2015 Duke vs. Wisconsin
Re-watch #10 - The Duke Basketball Project
Duke vs. Wisconsin
National Championship
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
April 6, 2015
Where I was
My wife and I bought our first home in the summer of 2014. It had a nice bonus room upstairs and, after moving several times since graduate school, we finally had a room to hang some Duke memorabilia and watch games. I watched all but three games that season upstairs in the bonus room, with a picture of Laettner’s shot and SI covers from Duke’s four titles donning the wall. Much like eating the same dinner or wearing the same Duke shorts for every game, I know that watching from the same room (and seat) all year has no effect on the outcome of a game, but it doesn’t hurt anything either. So, for the last game of the college basketball season, I put my Duke shorts on and went upstairs to watch the game with images of Hill, Laettner, Hurley, Battier, and Scheyer looking on.
Why this game
While these re-watches are not done in any order or ranking, I wanted to include a National Championship within the first ten games I revisited. Of the five titles, I decided to choose this game because it will always be Coach K’s last National Championship and this Duke team was one of my favorites throughout the years, even before their run to Monday night - they had so many tough wins and clutch plays down the stretch of that season. Maybe it’s because I have a better perspective on how difficult it is to win the whole thing as I get older, but this season will always stick in mind for how tough and together that group was to finish out the year.
Storylines
Coming off a Final Four appearance in 2014, Wisconsin spent the season ranked no lower than #7 in the AP poll, and the Big Ten champs entered the NCAA Tournament with only three losses on the season. One of those losses was to Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, 80-70 at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin was on an 11-game winning streak after taking down undefeated Kentucky 71-64 in the National Semifinal, avenging their Final Four loss to the Wildcats from the previous year. Four Badgers scored in double figures, including 20 points and 11 rebounds from NPOY candidate Frank Kaminsky, and 16 points from Sam Dekker. Despite consecutive losses early in ACC play, Duke spent the entire season in the AP Top-5. Since late January, the Blue Devils had only eight scholarship players on their roster, but would finish the regular season with 12 straight victories before a 10-point loss to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Duke had beaten Michigan State in the Final Four, 81-61, setting up a title game featuring two 1-seeds for only the sixth time since the tournament expanded in 1985 (it has happened twice since).
The Teams
Wisconsin, coached by Bo Ryan, started Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig, and Josh Gasser. Traevon Jackson and Duje Dukan also logged minutes for the Badgers. Duke started Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Matt Jones, Quinn Cook, and Tyus Jones. Grayson Allen, Amile Jefferson, and Marshall Plumlee came in off the bench for the Blue Devils. Tyus Jones would go on to be named Most Outstanding Player of the 2015 Final Four. Jones was just the fourth freshman to win MOP since freshmen became eligible in 1973. Can you name the other three freshmen who won MOP, their schools, and/or the year in which they won the award? See trivia answer below.
