UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Duke isn't likely to remain No. 1 when the new rankings come out on Monday because of a loss to No. 7 Kansas last Tuesday.

But the way they played over the weekend, and with the players they have hurt and expected back, don't be shocked if the Blue Devils are back on top at some point in the near future.

"I think the biggest thing about our group is that we have unbelievable inner toughness," fifth-year senior Amile Jefferson said after scoring 17 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to help Duke to a 75-65 victory over No. 21 Rhode Island in the title game of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Sunday.

"It starts with Coach (Mike Krzyzewski)," Jefferson said. "All our guys really listen and believe in Coach and when he tells us he really needs us and it's next man up, we believe that and that lights something inside of us. I tell our team all the time that we're going to be as strong as our bond and today was unbelievable -- all our guys believed in one another."

The Blue Devils (4-1) have been missing super freshmen Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Marques Bolden from the start because of injuries. Grayson Allen is hobbling around on a bad big toe. Chase Jeter injured an ankle in Saturday's win over Penn State and played just eight minutes off the bench Sunday.

In fact, the two men Krzyzewski brought off the bench totaled just 12 minutes. Luke Kennard, who scored 24 points, and Matt Jones, who had 13, both played all 40.

"Just the way that we played together I thought was terrific today," said Kennard, who was 8 of 11 from the floor and 4 of 5 from 3-point range and had 37 points in the two games at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Jefferson had 33 points and 30 rebounds in the two games as Krzyzewski, whose team lost to Kansas on a basket with 1.8 seconds left, captured his 19th in-season tournament.

Matt Jones added 13 points, Frank Jackson scored 11 and Allen had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Jordan Terrell led the Rams (4-1) with 22 points and Hassan Martin had 15 points, six rebounds and the game's only seven blocks. Stanford Robinson came off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds.

Krzyzewski, as he often does, tipped his cap to the opposition, but this was a bit different. Rhode Island coach Danny Hurley's brother, Bobby, was Duke's point guard on two straight NCAA title teams and Bobby Hurley Sr. is a Hall of Fame high school coach who had Krzyzewski present him on his induction. Bob Hurley Sr. and his wife were seated courtside for both games over the weekend.

The Rams, who scored an emotional 76-71 win over Cincinnati on Saturday, didn't play with the same intensity in the final.

"Obviously, a tremendous experience, this weekend for us," Danny Hurley said. "The level of the two teams we played, obviously today. ... I think we were maybe caught up in the moment a little bit. For a program like ours, to play a program -- to play THE program, which is Duke, the standard for college basketball, first half we probably tried to do too much individually."

The Blue Devils (4-1) never trailed but missed their first eight 3-pointers and had a scoring drought of almost three minutes early. But they used a 7-0 spurt in 1:38 to take a 15-6 lead midway through the half, forcing URI into their first catch-up of the day.

Rhode Island guard E.C. Williams, the Rams' No. 1 offensive threat, suffered through and nine-point game, with Allen doing the defensive job on him.

"We beat an outstanding team," Krzyzewski said. "Danny, he hasn't built a team, he's built a program. They love one another, they play together ... it was such a competitive game."

Rhode Island guard G Jarvis Garrett, who suffered a neck injury that sent him to the hospital on Saturday, was back, started, even though his coach didn't want him to play and logged 33 minutes.

NOTES: No. 24 Cincinnati played Penn State in the consolation nightcap later Sunday. ... Duke F Amile Jefferson was 14 of 22 from the floor and grabbed nine of his 30 rebounds on the offensive end in the two games. ... G Grayson Allen became the 65th member of Duke's 1,000-point club with the third of his 10 points Sunday. ... URI F Kuran Iverson, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds Saturday, had two points and one board and played just 11 minutes Sunday. ... Duke plays its next four games at home, starting with William & Mary on Wednesday night, and Rhode Island hosts Belmont on Friday night. ... Freshman G Frank Jackson has reached double figures in all five of his college games. ... Rhode Island fell to 0-4 against Duke, 9-22 against the ACC and 15-97 against ranked teams.