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Duke's quest for a national championship ended on Sunday, while Michigan State has survived the Blue Devils 68 to 67. The biggest history of college basketball since November, Duke has failed to qualify for the Final Four. What happened? And what's next?
Zion's academic career is probably over
It's probably the last we'll see from Zion Williamson at college basketball. Williamson has not officially announced his intentions, but it would be most astonishing if Williamson returned to Durham for his second season. He entered college as a viral star, among the top three prospects and one of the first-place candidates in the project. If he goes, he will be one of the most unique players in college basketball for decades – and the best player in the country. We might not see another player like Williamson for a while.
Zion does not get one of the last three shots
If you had had feedback on Duke's defeat against Gonzaga at the Maui Invitational in the back end, you were not alone. In this game, RJ Barrett took things in hand and Williamson barely touched the ball late in the game. The duke has lost. On Sunday, Barrett fired on Duke's last three possessions, despite Williamson's domination of the rim throughout the match. Zion finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds, using his athleticism and physique to advance the paint. Barrett hit three at 3, but struggled to stay in the game. He missed a lean in the hallway with 50 seconds to go, then a 3-pointer with 12 seconds, then made a foul with about five seconds. The last shot of Williamson arrived with 1:41 remaining.
Cassius Winston is the best university basketball winner
Michigan State's top goalie, Cassius Winston, is he the sportiest or fastest player in the country? Is he the best shooter? Probably not. But there may be no better leader or winner in college basketball than Winston. He took a team that lost Joshua Langford to the injury earlier this season, a team that lost Kyle Ahrens to the injury recently, a team that had an impediment to Nick Ward for most of last month – and has brought to the Final Four. He finished with 20 points and 10 assists against Duke on Sunday, and every time the Spartans needed a basket to stop a race or lengthen a lead, he was there to score. It's almost impossible to bet against him at this point.
Inconsistent Cam Reddish
Williamson, Barrett and Cam Reddish entered Duke, presented as a trio. The top three high school prospects in the country and potentially the top three picks of the June NBA draft. It soon became apparent that it was a two-man show with Williamson and Barrett. Reddish gave Duke a different dimension because of his ability to shoot from the perimeter, but that did not happen in every game. Against Michigan State, while the Spartans were stacking up against Williamson and Barrett, the Blue Devils really needed somebody to step in and score points.
Tre Jones scored five three-point goals against Virginia Tech, but it was the first time he had hit several three-point goals since November. It was a game for Reddish. He could have been embarrassed by a knee injury that would have prevented him from playing against the Hokies, but he did not bring much to the offense. He shot 2-for-6 from the 3-point range and finished with just eight points in 37 minutes. Throughout the season, Duke has always been at his best when Reddish gave Mike Krzyzewski a third option in good faith. This did not happen on Sunday.
A new refill is imminent for Duke
Krzyzewski is used to this now, but he is probably facing another massive rebuilding in Durham. Last year, he lost Marvin Bagley, Allen Grayson, Wendell Carter, Gary Trent and Trevon Duval – his first five qualifications. He will not lose so many players this season, but he does not have the top three players in the 2019 category to wait behind the scenes. Williamson probably left, Barrett probably left and Reddish probably left. Tre Jones might decide to come back and work on his sweater, and Brands Bolden and Javin DeLaurier should be down. Actors Alex O'Connell, Jack White and Joey Baker will all be back.
Of course, Duke has another class of up-and-coming recruit, with Vernon Carey Jr. among the top five candidates. Five-star striker Wendell Moore and four-star combo goalkeeper Réjean Ellis complete the class. However, coach K and his team are looking for several players, including top 10 prospect Matthew Hurt and Alabama transfer Kira Lewis. The list is still changing at this stage.
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