(Sporting Alert) — Tyler Thornton hit two big three-pointers in the closing minutes of the Maui Invitational championship game for No. 6 Duke to registered a 68-61 win over No. 14 Kansas on Wednesday.

Watch Duke vs Kansas Highlights including Tyler Thornton big three-pointer

Full Game Replay: Duke 68, Kansas 61

After answering Kansas’ three pointer to give Duke back the lead in the back-and-forth contest, Thornton hit his second big shot of the game to give the Blue Devils (7-0) a 66-61 lead with 21 seconds remaining and time expiring on the shot clock as well.

The little used Duke guard found himself trapped in the corner with the clock running and surrounded by half the Kansas player. But he still found a way to get the shot off, even with little vision of the rim.

That shot, which Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski described as a “dream shot” pushed the Blue Devils to its 5th Maui Invitational title.

“It’s a dream shot,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “People will say it’s a lucky shot, but I’ll say I’m lucky to have him on my team.

“Sometimes you’re on a bus with a guy who deserves and for that moment we were on his bus. Thank goodness he knew how to drive it.”

The victory kept Duke undefeated in Maui Invitational at 15-0, but they had to work for this one, especially since the Jayhawks had no intentions of going away.

Mason Plumlee also played his part in the win with a battling double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Ryan Kelly also scored 17 points and Austin Rivers added 10 points, before taking a long sit on the bench with four fouls.

Thomas Robinson led Kansas Jayhawks (3-2) with 17 points and 15 rebounds, with Tyshawn Taylor adding 16 points in the defeat.

Kansas coach Bill Self said his team, which led 35-31 at half-time battled well with the Blue Devils, and admitted that there’s no way they could have guarded Thornton any better.

He also said that Thornton last shot was the knockout blow and credited the Duke sophomore in a memorable Maui Invitational finale.

“We couldn’t have guarded him any better,” Self said. “That was unbelievable.”

He added: “Give him credit; I don’t know if he even saw the rim when he took the shot.

“It was a great shot and that was the ballgame. That was game.”

KANSAS TOP PLAYERS
KS:T. Taylor 17 Pts
KS:T. Robinson 15 Reb
KS:T. Taylor 4 Ast

DUKE TOP PLAYERS
DUKE:R. Kelly 17 Pts
DUKE:M. Plumlee 12 Reb
DUKE:S. Curry 3 Ast

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