NCAA March Madness: Duke and Wisconsin to play for championship

Duke defeated Michigan State on it's way to another national championship game while Wisconsin ended Kentucky's perfect season on Saturday in Indianapolis, Ind.

Duke and Wisconsin will play Monday for the national championship.

(1) Duke 81, (7) Michigan State 61

Duke is one step away from its fifth national championship.

Justise Winslow had 19 points, Jahlil Okafor added 18 as the Blue Devils beat up on Big Ten power Michigan State.

The Spartans were considered the long shot in this Final Four of bluebloods, though nobody had counted them out with March maestro Tom Izzo on the sideline. But their magic wore off quickly against the coach Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils, who used their superior size, speed and some stingy perimeter defence to make the second half academic.

"After the first four minutes, we were a different team. We played great basketball tonight, especially on the defensive end," Krzyzewski said. "I'm so proud of my guys because they beat a great team." 

Duke led by double digits the entire final 20 minutes, allowing a fan base that has grown accustomed to being on college basketball's biggest stage plenty of time to celebrate.

Krzyzewski, who improved to 9-1 against Izzo, said earlier this week that he doesn't put much stock in history. But it's certainly on his side: The Blue Devils won national titles in 1991 and 2010, the last two times they played in a final in Indianapolis.

No wonder their fans started chanting "Our house!" in the final minute.

At the other end of the floor, many white-clad Michigan State fans spent the second half staring quietly at their feet. After victories over second-seeded Virginia, third-seeded Oklahoma and fourth-seeded Louisville, they were finally done in by a No. 1 seed.

Denzel Valentine scored 22 points to lead the Spartans. Travis Trice had 16.

(1) Wisconsin 71, (1) Kentucky 64

Kentucky's undefeated season is over, courtesy of Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin — winners over the Wildcats in the Final Four.

The Badgers scored eight straight points late to take a four-point lead with 1:06 left, and Kentucky couldn't overcome the deficit this time.

Kaminsky finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Badgers (36-3). He and Bronson Koenig went 7 for 8 from the line over the last 24 seconds to seal the win.

"It gives us another 40 minutes, I know that," said Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who leads the Badgers to their first final since 1941.

Kentucky has a long ride home, finishing the season at 38-1 — two wins short of becoming the first undefeated team in college basketball since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers. Instead, these NBA-ready group of Wildcats join the star-studded 1991 UNLV team as the latest to take an undefeated record into the Final Four but lose in the semifinals.

The Wildcats trailed by 3 with 24 seconds left but Karl-Anthony Towns got fouled and only made one free throw and from there, Wisconsin iced it from the line.

Canadian Trey Lyles of Saskatoon, Sask., had nine points for Kentucky.