NEW YORK (AP) Grayson Allen bounced back from an off game against Kentucky by scoring a career-high 30 points, and No. 5 Duke beat VCU 79-71 in the opening round of the 2K Classic on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Allen, who averaged 27 points in the Blue Devils' first two games of the season, was held to six points on 2-for-11 shooting by No. 2 Kentucky on Tuesday night in the Champions Classic. Facing the Rams, he looked a lot more like the player who had an exceptional Final Four in leading Duke to its fifth national championship last season.
He was 9 for 15 from the field, including matching his career high with four 3-pointers. He was the key to Duke's 17-3 run that turned VCU's last lead of the game, 54-53, into a comfortable 70-58 lead with 5:43 to play.
The Blue Devils (3-1) will face Georgetown, which beat Wisconsin 71-61, in the championship game on Sunday.
Melvin Johnson led the Rams (2-1) with 20 points.
