WRAL Sports Fan

Final Score: (5) Duke 89, Minnesota 71

Paradise Island, Bahamas (Sports Network) - Seth Curry poured in a game-high 25 points to lead fifth-ranked Duke to an 89-71 win over Minnesota on Thursday in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Mason Plumlee added 20 points and 17 rebounds and Quinn Cook had 17 points and five steals for the Blue Devils (4-0), who will face Virginia Commonwealth on Friday.

Rodney Williams Jr. had 16 points and Andre Hollins poured in 12 for the Golden Gophers (4-1), who took their first loss of the season.

Duke went up 35-24 on Rasheed Sulaimon's 3-pointer with 3:44 left until halftime, but Minnesota was able to cut it to 40-33 at the break after a 9-5 swing to close the opening 20 minutes.

The Blue Devils quickly pushed their lead to 11 at 52-41 when Ryan Kelly buried a short jumper. Duke was able to hold off Minnesota from there, never allowing the Golden Gophers to get closer than nine the rest of the way.

Duke was 8-for-10 from 3-point range and shot 54.5 percent (30-for-55) from the floor, while holding the Gophers to 40 percent (24-for-60) shooting, including a dismal 4-for-16 from beyond-the-arc.

Game Notes

Duke owns the all-time series record 2-1 ... The Blue Devils have won their first four games in nine consecutive seasons ... Minnesota had averaged 44.8 rebounds per game, but grabbed just 35 boards in the setback Thursday.