Duke repels Michigan State as Mike Krzyzewski punches ticket to 26th Sweet 16
GREENVILLE, S.C. — For Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, it’s career win number 1,200, tournament win number 99, another victory against Michigan State and one more trip into the Sweet 16 — and the Blue Devils may not be done just yet.
No. 2 Duke beat No. 7 Michigan State 85-76 behind a game-high 19 points from star freshman forward Paolo Banchero to reach the second weekend of the West Region, setting up a matchup with No. 3 Texas Tech.
Sophomore center Mark Williams added 15 points and five blocks. Michigan State was led by forward Gabe Brown, who had 18 points.
"For a young group, they showed incredible guts," Krzyzewski said after the game on CBS. "It wasn't any coaching. I'm so proud of them. ... It looked like our ship was sinking."
NCAA Tournament bracket: Follow March Madness
Stay up-to-date: Subscribe to our Sports newsletter now!
Duke was able to fend off the Spartans despite losing freshman guard A.J. Griffin, who suffered what appeared to be a lower-leg injury to his left leg while driving in the paint with 8:24 remaining in the second half. Griffin never returned but did remain on the Duke bench.
The Blue Devils were up 39-35 at halftime and pushed the lead to as high as nine points two minutes into the second half. Michigan State was ahead 16-15 with 11:11 left in the first half but didn't retake the lead until going ahead 68-65 with 5:24 left, and pushed the lead to 70-65 with a pair of free throws on the next possession.
But Duke closed on a 20-6 run, taking a 75-74 lead on a lay-up from Banchero with 2:05 remaining and pushing the edge to 78-74 on a 3-pointer from guard Jeremy Roach a minute later.
The win sends Krzyzewski to the Sweet 16 for the 26th time as he chases his sixth national championship. Duke has advanced out of the first weekend in five of the program's past six tournament appearances.
One of the most unique teams of his tenure for its rampant youth and almost total lack of NCAA Tournament experience, the Blue Devils' defense had an uneven performance after a strong start to tournament play.
After rebounding defensively in the first round win against No. 15 Cal State Fullerton after a horrific close to the regular season, the Duke defense allowed MSU to make half of of its 22 3-point attempts, including a stretch of five straight in the first half.
While the Spartans shot just 42% from the field overall, that touch from deep and a dominant performance on the offensive glass — MSU had 12 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points — helped MSU hang around against the Blue Devils' talented but young lineup.
The youthful Blue Devils were able to withstand the Spartans' second-half charge, however.
The win continues Duke's run of success against Michigan State and coach Tom Izzo, who is now 3-13 against the Blue Devils. This is the third time Krzyzewski has bounced the Izzo-coached Spartans from the tournament, joining wins in the Final Four in 1999 and 2015 and in the Sweet 16 in 2013. This marked the sixth and final meeting between the two Hall of Famers.
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke beats Michigan State as Coach K earns 1,200th win, 26th Sweet 16
