April 7, 2015

Yesterday, the Duke Blue Devils defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 68-63 to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski won his fifth national championship, placing him second place in NCAA men’s basketball championships behind only John Wooden who won ten titles with UCLA between 1964 and 1975. Krzyzewski’s Duke teams previously won titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, and 2010.

Duke’s Justise Winslow (12) goes up for a shot between Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (44) and Duje Dukan (13) during the NCAA championship game. Credit: AP Photo

After playing to a 31-31 tie in the first half, Wisconsin ran out to take a 48-39 lead with 13:23 left in the game. However, the Blue Devils, led by talented freshmen Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, and Jahill Okafor, outscored the Badgers by 14 points the rest of the way to take the title. Jones, who led the Blue Devils with 23 points, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Frank Kaminsky, the Naismith College Player of the Year, led the Badgers with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Duke advanced to the championship game by crushing Michigan State 81-61 in one of the national semifinal games on April 5. Wisconsin upset previously undefeated Kentucky 71-64 to advance to their first national men’s basketball championship game since 1941. Kentucky had been trying to become the first undefeated NCAA men’s basketball champion since Indiana went undefeated in 1976. Earlier in the season Duke defeated Wisconsin 80-70.

Other World Book articles:

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions  (a Timeline)