NCAA Tournament 2017, Duke vs South Carolina: Highlights, score and recap

After trailing for the first 25 minutes of the game, the No. 7 South Carolina Gamecocks took control in the final 15, upsetting No. 2 Duke, 88-81.

In Round of 32 action, the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils took on the No. 7 South Carolina Gamecocks inside the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. As a favorite to win the entire tournament, Duke came into the game as heavy favorites, despite the fact that South Carolina looked very good in their first round win against No. 10 Marquette. In the first half, Duke freshmen Jayson Tatum and Frank Jackson battled foul trouble, but a red-hot Grayson Allen coming off the bench gave the Blue Devils a seven-point halftime lead.

In the first half, there were some signs of what was to come for the Blue Devils. Despite playing with the lead the entire half, Duke was turning the ball over at an alarming pace, and that would continue for the entire 40 minutes. South Carolina came out of the locker room fired up, and by the 15:52 mark, the Gamecocks trailed by only one point thanks to a Chris Silva breakaway dunk.

A few plays later, Silva would give the Gamecocks their first lead of the game. Silva’s three pointer put South Carolina up 39-38, and while the teams would exchange leads from there on out, the Gamecocks took over the game once the teams hit the eight minute mark. At 7:25, a P.J. Dozier teardrop would give South Carolina a nine-point lead, though this game was far from over.

Duke continued to claw back into the game, refusing to go away. With under two minutes left, two Rakym Felder free throws put the Gamecocks up nine, but Amile Jefferson was able to knock in two free throws of his own to cut the lead to seven. However, South Carolina was money from the free throw stripe with the game on the line, and were able to hold on for the victory, 88-81.

It had been 44 years since South Carolina won an NCAA Tournament Game when they beat Marquette in the first round. After eliminating Duke, this Gamecocks squad looks pretty tough to beat. They get good guard play from Dozier and Sindarius Thornwell, and Silva and company down low are hard to deal with. They will take on No. 3 Baylor in Sweet 16 action this week.

Highlights

Three Stars

Chris Silva, South Carolina

Sure, Chris Silva put together a double-double on Sunday night, but his effort could not just be written in a box score. When he wasn’t draining huge shots, he was dominating down low, coming up with clutch rebounds and blocks. He played with such fire throughout the contest, and he seemed to be at the center of action when the Gamecocks went on their incredible run in the second half.

Amile Jefferson, Duke

While Duke struggled in the second half, Amile Jefferson continued to play with incredible fire. In fact, there were a couple of instances where he could have been ejected for jawing at the referees. Still, he was dominant down low for the Blue Devils, picking up six blocks to go along with his 14 rebounds. He played with the kind of heart you would expect from a Duke senior, though he has to be disappointed with the way his career ended.

Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina

If the Gamecocks were to upset the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils, they would need a big game from Sindarius Thornwell. The senior did not disappoint, scoring a game-high 22 points. What he means to this program cannot be understated, and he is the reason why the Gamecocks have gone on this wonderful run in 2017. South Carolina looks pretty legit, and there may not be another guard in this tournament who means as much to his team as Thornwell does.

Next Game

The Gamecocks will head to New York City, New York, as they advanced to the Sweet 16 on Sunday night. The East Region Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be played at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.