One more Final Four: Duke beats Arkansas, will play UNC

By Lauren Brownlow, WRALSportsFan columnist/reporter

17Arkansas Razorbacks	69
9Duke Blue Devils	78
Final

It seemed as if Duke (32-6) hit a different gear in the final minutes of its second-round win over Michigan State last weekend.

That gear kicked in and then some as Duke cruised to a 78-69 win over 5-seed Arkansas (28-9), advancing to Mike Krzyzewski's 13th and last Final Four.

It was a relatively close game for most of the first half, at least until Duke closed the half on an 8-0 run in the final 80 seconds to take a 45-33 lead into the break.

And it keeps finding higher ones as the 2-seed Blue Devils lead 5-seed Arkansas (28-8) at the half 45-33, closing the half on an 8-0 run in the final 80 seconds.

Arkansas had a last gasp in it, going on a 9-2 run in less than two minutes to cut Duke's lead from 12 points to five at the 13:19 mark.

But Duke would score the next 10 points, take a 15-point lead with 10:20 to go, and it never let up, leading by as many as 18.

Duke shot 54.7% for the game and went 4 of 10 from 3 after failing to hit one until less than four minutes remained in the first half. Duke out-rebounded Arkansas 34-25 and out-scored them in the paint 46-34.

A.J. Griffin led Duke with 18 points while Paolo Banchero overcame a rough start to finish with 16 points and seven rebounds. Wendell Moore, Jr. had 14 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Mark Williams scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half but added a game-high 12 rebounds.

Arkansas' Jaylin Williams led all scorers with 19 points on 8 of 17 shooting to go with 10 rebounds. J.D. Notae, the hero of Arkansas' upset win over Gonzaga, had 14 points on 5 of 14 shooting and fouled out. Stanley Umude added 14 points.

Duke will face the winner of the East Regional final tomorrow between 15-seed Saint Peter's and their rival and the 8-seed UNC.

Duke and North Carolina have never met in the NCAA Tournament and have not been in a Final Four at the same time since 1991.