The latest issue: Gonzaga, No. 3, retains Illinois 84-78 in Maui



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Latest news from the Maui Invitational University Basketball Tournament (all local times):

21h

Rui Hachimura scored 23 points, Zach Norvell Jr. added 15 and No. 3 Gonzaga withstood Illinois 84-78 in the first round of the Maui Invitation.

Gonzaga (4-0) resisted the 10-0 run of Illinois and climbed nine with 97 seconds to play, but Trent Frazier scored a four-point goal to allow Illini to return in the 80-78.

Illinois forced Gonzaga to make a difficult shot and recovered the ball with 30 seconds to go, but Frazier threw a long 3-point ball.

Jeremy Jones of Gonzaga made two free throws to allow the Zags to qualify for Tuesday's semifinals against Arizona.

Gonzaga, who plays without striker Killian Tillie (ankle), had problems with Illinois' defensive pressure in the first half, allowing the Illini to keep him close to goal.

Frazier scored 29 points and Giorgi Bezhanishvili 17 for Illinois.

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7:04 p.m.

The Maui Invitational pays homage to famed basketball writer Associated Press College, Jim O'Connell, at this year's tournament.

The tournament included a one-page tribute to the late O. Connell in his program and reserved him a spot in the media-only workroom, with a lei draped in his place.

Duke's coach, Mike Krzyzewski, also mentioned O Connell at his post-match press conference, after the Blue Devils, both high-ranking, beat him. San Diego State in their first game on Maui.

"I did not notice it before asking questions, I started to smile and see Jim O'Connell's chair and God bless him," said Krzyzewski. "He was one of his favorites, his favorites, and he was the only guy to ever come here and never see the beach, and even the coaches on the day off or something like that, we would walk on the beach, he would do, he would not do that so it's a good thing. "

A Hall of Fame member and veteran of the AP for over 30 years, O Connell died earlier this year at the age of 64.

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18h

Justin Coleman scored 18 points and Arizona caught up 10 points in the second period to defeat the Iowa State 71-66 shorthanded in the Maui Invitational.

Arizona (4-0) was beaten in the first 30 minutes of play before better playing at both ends during a 12-2 stretch that was tied at 56-all with five minutes left . The Wildcats remained in the lead, making eight consecutive free throws in the final 39 seconds to earn a spot in the semifinal on Tuesday against No. 3 Gonzaga or Illinois.

Chase Jeter from Arizona had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Brawling Cyclones (3-1) played without leader Lindell Wigginton and forward Solomon Young for injuries, as well as Cam Lard and Zoran Talley for suspensions.

That left eight fellow players for the opening match of Maui against Arizona, but that did not slow them down sooner. The Cyclones led seven at halftime and would reach 10 midway through the second period before Arizona got high.

Marial Shayok led the Iowa State with 19 points.

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2:30 pm in the afternoon.

R.J. Barrett scored 20 points, Cam Reddish added 16 and Duke, first in the standings, remained undefeated at the Maui Invitational with a 90-64 loss over San Diego State.

The Blue Devils (4-0) shot 52%, scoring 10 of 25 in the 3-point range and rising to 16-0 in Maui, while winning a spot in the semifinal on Tuesday against the 8th Auburn.

Duke has been talking about him in college basketball since his much-vaunted first-year students pulled the cane of the season with a dazzling victory over the no. 2 Kentucky. The Blue Devils, five-time champions of Maui, arrived in paradise among the favorites and played the same way against the Aztecs (2-1).

Despite foul trouble in the first half – Zion Williamson played seven minutes – Duke took control with an 11-0 run and led 49-32 at half-time behind Barrett's 16 points.

The Blue Devils resisted the race with an 8-0 first run in the second half, increasing to 71-46 with the splitting dunk of Williamson's windmill. Williamson had 13 points in 18 minutes.

Devin Watson had 15 points to lead the state of San Diego (2-1).

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12:05

Bryce Brown scored 26 points, Jared Harper added 25 and No. 8 Auburn survived Xavier 88-79 in overtime to open the Maui invitation.

The Tigers (4-0) fired early on the perimeter and had trouble shaking the new look of the Musketeers (2-2), seriously missing the shot to override the regulation.

Auburn took control in overtime behind his defense, beating Xavier 11-2. The Tigers scored 31 points on Xavier's 22 turnovers to earn a semifinal spot against the Duke-San Diego State winner.

Ryan Welage had 17 points and Paul Scruggs 16 for Musketeers.

Auburn had a five-point lead with a minute to play in regulation, but Naj Marshall created a 3-pointer wing to draw the Musketeers into the 77-75.

Xavier tied with 77 points in all and only 26 seconds left in the two free throws of Tyrique Jones. Brown's last shot was significantly shorter.

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10:05

The Maui Invitational is underway and one of the most stacked pitches in tournament history.

Auburn, number 8, opened the tournament against Xavier on Monday in front of an already hectic crowd at the tiny Civic Center in Lahaina.

Duke, who ranks first, has won the title each of the previous five years in Maui. The Blue Devils are opening against the state of San Diego.

The # 3 Gonzaga faces Illinois and Arizona at Iowa State.

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