Longtime Duke rival Caleb Love delivers in clutch to help Arizona beat Blue Devils 78-73 at Cameron Indoor Stadium

DURHAM, North Carolina – Longtime Duke nemesis Caleb Love hit a 35-foot bomb before the halftime buzzer, then came back to sink a four game-clinching free throws in the final 17.4 seconds to help No. 12 Arizona pull out a 78-73 win over No. 2 Duke on Friday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

As the final seconds ticked off, a smiling Love waved goodbye to the Duke student section, which had ridden him hard because of his former life with the nearby Tar Heels.

Arizona had four other scorers in double figures while Love struggled at times against fans who rode him hard after playing the last three seasons for rival North Carolina. Love scored 11 points on just 3 for 10 shooting from the field while missing the other four 3-pointers he took, but hit the 3 and the clutch free throws in the final seconds.

It was a rare homecourt matchup between the traditional college basketball powers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Wildcats had not visited Duke since the 1990-91 season, the last time the teams met as part of a home-and-home nonconference series.

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Arizona hung on to a 60-59 lead entering the final eight minutes, and the game was played within a single possession from. Duke’s Jeremy Roach hit a 3-pointer that cut the Wildcats’ lead to just one again, 63-62, with 5:59 to go, and Arizona’s Jaden Bradley missed a 3-pointer and two free throws with under three minutesw left to keep UA at a 65-64 lead.

Duke took advantage when Roach hit a 3-pointer to give the Blue Devils a 67-65 lead with 2:11 to go, and Cameron erupted. An inside basket from Arizona’s Keshad Johnson put the game into a tie at 67 with 1:43 left and Duke retained possession after a missed layup from Filipowski on the other end.

But Johnson also answered a rebound basket from Filipowski, and picked up a foul from the Duke star, converting the and-one to give UA a 70-69 lead with 46 seconds left. A turnover from Duke guard Tyrese Proctor with 27 seconds left led to teams trading fouls and free throws the rest of the way, with Love taking advantage.

Pelle Larsson also hit two more free throws with 6.1 seconds left to give UA a 74-71 lead before Duke’s Jeremy Roach.

While Arizona led 41-33 at halftime after Love’s 3-pointer, the Blue Devils quickly cut into the lead early in the second half. Duke cut UA’s lead to just four at the first media timeout while Jeremy Roach hit a 3-pointer to cut to 50-467 with 14:49 left.

At that point, Duke had made 5 of 9 3-pointers after hitting just 2 of 12 in the first half.

After UA scored on a dunk from Johnson, Filipowski hit a 3 on the other end to pull Duke within 52-50 and Roach tied it at 52 when he drove inside for a layup with 13:16 to go. Then, after Love dribbled a ball off his foot and out of bounds, Sean Stewart gave Duke its first lead, 54-52/

But Jaden Bradley stole the ball under Duke’s basket from Blue Devil guard Tyrese Proctor and went coast-to-coast for a layup that gave the Wildcats the lead back. Proctor hit a 3-pointer with 8:35 left that cut UA’s lead to 60-59.

In the first half, Love banked in a 3-pointer as the halftime buzzer to give Arizona its 41-33 halftime lead

Love, having received jeers from the Cameron crowd because of his days with the nearby Tar Heels, rebounded a missed free throw from Duke’s Christian Reeves and raced downcourt, lofting up a 30-footer that banked into the basket as the buzzer sounded.

Guard Kylan Boswell led the Wildcats with nine points and four rebounds, while Duke’s Kyle Filipowski led all scorers with 11 points.

The Wildcats finished the first half on a 5-1 run after the game was played within two possessions until the Love’s final shot went up.

While Arizona kept Duke quiet on its first two possessions, getting a dunk from Oumar Ballo and a layup from Pelle Larsson to take a quick 4-0 lead, the Wildcats never led by more than five for most of the first half.

But after Arizona twice defended layup attempts from Duke’s Ryan Young with just under three minutes to go, the Wildcats went inside on the other end of the court, where KJ Lewis fed an assist to Keshad Johnson for a layup that gave UA a 36-30 lead with 2:33 left.

After Filipowski scored inside, picking up a foul but missing the ensuing free throw, Johnson went back for a dunk to restore UA’s six point lead. Reeves picked up a foul from Johnson with six seconds left but missed the second of two free throws, setting up Love’s buzzer-beating heroics.

