Duke vs Michigan State: Observations from NCAA tournament second-round game

Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils enter Sunday night’s NCAA tournament game against Michigan State with the 12-3 advantage when facing Tom Izzo’s Spartans. The matchup at Bon Secours Wellness Arena marks the seventh time the coaches have met in the postseason.

It will also be the last meeting between the two with Krzyzewski set to retire at the end of Duke’s season.

The New and Observer’s Steve Wiseman, Luke DeCock and Andrew Carter are on site for the game and will have live observations from the scene at the arena.

Blue Devils missing AJ Griffin

Entering the final media timeout, with Duke trailing Michigan State, 70-69, Duke sharp-shooting forward AJ Griffin has yet to re-enter the game after appearing to tweak his left ankle.

Griffin is still on the bench after having his ankle retaped and is using a massage gun to stay loose.

The Blue Devils were up 63-61 when he exited the game.

Live Duke-MSU photo gallery

Hot shooting in first half

After one half of eye-popping entertainment and energy, Duke leads Michigan State, 39-35.

Both teams shot well in the first half: Both are perfect from the foul line. (Duke is 6-of-6; MSU is 2-of-2.) MSU hit seven of its 10 3-point tries and is 43% from the field, and Duke is shooting 54% from the field.

Letting them play in Greenville

Through eight minutes of play, with Michigan State leading 16-13, it’s clear the officials are “letting them play” in Greenville.

Duke and Michigan State accumulated only three fouls apiece through the game’s first eight minutes. And there were several instances of physical confrontations at the basket.

Blue Devil forward Mark Williams has seemed to embrace it, though. The starter began the game shooting 3-of-4 from the field for six points, including a monstrous, poster-worthy dunk over a Spartan defender.

“When you’re playing that fast, the physicality increases too,” Krzyzewski said on the CBS broadcast during the game’s second media timeout. “We just have to be stronger.”

Lineups

Duke is going with the same starting five it used Friday night when the Blue Devils beat Cal State Fullerton, 78-61. This five includes three who have started every Duke game this season in Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams and Wendell Moore. A.J. Griffin and Jeremy Roach round out the starting lineup. Duke is 8-1 this season when this group starts.

While Duke starts two freshmen, Michigan State is starting three seniors in Joey Hauser, Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham. Sophomore A.J. Hoggard and freshman Max Christie comprise the starting five.

No slip Sunday?

The NCAA and arena officials took steps they hope will make the playing court far less slippery for Sunday’s two games than it was on Friday when four games were played and slippages were frequent.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski publicly raised a point about it after Blue Devils junior Wendell Moore fell three times during the game.

The arena’s air conditioning has the building far cooler than it was on Friday. Arena officials are limiting the opening of large, rolling doors that were used on Friday for teams and equipment to be brought in and out of the building. Instead, regular doors were used as much as possible, aiming to keep the humidity out of the building.

Familiar officials

The game officials working the Duke-Michigan State game are Lee Cassell and AJ Desai from the ACC and Bo Boroski from the Big Ten. Cassell and Desai each worked four Duke games. Boroski had five MSU games and one Duke game — the Blue Devils’ 71-66 loss at Ohio State on Nov. 30.

Pregame reads

• Coach K, Tom Izzo will share a familiar NCAA tournament stage one final time Sunday

• In search of ‘verve:’ How one of Coach K’s favorite words may be key to Duke’s season

• A dose of Jeremy Roach got Duke’s defense going again in NCAA tournament opener

• Coach K and Tom Izzo meet again. Here’s a breakdown of Duke, Michigan State matchup

This story was originally published March 20, 2022 at 4:49 PM.