Arizona Wildcats vs Duke Blue Devils Match Player Stats On Nov 10, 2023

Arizona's Keshad Johnson scored 14 points, and Caleb Love helped clinch another outcome against Duke with two free throws at the 4.3-second mark as the No. 12 Wildcats beat the second-ranked Blue Devils 78-73 Friday night in Durham, N.C.

It turned out to be a riveting nonconference game in the first week of the season.

Love, a transfer his first season with Arizona after playing for Duke rival North Carolina, was 4-for-4 on free throws. He averaged 19.7 points in three visits with the Tar Heels and made a huge 3-pointer against Duke in the 2022 Final Four semifinals.

Kyle Filipowski's 25 points and Jeremy Roach's 17 points paced Duke (1-1), which didn't lose a home game last season in Jon Scheyer's first season as coach.

Arizona went up 60-54 with less than 9 1/2 minutes to play before Duke stormed back for the lead on Jeremy Roach's basket for a 67-65 lead with 2:11 to play.

Johnson made the next two baskets, and Arizona never trailed again.

Oumar Ballo's 13 points, Kylan Boswell's 12 points and Pelle Larsson's 12 points were clutch for Arizona (2-0), which will be home next year when the teams have a rematch.

Love made two free throws at the 18-second mark, and Larsson made two more with 6 seconds to play. In between, Duke's Mark Mitchell scored in the post.

The Wildcats did relentless work on the offensive boards, which helped overcome a couple of rough shooting stretches.

Filipowski posted seven points in the first three minutes of the second half. His second 3 of the second half pulled the Blue Devils within 52-50 before the game was tied at the 13:16 mark.

Love hit a 3-pointer at the end of the first half as the Wildcats led 41-33 at the break.

The game was tight for most of the first half until Arizona's 10-3 finishing stretch.

--Field Level Media