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Performer of the Day: Duke's Matt Jones

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

He may not have had the stat line of some of the more well-known names in the tournament, but Duke would have been sunk without Matt Jones on Sunday.

The sophomore guard was a beacon for the Blue Devils in the 66-52 win over Gonzaga, propelling Duke back into the Final Four. Jones finished the day tied for the game-high in points with 16 and added three rebounds and three steals.

His biggest contribution came from beyond the arc where Jones hit four of his seven attempts, breaking a 38-38 tie with one and extending Duke's lead with another just over three minutes later.

Matt Jones steps for for another one. #4 made from outside the arc. #duke

The final score makes it look like a Blue Devils blowout, but it wasn't until late that they pulled away. If not for lights-out shooting from Jones, the game could have had a very different outcome.  

Jones got to cap the contest with a steal and the final bucket, providing a poetic end to the kind of game that few people saw coming.

Matt Jones puts an exclamation point on Duke's win over Gonzaga with a steal and a bucket #Final4

Averaging 5.9 points, Jones was Duke's seventh-leading scorer this season, and he'd added little in the way of scoring punch in the tournament's previous three games. However, he turned it on when it mattered most, and the Blue Devils are still dancing as a result.

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