Paolo Banchero, No. 2 Duke Outlast No. 3 TTU, Will Face Arkansas in Elite Eight

Mike Krzyzewski's career isn't over yet.

His Duke Blue Devils defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders 78-73 in Thursday's Sweet 16 clash of the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Chase Center in San Francisco. Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach led the way for the No. 2 seed in the West Region, which advanced to the Elite Eight for the third time in the last four tournaments.

Roach's back-to-back baskets in the final three minutes extended a one-point advantage to five, and clutch free throws from Wendell Moore Jr. and AJ Griffin clinched the win.

Bryson Williams, Adonis Arms and Kevin McCullar played well in defeat for the No. 3 seed, which was also going for a third Elite Eight in four tournaments. 

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Notable Player Stats

• Paolo Banchero, F, DUKE: 22 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL
• Mark Williams, C, DUKE: 16 PTS, 8 REB, 3 BLK
• Jeremy Roach, G, DUKE: 15 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB
• Bryson Williams, F, TT: 21 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST
• Kevin McCullar, G, TT: 17 PTS, 3 REB
• Adonis Arms, G, TT: 13 PTS, 7 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL

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Offensive Turnaround in 2nd Half Propels Duke

The biggest storyline coming into the game was a Duke offense that is No. 4 in KenPom.com's rankings going up against a Texas Tech defense that was No. 1.

Whether future NBA players such as Banchero and Griffin could generate quality shots against the Red Raiders' length and athleticism figured to determine the game, and things did not get off to an ideal start for the Blue Devils with a number of turnovers and forced shots that led to points on the other end. 

While Duke battled back after the slow start, it also went more than five minutes without a point during another stretch in the first half. Even with Banchero's and-one dunk on the team's final possession before intermission, the Blue Devils faced a four-point halftime deficit thanks to offensive woes.

The ACC representative shot just 36.7 percent from the field in those opening 20 minutes and struggled to create the looks it grew accustomed to throughout the season.

A strategy switch was in order, and the Blue Devils made a point of taking advantage of Williams' size advantage with lobs and post entries. That success finally allowed the others to start breaking down the defense, and a deep Griffin three and Banchero runner gave them the lead.

That set the stage for a back-and-forth second half with Banchero hitting clutch threes, Williams continuing to impact the game down low, and Roach making plays on the drive after a slow, turnover-filled start.

A 7-0 run of a Banchero three and two baskets from Roach in the final three minutes after McCullar's three gave Texas Tech the lead was the most important stretch of Duke's season, and the clutch free-throw shooting was the finishing touch.

All five Blue Devils starters finished in double figures, and the offense that managed just 29 points in the first half poured in 49 in an incredible second-half turnaround.

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Texas Tech's Normally Strong Defense Fades Down Stretch

It all starts on the defensive end for Texas Tech with the ability to switch almost anything because of the team's positional versatility, which takes some pressure off its inconsistent offense.

Yet that offense was also under the microscope against Duke because it would need to counter all that talent on the other end at some point. That made Kevin Obanor's ability to stretch the floor a matchup problem and McCullar's timely drives all the more important as the Big 12 program controlled play for much of the first half.

Even small sparks like that were enough given the Red Raiders' stout defense to give them a 33-29 lead at intermission.

Obanor not only hit multiple three-pointers, but he also helped his side control the glass in the early going against a Duke group with no shortage in size. Throw in hounding perimeter defense that gave Roach trouble at the start, and Texas Tech showed no fear of the blueblood team on the other side.

It was the offense's turn to take over at times in the second half with Williams hitting from the outside and Arms getting to the lane. Even when that momentum came to a halt when Duke switched to a zone, the Red Raiders adjusted by sending cutters into the lane and attacking the middle with McCullar and Williams.

Still, defense is Texas Tech's calling card, and the failures on that end throughout the second half put all the pressure on its offense. McCullar and Williams seemed up for the challenge, though, and the former traded three-pointers with Banchero in the closing minutes to dial up the drama.

However, asking the Red Raiders to win the game on the offensive end when they made a living on defense all season proved too much in the end. Their inability to get timely stops against Duke's NBA-level talent left them in comeback mode in the final minute and ended their season after such a promising start.                        

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What's Next?

Duke will play No. 4 Arkansas in the Elite Eight on Saturday.