The Game
1st Half Summary
Quinn Cook opened the scoring with a left-handed up and under in the lane. Frank Kaminksy answered with a 3 from the top of the key before drawing a charge on Jahlil Okafor on the other end. Duke would use token full-court pressure early in the game, forcing Wisconsin to use some of the shot clock before getting into Bo Ryan’s deliberate swing offense. Out of their horns set, Justise Winslow used a hand-off from Amile Jefferson to get a good look from behind the arc - Winslow drilled it but Duje Dukan would respond with a 3 of his own. Amile Jefferson stole a pass from Traevon Jackson, leading to a Grayson Allen finish around Kaminsky in the open floor. Sam Dekker couldn’t connect on a shot in the lane, but Dukan dunked home the miss. Okafor answered in the post, finishing off the glass over Kaminsky. Duke’s defense continued to play well as it had throughout the tournament. With Okafor out of the game, Grant Hill described Winslow as a free safety, roaming the paint as a one-man zone. Justise was able to deny Nigel Hayes, leading to a Quinn Cook layup in transition before Amile Jefferson blocked Josh Gasser’s shot inside. After Cook used a ball screen to hit a pull-up 2 driving middle, Duke now led 23-17 with 6:40 remaining. Sam Dekker would get his third put back of the half, finishing with a reverse lay-in after Traevon Jackson missed from long range. Frank Kaminsky swiped the ball from Okafor in the post and found Jackson for a layup before completing a driving and-1, picking up the second foul on Okafor in the process. Kaminsky’s free throw capped a 7-0 run for Wisconsin in just 1:13 of game time. Okafor would sit for the remaining 4:47 of the half but Justise Winslow, also with two fouls, would come back on to help get Duke to the locker room. Winslow immediately euro-stepped into a tough shot off the glass to stop the Wisconsin run, before passing ahead to Grayson Allen in the corner. Allen was able to drive the closeout by Jackson and finish at the rim. With Winslow in foul trouble, Coach K went to a 2-3 zone. Traevon Jackson rebounded his own missed 3 and, in one motion, sent a tip-pass to Dekker underneath for the Badgers’ 11th second chance point. Tyus Jones used an off-ball screen to curl into the lane for 2 before Nigel Hayes hit a 3 with Duke still in zone. Jones and Amile Jefferson orchestrated a dribble hand-off, with Jefferson finishing a reverse layup on a nice feed. After 13 lead changes in the first half, the teams went to the locker room all tied up.
2nd Half 20:00 - Duke 31 Wisconsin 31
Bronson Koenig started the half with a 3, assisted by Kaminsky, before Winslow scored over Koenig in the post on the other end. Frank Kaminsky then used a screen from Nigel Hayes to curl into the lane for a layup and Sam Dekker scored down low over Winslow. Duke took a timeout after the quick second half start for the Badgers. Tyus Jones responded with two free throws after curling into the lane off the same action Duke used late in the first half. Coach K then went back to their horns set - Tyus Jones scored on a give and go with Justise Winslow in the high post. Koenig hit a pull-up jumper from the free throw line and Jones hit two more from the stripe.
2nd Half 15:46 - Duke 39 Wisconsin 42
Bronson Koenig would continue his strong start to the half, using a high ball screen to get to the rim for a layup before hitting a long 2 on Wisconsin’s next possession. Off a baseline out of bounds, Frank Kaminsky slipped to the front of the rim for an easy bucket. It was only a 6-0 spurt for the Badgers but Duke, now trailing by 9, needed another timeout.
2nd Half 13:17 - Duke 39 Wisconsin 48
Coach K elected to sit both Winslow and Okafor, inserting Grayson Allen and Marshall Plumlee to go along with Tyus Jones, Jefferson, and Cook. Duke would go back to using the middle ball screen, allowing Jones and Allen to attack and make reads. Jones fed Plumlee rolling down the lane, and Plumlee kicked it out to Allen for a 3 in front of the Duke bench. Allen then deflected a pass and drew a foul from Traevon Jackson as the pair went after the loose ball. Grayson continued to ignite the Blue Devils, driving strong to his right and finishing at the basket as he was fouled by Dekker. Coach K pumped his fist and let out a yell, providing one of my favorite pictures of all time, before Allen completed the and-1 at the line.
Duke extended their full court pressure and was able to trap Koenig in the corner, but he was able to get it out to Nigel Hayes who received a return pass from Gasser before draining a 3 to temporarily halt the Duke momentum. Back in their horns set, Grayson Allen and Marshall Plumlee ran a dribble hand-off enabling Allen to get fouled on his drive at the rim. Allen hit both free throws and then Tyus Jones took a backdoor pass from Amile Jefferson to hit a short jumper on the baseline. Jones was fouled, converted the free throw, and Duke was now on an 11-3 run to cut their deficit to just one.
