Plumlee leads Duke to CBE Classic final
KANSAS CITY, Mo. » If Mason Plumlee keeps playing like this he won’t just be known as one of the "big brothers" on top-ranked Duke.
The 6-foot-10 sophomore scored a career-high 25 points and had 12 rebounds and six blocks to lead Duke to an 82-77 victory over Marquette in the semifinals of the CBE Classic last night.
The younger of the two brothers on the Blue Devils’ roster — 6-11 Miles is a junior — dominated inside all game and scored 14 points after Marquette tied the game for the last time at 57-all.
"Of course you always want the ball as a player," the native of Warsaw, Ind., said. "I just wanted to stay within the plays that were called and my opportunities were there. They did a good job of hitting me. … I think it was our defense mainly that pulled it out for us."
He was a big part of that as well with the career-high six blocks.
The Blue Devils improved to 4-0, while the Golden Eagles fell to 4-1.
"It’s early in the season. The first couple of games were good, but we looked at coming here as our first real test," Plumlee said.
"I know personally I did too. It’s a decent start."
The next opponent should definitely be tougher. Duke will face No. 4 Kansas State in tonight’s championship game.
No. 4 Kansas State 81, No. 22 Gonzaga 64
Jacob Pullen scored 18 points and Kansas State (4-0), playing before a pro-Wildcat crowd, pulled away in the second half for a victory over the Bulldogs (2-2) in the semifinals of the CBE Classic.
Will Spradling added 13 points for the Wildcats, who will play No. 1 Duke in the championship game tonight. It should be another purple-clad crowd at the Sprint Center, located about a 2-hour drive from campus.
No. 12 Baylor 72, Lipscomb 60
LaceDarius Dunn scored 24 points with seven 3-pointers in his season debut and the Bears (4-0) defeated the visiting Bisons (2-2).
Dunn, the team’s leading scorer last season when Baylor made it an NCAA regional final and had a school-record 28 wins, was suspended for the first three games after a domestic dispute charge involving his girlfriend. He had been allowed to practice.
No. 18 San Diego St. 77, Miami, Ohio 56
Kawhi Leonard had another double-double, and the Aztecs (5-0) turned up their defensive pressure and used two crushing scoring runs to pull away from the host RedHawks (2-3).
WAC
Montana 75, Idaho 33
Will Cherry scored 24 points and Brian Qvale added 21 as the host Grizzlies (2-2) routed the Vandals (1-3).
Idaho shot a woeful 12 percent from the field, making just 6 of 50 shots. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, went 20-for-31 in the first half to build a 47-12 lead.