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No Garden party

Jeremy Pargo, who led Gonzaga with 21 points, drives to the basket Thursday night against Duke's Josh McRoberts during the Zags' loss at Madison Square Garden. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Jim O'connell Associated Press
Jeremy Pargo, who led Gonzaga with 21 points, drives to the basket Thursday night against Duke's Josh McRoberts during the Zags' loss at Madison Square Garden. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

NEW YORK – Greg Paulus had a career-high 20 points and combined with Josh McRoberts on three big plays in the second half to help No. 6 Duke beat No. 22 Gonzaga 61-54 Thursday night in the Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden.

The two sophomores came up big for the Blue Devils (11-1) on the offensive end in a defensive basketball game that saw plenty of missed shots and almost as many bodies on the floor.

On the defensive end, the star for Duke was freshman guard Jon Scheyer, who had the main assignment on Gonzaga senior Derek Raivio, who finished with a season-low four points, 16 less than his season average.

Duke bounced back from an awful first half that ended with the Bulldogs (9-4) leading 21-20. The Blue Devils shot 22.6 percent (7 for 31), while Gonzaga made 35.7 percent (10 for 28).

Things changed quickly at the start of the second half as the Blue Devils hit six of their first seven shots and took a 34-30 lead. Gonzaga never led again as Duke won its seventh straight.

Jeremy Pargo had 21 points – 17 in the second half – for the Bulldogs, who have lost three of four.

Pargo scored on a terrific spin move to get Gonzaga to 41-38 with 8:27 left. That’s when McRoberts and Paulus got together for the first of their key plays.

Paulus was taking the ball out of bounds under the GU basket and he found McRoberts among four defenders with a bounce pass for a dunk and five-point lead.

Josh Heytvelt made two free throws with 6:59 left to get the Bulldogs to 45-40 when McRoberts threw a touch pass to Paulus for a 3-pointer and eight-point lead.

The third play came in the final minute after Matt Bouldin had scored to get GU within four (54-50). McRoberts’ fifth assist of the game a bounce pass to a cutting Paulus who laid it to make it 56-50 with 52 seconds to go.

Raivio, who had scored at least 19 points in his last nine games, finished 1 for 4 from the field. Pargo was 8 for 13 from the field and had nine rebounds and four assists.

The Bulldogs lost consecutive games for the first time since December 2002.