LAHAINA » In case anyone forgot, it’s Duke, and it’s Maui.

The Valley Isle’s rule of hoops — that the Blue Devils rule — remained golden as No. 6 Duke had the last word on No. 14 Kansas, 68-61, in an all-time great final of the EA Sports Maui Invitational on Wednesday.

Duke (7-0) won Maui’s Wayne Duke Championship Trophy for a record fifth time after improving to 15-0 in the event, marks unequaled by any other elite program in the event’s 28 years.

“You have to be a little bit fortunate to win five of these and win all the games,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “I’m proud of my team. I’m honored to play Kansas, always.”

The hero this time was the unlikeliest of any of Krzyzewski’s previous Maui titles. Sophomore guard Tyler Thornton — in during crunch time for defense and because Duke’s offensive catalyst, Austin Rivers, was out with foul trouble — hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Blue Devils ahead for good.

In terms of both high-level play and game atmosphere, the 2011 final matchup of two historically great programs lived up to its billing, and then some. Innumerable ties and lead changes were made all the more significant as Kansas and Duke fans took turns going hysterical at an overflowed Lahaina Civic Center.

Thornton’s final shot was a desperation, contested rainbow corner 3 in front of the Duke bench that splashed down with 20 seconds left for a 66-61 lead. KU coach Bill Self would later say, “I don’t know if he could see the rim.”

Thornton insisted he could, and it was bedlam from there. Kansas (3-2) was unable to muster a response.

“Once it left my hands, I felt it was going to be good, and luckily it was,” said Thornton, who hit two 3s in six games this season before Wednesday.

“It’s a dream shot,” Krzyzewski said. “People say it’s a lucky shot, but I will tell you I’m lucky to have him on my team to shoot the shot. Sometimes you’re just on a bus with a guy who deserves to win, and for that moment we were on his bus. Thank goodness he knew how to drive it.”

Neither team earned separation of more than seven points throughout.

Duke got key contributions from up and down its roster. Junior forward Ryan Kelly was named MVP after averaging 17 points, and he didn’t even qualify for the postgame interview podium. Junior center Mason Plumlee (17 points and 12 rebounds) answered KU big men Thomas Robinson (16 points, 15 boards) and Jeff Withey (14 points, 10 rebounds) at every turn.

“It’s what we came to Kansas for, for games like this,” Robinson said. “I’m still young, but I believe that game will go down as one of the top games of this tournament.”