Top-ranked Blue Devils romp to third Maui Invitational title
By Jim O'Connell
Associated Press
LAHAINA, Maui — Duke emphatically ended Ball State's run of Top Five upsets.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The top-ranked Blue Devils beat the Cardinals 83-71 last night, something No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 Kansas couldn't do the previous two days, and won the Maui Invitational for the third time in as many appearances.
Duke's Dahntay Jones soared over Ball State's Rob Robbins for a first-half dunk in the championship game of the Maui Invitational. The basket didn't count as Jones was called for an offensive foul, but Duke won, 83-71.
"We were just involved in a great basketball game," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "That's the hottest I've ever been in a gym but that was great."
The Blue Devils (3-0) never gave Ball State (2-1) a shot at completing what would have been the best three days a team, especially an unranked one from a mid-major conference, ever had.
"I was just glad to be along for the ride," second-year Ball State coach Tim Buckley said. "I was told once that 100 people can handle failure but one in a 100 can handle success. Now we have to see how we handle success."
Unbelievably quick Jason Williams led Duke's defense while still coming up with 22 points. Tournament MVP Mike Dunleavy shook off first-half foul trouble and had 16 points and nine rebounds.
