ATLANTA (AP) - Grayson Allen and No. 9 Duke ended a two-game losing streak.
“We couldn’t lose three in a row,” Allen said. “We couldn’t let that happen. We were desperate to get this win.”
Allen scored 23 points and Duke beat Georgia Tech 80-69 on Sunday night.
Held to single-digits the last two games in losses at St. John’s and North Carolina, Allen was 5 for 14 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and made all 10 of his free throws. He added six assists and four rebounds. It was the most points he had scored since getting 22 against Florida State on Dec. 30.
“It felt good to hit the 20-point mark,” Allen said. “I want to build on that.”
The Blue Devils (20-5, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) won without center Marvin Bagley, the ACC’s leading scorer and rebounder. The freshman sat out with a mild right knee sprain.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Gary Trent Jr. added 15 points and six rebounds.
“We came with a lot of energy,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “I was proud of Wendell. Grayson came through, especially at the free-throw line. For a young group we did a good job.”
Josh Okogie had 29 points, six rebounds and four assists for Georgia Tech (11-14, 4-8). Freshman Evan Cole scored a career-high 10 points.
Duke scored the first nine points. The Blue Devils pulled away with a 10-0 run midway through the half, a streak punctuated by back-to-back dunks from Carter, for a 28-10 lead.
Georgia Tech made a late run, cutting the lead to 10 points with 1:41 left, but never got closer than nine.
Georgia Tech lost starting point guard Jose Alvarado to a left elbow injury with 8:14 left in the first half. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays. He fell to the floor after colliding with Duke’s Javin DeLaurier and had to be helped by the training staff to the locker room. The elbow was stabilized the Alvarado was taken to the hospital for further examination.
UP NEXT
Duke: Hosts Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.
Georgia Tech: At Wake Forest on Wednesday night.
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