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 Oregon forward Dillon Brooks scored 22 points and forward Elgin
Cook had 16 as the top-seeded Ducks eliminated defending NCAA
champion Duke with an 82-68 decision Thursday in a West Region
semifinal at the Honda Center.
The significance of the victory was not lost on Oregon coach Dana
Altman, whose team advanced to meet second-seeded Oklahoma (28-7) in
the regional final Saturday.
"Duke is a household name, and Coach 'K,' I have a great deal of
respect," Altman said.
"Our guys knew the significance of playing a Duke. All the Final
Fours. All the national championships that their program has been
able to win. It was a different feel to it. It was special for our
program. We have so much respect for them, the nation does, for what
they've accomplished.
Reserve forward Jordan Bell had 13 points, seven rebounds and three
blocked shots for the No. 5-ranked Ducks (31-6), who are attempting
to win their second NCAA title. Oregon's so-called "Big Firs" won
the first NCAA tournament in 1939. Duke has won five national
titles, all under coach Mike Krzyzkewski since 1991.
 Freshman Brandon Ingram led Duke with 24 points but he was about the
only Blue Devil who could keep up with Pac-12 regular-season and
tournament champion Oregon's quickness and athleticism.
Sophomore guard Grayson Allen had 15 points and freshman guard Luke
Kennard had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Blue Devils, who lost
NBA lottery draft picks Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow from the
2015 title team.
Sophomore point guard Casey Benson had 11 points and eight assists
as the Ducks extended their school record for victories in a season.
"They have great athletes," Krzyzewski said. "They knocked us back.
They were always in control of the game. I wish we could have played
better, but they didn't let us. Their athleticism ... you think you
are open. They are so good laterally, and then they have guys who go
vertical."
Benson made 3-pointers on the Ducks' first two possessions of the
second half to extend a 36-31 halftime lead, and a layup by Cook
gave Oregon a 46-35 lead 2 1/2 minutes after the break.
Duke was never closer than seven points thereafter and was within
single digits only twice in the final 14 minutes, the last at 77-68
with 56 seconds left.
Oregon shot 49.2 percent from the field and posted a 42-32
rebounding edge.
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Duke shot 44.1 percent.
Ingram, considered a possible top five pick in the NBA lottery if he
declares for the draft, had 14 points in the first half but was the
Blue Devils' only effective offense weapon against the Ducks'
switching zone and man-to-man defenses. Ingram made consecutive
3-pointers during a 10-3 run for a 27-26 lead with about six minutes
remaining in the half.
"I'm not really worried about (the NBA) right now," Ingram said.
"I'm worried about finishing school and being with my guys."
NOTES: Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant was in attendance,
presumably with an eye on Duke 6-foot-9 F Brandon Ingram. "Every
time I had a chance to peek this way, to see if he was looking at
me," said Oregon sophomore Jordan Bell from Long Beach, Calif. "Once
I saw him I said 'I gotta score.' He's a scorer, I gotta score.'"
.... Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has made 23 Sweet 16 appearances,
five more than No. 2 Jim Boeheim of Syracuse. Duke has 15 Sweet 16
appearances since 1998, the most of any school in that span. ...
Oregon was the last Pac-12 team standing after the league received a
record seven bids to the NCAA tournament. USC, California, Arizona,
Oregon State and Colorado lost their first game, and Utah lost in
second round. ... The Ducks have the most wins in school history
over the last three, four, five and six seasons. ... David Robinson,
whose son Justin plays for Duke, was at the game and shown on the
video board. ... Oregon F Elgin Cook, a member of the Pac-12
all-league team, is the son of former NBA star Alvin Robertson.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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