2nd Half 10:42 - Duke 50 Wisconsin 51
Frank Kaminsky answered by finishing on a spinning drive and picking up the fourth foul on Jahlil Okafor. Kaminksy completed the 3-point play as Okafor went to the bench with 9:13 to go. After trading runs, both defenses would tighten up over the next few possessions. Duke managed a couple of free throws from Justise Winslow and a pull-up 2 from Tyus Jones off another ball screen. Duje Dukan and Quinn Cook each missed from long range, Amile Jefferson denied Kaminsky inside, and Jones missed from deep. Winslow rebounded a miss by Bronson Koenig and pushed the ball up before kicking it back out to Tyus Jones. Jones set the offense back up as he dribbled just inside the half court line. It was the first pause in the action in several minutes and I vividly remember thinking, “oh shit, here we go, five minutes for the championship.”
2nd Half 5:40 - Duke 54 Wisconsin 54
As that thought hung in my head momentarily, I wasn’t confident of the outcome (Wisconsin was really good) but I was confident this young Duke team was ready for the moment. The Blue Devils had not shied away from the “bright lights'' all year and I knew the last five minutes would be no different. Grayson Allen scored on a tough drive over Josh Gasser. It was Duke’s first lead since the 2:54 mark of the first half, but Kaminsky scored in the post and then set a back screen to free Dekker for a layup, putting the Badgers back in front.
2nd Half 4:21 - Duke 56 Wisconsin 58
On the next possession, Tyus Jones used a middle ball screen from Amile to hit a contested 3 over Koenig and the Blue Devils took a timeout. Jones and Allen had now combined for 24 of Duke’s 28 second half points. Amile Jefferson continued his defensive performance by forcing a miss in the post from Kaminsky and, after the ball went off Wisconsin on a drive by Allen, Coach K decided it was time to put Okafor back on the floor.
2nd Half 3:22 - Duke 59 Wisconsin 58
From the baseline out of bounds, Jones triggered it into Winslow coming off a screen. Winslow drove past Hayes and tip-toed the baseline before finding Okafor. Jah used a drop-step from the left block and finished on the other side as Kaminsky held him in an attempt to prevent the shot. He missed the free throw, but the basket was Okafor’s first points since the 10:36 mark of the first half.
2nd Half 3:14 - Duke 61 Wisconsin 58
Duke would then put together their best defensive possession of the season. Okafor cut off Kaminsky’s baseline drive as Winslow faked a post trap and sprinted back to cover Hayes. Kaminsky missed off the side of the backboard but was able to recover the ball and kick it back out. Kaminsky got it right back and now had Cook guarding him due to a switch on the perimeter. Cook was able to knock the ball free for a moment, forcing Kaminsky to put up a one-handed heave as Cook and Allen bothered the shot - it bounced high off the backboard and Winslow controlled the rebound as the referees signaled a shot clock violation.
2nd Half 2:39 Duke 61 Wisconsin 58
Middle ball screen was the call again for Duke, with Tyus Jones driving off the Okafor screen. Jones lost control but Winslow was able to pick up the loose ball. Justise drove into the lane, euro-stepped around Kaminsky, and layed up a soft shot off the window. Somehow, it spun around and fell out, but Kaminsky’s challenge left Okafor free to tip the rebound to himself and put it back in. Despite being in foul trouble all game, Okafor had delivered two buckets when Duke need them most.
2nd Half 2:10 - Duke 63 Wisconsin 58
Wisconsin operated quickly this time, as Bronson Koenig used a ball screen to drive to the basket. Okafor switched onto Koenig, Tyus Jones “dug” on the drive, and Winslow waited with his arms straight up to help challenge. Koenig’s scoop shot missed everything and the ball went out of bounds during the scrum for the rebound. Possession was awarded to Duke but, with the clock just inside of 2:00, the call initiated a lengthy review. Koenig clearly knocked it out of Winslow’s control but the slow motion replay also showed, as Jim Nantz put it, “Winslow getting a fingernail on it” as the ball went out. However, the call was upheld as the officials told the broadcast team they couldn’t see enough to overturn the decision on the floor.
2nd Half 1:51 - Duke 63 Wisconsin 58
After using a little clock, Coach K went back to the middle ball screen with Okafor and Tyus Jones as the shot clock went under 10 seconds. Jones buried a 3 from the top of the key and Bill Raftery gave us his signature “onions” call. Jones’ clutch shot capped a 10-0 run and gave Duke their largest lead of the game.
