc.aspx
The Blue Devils hung tight, and Joey Baker hit a 3 that pulled them within three. Carey pulled them even with a thunderous two-handed jam and gave them a lead on a tip-in. Carey threw his head back and screamed, the Hoyas went 6 minutes without a field goal and they went to halftime tied 33-all.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/22/mens-basketball-krzyzewski-gets-milestone-duke-tops-tough-georgetown-in-nyc.aspx
While Duke got the win Georgetown meanwhile suffered a loss. Despite closing to within four in the waning moments of the game, the Georgetown University basketball team fell short to the No. 1/1 Duke Blue Devils 81-73 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden in the championship game of the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project. With the setback, the Hoyas are now 4-2 on the season while the Blue Devils improve to 6-0.
Omer Yurtseven led Georgetown and tied for game-high honors with 21 points, all of which came in the second half. He was an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. “according to https://guhoyas.com/news/2019/11/22/mens-basketball-comeback-falls-short-against-no-1-duke.aspx
James Akinjo was the other Hoya in double figures with 19 points and he also paced the offense with six assists.
Qudus Wahab and Josh LeBlanc each chipped in seven points off the bench.
Yurtseven and Jagan Mosely led the way with five rebounds apiece, while Yurtseven and LeBlanc each had four of GU's 12 blocks.
The Hoyas shot 50.9 percent (28-55) from the floor while holding Duke to 41.5 percent (27-65) and forcing 21 turnovers.
“according to https://guhoyas.com/news/2019/11/22/mens-basketball-comeback-falls-short-against-no-1-duke.aspx
HOW IT HAPPENED
Georgetown got off to a quick start with Akinjo and Mac McClung combining for seven of the first nine GU points to take the seven-point advantage (9-2).
The Blue Devils held on and staged a 9-3 run to pull within one (12-11) but an Akinjo triple provided some breathing room with 12:45 to play.
Four-straight points from Qudus Wahab and three straight by Galen Alexander fueled a 10-1 run that opened up a 10-point lead at 22-12 and forced a Duke timeout.
The teams traded buckets before an Alexander triple gave Georgetown its largest lead of the game (29-18) with 6:07 to play.
Duke would not back down, staging a 13-2 run to tie the game at 31 with just over two minutes in the first.
Trailing for the first time at 33-31, Akinjo tied up the affair in the waning moments of the half as the teams went into the break with the score knotted at 33.
The Blue Devils opened the second half on an 11-3 run to go up 44-36.
Every time Georgetown inched closer, Duke found an answer to lead by as many as 14 down the stretch.
Down 77-63, the Hoyas did not allow a field goal over the final 4:59, staging a 10-0 run behind three Yurtseven jumpers to cut the deficit to four, 77-73 with 42 seconds remaining.
Duke, however, hit four free throws down the stretch to close out the game, 81-73.
“according to https://guhoyas.com/news/2019/11/22/mens-basketball-comeback-falls-short-against-no-1-duke.aspx
Duke will return to action on Tuesday night when they host Stephen F. Austin.