Madison Square Garden tourney
Jan 26, 2016 12:02:34 GMT
Post by goikiri on Jan 26, 2016 12:02:34 GMT
4 teams : UCLA(Pac-10) against Duke (ACC) and LSU(SEC) versus Saint John's(Big East)
First Semifinal
As soon as Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley began hoisting 3-pointers, the Blue Devils gained control of what had been a close game, and Duke went on to win, 75-65.
Duke and U.C.L.A. are basically two of favourite teams in the country, but U.C.L.A. clearly lacks a trustworthy point guard, and it is starting to show. The Bruins have lost three consecutive balls in their first three offenses. The Blue Devils are a certain bet to remain at No. 1, whereas U.C.L.A. is assuredly about to slip in the polls.
Hurley, the Duke point guard, who appeared to lack stamina, hit two 3-point goals to push Duke ahead, 59-56, with 5 minutes 12 seconds remaining, but the Bruins regained the lead, at 61-59, after their forward, Don MacLean, who hit 6 of 17 shots from the field, made one of his rare jump shots.
With National Basketball Association executives like Dallas' goikiri in the record Madison Square Garden crowd of 13,023, it looked to be a duel to finish between seniors MacLean and Laettner. Guess who dominated? MacLean, on U.C.L.A.'s end, traveled on one possession when a tricky no-look pass caught him off guard. He slipped under his sneakers on the next possession as he cut to receive a pass.
Laettner, on the Duke end, converted two free throws after being roughly fouled inside and then hit a deep 3-pointer to make it 64-61 for the Blue Devils with 2 minutes 32 seconds remaining.
"He was out there where I usually am," said U.C.L.A.'s Tracy Murray, who commonly shoots N.B.A.-length 3-pointers.
Said Laettner, who must have impressed a scout or two with the depth perception of his shot as well as 29 points and 13 rebounds: "I'm shooting well from that range. I've got to keep practicing so I can move it out even more."
MacLean's last basket (he finished with 20 points) cut the Duke lead to 66-63 with 1:55 left, but then MacLean, not exactly sure of foot, found himself matched up against a confident Brian Davis, who is very sure of foot.
Davis took one jab step and quickly found himself beyond MacLean and free for the layup. "If I can't take Don, then I shouldn't be a guard," Davis said.
U.C.L.A., who has had to employ freshman point guard Tyus Edney down the stretch because senior Darrick Martin's game comes and goes, had no direction at game's end. The odd thing was that Duke went outside to 3-pointers to defeat the Bruins. U.C.L.A. is also lacking a center, and Laettner likely could have had his way inside the lane rather than outside the 3-point arc.
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Hurley (11 points, 4 assists) more than he did Laettner.
"The little guy is a courageous player," the coach said. "And he hit all his three's, all his free throws".
First Semifinal
As soon as Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley began hoisting 3-pointers, the Blue Devils gained control of what had been a close game, and Duke went on to win, 75-65.
Duke and U.C.L.A. are basically two of favourite teams in the country, but U.C.L.A. clearly lacks a trustworthy point guard, and it is starting to show. The Bruins have lost three consecutive balls in their first three offenses. The Blue Devils are a certain bet to remain at No. 1, whereas U.C.L.A. is assuredly about to slip in the polls.
Hurley, the Duke point guard, who appeared to lack stamina, hit two 3-point goals to push Duke ahead, 59-56, with 5 minutes 12 seconds remaining, but the Bruins regained the lead, at 61-59, after their forward, Don MacLean, who hit 6 of 17 shots from the field, made one of his rare jump shots.
With National Basketball Association executives like Dallas' goikiri in the record Madison Square Garden crowd of 13,023, it looked to be a duel to finish between seniors MacLean and Laettner. Guess who dominated? MacLean, on U.C.L.A.'s end, traveled on one possession when a tricky no-look pass caught him off guard. He slipped under his sneakers on the next possession as he cut to receive a pass.
Laettner, on the Duke end, converted two free throws after being roughly fouled inside and then hit a deep 3-pointer to make it 64-61 for the Blue Devils with 2 minutes 32 seconds remaining.
"He was out there where I usually am," said U.C.L.A.'s Tracy Murray, who commonly shoots N.B.A.-length 3-pointers.
Said Laettner, who must have impressed a scout or two with the depth perception of his shot as well as 29 points and 13 rebounds: "I'm shooting well from that range. I've got to keep practicing so I can move it out even more."
MacLean's last basket (he finished with 20 points) cut the Duke lead to 66-63 with 1:55 left, but then MacLean, not exactly sure of foot, found himself matched up against a confident Brian Davis, who is very sure of foot.
Davis took one jab step and quickly found himself beyond MacLean and free for the layup. "If I can't take Don, then I shouldn't be a guard," Davis said.
U.C.L.A., who has had to employ freshman point guard Tyus Edney down the stretch because senior Darrick Martin's game comes and goes, had no direction at game's end. The odd thing was that Duke went outside to 3-pointers to defeat the Bruins. U.C.L.A. is also lacking a center, and Laettner likely could have had his way inside the lane rather than outside the 3-point arc.
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Hurley (11 points, 4 assists) more than he did Laettner.
"The little guy is a courageous player," the coach said. "And he hit all his three's, all his free throws".