2nd Half 1:21 - Duke 66 Wisconsin 58
At this point, of course the thought crept in my mind that maybe Duke had won the NCAA Tournament. But, also of course, a great team like Wisconsin is going to play the full 40 minutes. Frank Kaminsky immediately hit a pick and pop 3, assisted by Koenig. After a Wisconsin timeout, Justise Winslow hit Tyus Jones long over the top. It was an effective pass for beating the Badger full-court pressure, but Tyus went in for the layup instead of pulling the ball back out to run clock and likely force a foul from Wisconsin. Jones was unable to convert at the rim and Kaminksy found Koenig, who hit Nigel Hayes for an uncontested backdoor slam. Quinn Cook quickly advanced the ball into the frontcourt and called Duke’s final timeout.
2nd Half 0:42 - Duke 66 Wisconsin 63
Matt Jones was briefly trapped after receiving the inbound pass, but he was able to find Tyus Jones who was immediately fouled by Hayes at half court. All year I loved having Jones (88.4% FT) and Cook (89.1% FT) handle the ball and go to the line when teams were forced to foul. I was confident Tyus would hit them both, and he did.
2nd Half 0:34 - Duke 68 Wisconsin 63
With a foul to give, Duke executed their defensive strategy perfectly, forcing Wisconsin to use a little time by switching everything on the perimeter. Winslow then gave the foul with 0:20 remaining, so the Badgers had to start their possession over. Amile Jefferson challenged a pull-up jumper from Koenig and the shot came up well short. Winslow snatched the ball out of the air and was fouled immediately.
2nd Half 0:14 - Duke 68 Wisconsin 63
The Duke bench and crowd were starting to buzz with joy, while Coach K could be seen calling for his team’s attention to make sure they knew the situation. Winslow missed both free throws, and Dekker and Hayes each missed attempts from 3, before Jim Nantz declared “...and the Blue Devils are the National Champions of 2015!”
Final Score - Duke 68 Wisconsin 63
From the Box Score
Frank Kaminsky finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Sam Dekker posted 12 and 8. Nigel Hayes added 13 points, including 3-4 from behind the arc. Tyus Jones scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, and Justise Winslow contributed 11 points and 9 rebounds. Grayson Allen finished with 16 points while sparking the Duke comeback. Allen and Jones were a combined 12-12 from the free throw line in a game that featured 5 ties and 16 lead changes.
Postgame Notes
When asked how he would compare this National Championship with his others, Coach K responded, “All of them are great. The one you're in this moment with is always the most current, you can feel it the best. I haven't loved a team any more than I've loved this team. We have eight guys, and four of them are freshmen. For them to win 35 games and win the national title is incredible.”
Frank Kaminsky swept the 2015 National Player of the Year awards and was drafted 9th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2015 NBA Draft. Teammate Sam Dekker would follow him at 19th to the Houston Rockets. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted All-American Jahlil Okafor 3rd overall, before Justise Winslow was selected 10th by the Miami Heat. Tyus Jones went 24th, ending up back in his home state with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Quinn Cook was as good as any captain at Duke under Coach K. His transformation into the senior captain of this team was awesome to watch, and his leadership was instrumental in Duke’s fifth National Championship. My wife and I relocated unexpectedly in August, so that was the only season in that bonus room. I hated to move but was happy to add Tyus to the wall in the new house.
Trivia Answer
Anthony Davis (Kentucky 2012), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse 2003), Pervis Ellison (Louisville 1986).*
*Arnie Ferrin won MOP for Utah in 1944 as a freshman prior to eligibility changes for first-year athletes. Here is the history of the MOP since the NCAA Tournament began in 1939.
Thanks for reading, Go Duke!
Author’s Note: I’m thinking about making some changes to these re-watches, so I’m going to take a break while I work on a new format - I have some other posts planned in the meantime. If you have any thoughts on how to improve the re-watches, or any other suggestions for The Duke Basketball Project, please let me know.
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