Arizona shot 43.6% for the half while Duke finished at 40.6, with both teams struggling from the 3-point line. Duke was 2 for 12 from long range while UA was 3 for 10.

DURHAM, North Carolina – Former North Carolina guard Caleb Love banked in a 35-footer at the halftime buzzer to give Arizona a 41-33 halftime lead over Duke in a rare homecourt matchup between the traditional college basketball powers at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Love, having received jeers from the Cameron crowd because of his days with the nearby Tar Heels, rebounded a missed free throw from Duke’s Christian Reeves and raced downcourt, lofting up the long 3-pointer that banked softly into the basket as the buzzer sounded.

Guard Kylan Boswell led the Wildcats with nine points and four rebounds, while Duke’s Kyle Filipowski led all scorers with 11 points.

The Wildcats finished the first half on a 5-1 run after the game was played within two possessions until the Love’s final shot went up.

While Arizona kept Duke quiet on its first two possessions, getting a dunk from Oumar Ballo and a layup from Pelle Larsson to take a quick 4-0 lead, the Wildcats never led by more than five for most of the first half.

Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) looks to pass against Duke guard Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

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But after Arizona twice defended layup attempts from Duke’s Ryan Young with just under three minutes to go, the Wildcats went inside on the other end of the court, where KJ Lewis fed an assist to Keshad Johnson for a layup that gave UA a 36-30 lead with 2:33 left.

After Filipowski scored inside, picking up a foul but missing the ensuing free throw, Johnson went back for a dunk to restore UA’s six point lead. Reeves picked up a foul from Johnson with six seconds left but missed the second of two free throws, setting up Love’s buzzer-beating heroics. 

Arizona shot 43.6% for the half while Duke finished at 40.6, with both teams struggling from the 3-point line. Duke was 2 for 12 from long range while UA was 3 for 10.

VIDEO: The No. 12 Arizona men’s basketball team warms up before its clash with No. 2 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina on Nov. 10, 2023. (Brett Fera/Arizona Daily Star)

VIDEO: The No. 12 Arizona men’s basketball team warms up before its clash with No. 2 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina on Nov. 10, 2023. Arizona forward Caleb Love, who saw Duke often enough while at North Carolina before transferring to Arizona, warms up with yellow over-the-ear headphones on; Duke’s Cameron Crazies were on the familiar Love’s case long before the game tipped off. (Bruce Pascoe/Arizona Daily Star)

VIDEO: Still roughly an hour before tipoff, the quaint but raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium (capacity 9,314) was already loud as both No. 2 Duke and No. 12 Arizona warm up on “Coach K Court”. (Bruce Pascoe/Arizona Daily Star

VIDEO: Arizona basketball made it’s first trip to Duke’s hallowed Cameron Indoor Stadium in decades on Nov. 10, 2023, with the No. 12 Wildcats facing the No. 2 Blue Devils in an early-season game between national powers. (Brett Fera/Arizona Daily Star)

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Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) drives to the basket against Duke center Kyle Filipowski, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) looks to pass against Duke guard Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona center Oumar Ballo dunks against Duke during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard KJ Lewis, top, and Duke guard Jeremy Roach, bottom, dive for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, right, looks to drive against Duke guard Jared McCain, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) shoots against Duke guard Jared McCain (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Caleb Love (2) drives against Duke guard Tyrese Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (14) tries to shoot between Duke guard Caleb Foster (1) and center Ryan Young (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) battles Duke forward Mark Mitchell (25) for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson, top, shoots against Duke guard Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) drives to the basket against Duke center Kyle Filipowski, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) looks to pass against Duke guard Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona center Oumar Ballo dunks against Duke during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard KJ Lewis, top, and Duke guard Jeremy Roach, bottom, dive for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, right, looks to drive against Duke guard Jared McCain, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) shoots against Duke guard Jared McCain (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona guard Caleb Love (2) drives against Duke guard Tyrese Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (14) tries to shoot between Duke guard Caleb Foster (1) and center Ryan Young (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) battles Duke forward Mark Mitchell (25) for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Arizona forward Keshad Johnson, top, shoots against Duke guard Jeremy Roach (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe

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