Down Goes ‘Zaga

11/29/2021

By: Jeff Yoder

#5 Duke Hands #1 Gonzaga First Loss (84-81) to Stir Up NCAA’s Top-10

The latest NCAA poll isn’t out yet, but there will be a change at No. 1 following last Friday’s upset in the Continental Tire Challenge. No. 5 Duke outlasted No. 1 Gonzaga down the stretch (84-81) to give the Bulldogs their first regular season loss since 2019. The result? A new top seed will emerge today. Gonzaga had previously knocked off No. 2 UCLA, meaning No. 3 Purdue or No. 5 Duke should grab the top spot.

 

How the Blue Devils Downed the Zags

Friday’s top-5 showdown was a wire-to-wire thriller where neither team led by double digits. Gonzaga outshot and out-rebounded Duke, but the Blue Devils’ trio of Paolo Banchero (21), Wendell Moore Jr. (20) and Mark Williams (17) combined for 58 points. After the win, Duke doesn’t have another matchup against a ranked opponent (currently) for the remainder of the season.

 

Watch: #5 Duke Takes Down #1 Gonzaga (84-81)

 

College Basketball AP Poll

(New Poll Released This Afternoon)

 

Men’s College Basketball Scoreboard

Women’s College Basketball Scoreboard

 

Addtional Storylines

CBS Sports: Top 25 And 1: College Basketball Rankings

ESPN: Duke Beats Gonzaga: What We Learned From Friday’s Elite-Level Showcase