We followed the blueprint for a Duke loss to a T last night. Early foul trouble, 3 happy with poor percentages, get a lead and give it back, huge rebounding deficit . Disappointing to see us revert to that, but UNC has been red hot lately as well.
Focus on the positives
- Thread starter christophero
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He had two in the first . Ended up only having four, Paolo had two foul, AJ one foul Moore and Roach had three and Keels had one .Can’t say foul trouble Bacot had five fouls but grabbed 21 rebounds .
I don’t care how many he ended up with you don’t dare play Mark much in the first with two quick fouls in the first few minutes. Go watch the 2004 final four and you’ll see a significant decision that saved Calhoun‘s ass but cost K. One kept their best big man on the bench after two fouls while the other one put his best big man back in in the first half and he got three fouls.
I think sitting someone for 5 minutes at the end of the half works if they have 2 fouls. But sitting someone 14 minutes or whatever it was just allowed UNC to hang around and be right where they wanted to be. We could have been up 15 at the half and ended it.
Mark grabbed four rebounds in 17 minutes of play with eight points on 4-5 shots. Johns grabbed the same amount of rebounds in 14 minutes with four fouls in the first half . I’m still trying to figure out your argument for foul trouble . He got back in, in the second the entire second and did nothing along with AJ .
How? By this logic your saying Mark only produces in the first half . Where was his help in the second when he got back in? So that threw his entire game off?
Mark sat for long stretches in the second half as well. Bottom line he and AJ did not get it done. AJ more so given he wasn’t in foul trouble. A near 50% 3 point shooter needs to hit. He hit nothing. Accept what you can get with these players because they’re just one year players.
You got me lost. Your statement was about foul trouble that’s why Duke couldn’t rebound yet none were in fouls trouble . Mark simply chose the biggest game of the year to play like freshman mark . His first two fouls were called because he brought his hands down .
mark was the biggest guy on the court yet Roach had more rebounds .
maybe if we can firmly get to the bottom of this maybe the score will change. He did not play well and he had foul trouble.
Geez, the championship-or-tantrum crowd reminds me of UK fans.
The positives are after the regular season finale most were saying this was a sweet 16 team at best. And I agreed with that. We played to our potential during the tournament and got to the Final Four. We got beat by a more experienced team with better guards. Just hurts worse because of who we lost to. Still a successful year in my book despite those two huge losses.
Oh we won a regular season Championship for the first time in 12 years.
The whole championship or bust thing is a load of crap when you are dealing with a young team with no experience. Kentucky in 2012 and us in 2015 are the only years it happened. Superior talent doesn’t mean a hill of beans anymore.
Oh we won a regular season Championship for the first time in 12 years.
The whole championship or bust thing is a load of crap when you are dealing with a young team with no experience. Kentucky in 2012 and us in 2015 are the only years it happened. Superior talent doesn’t mean a hill of beans anymore.
its about multi-year players who are good to even borderline great in the College Game. It’s a superior model to one and done. 2012 and 2015 have proven the exception not the rule.
Time for Duke to dive head first into the transfer portal, the only way the program is ever going to have good experience. I’ve been complaining about the portal but hell on second thought, since they’re all gonna jump after one year(Unless they Go to Carolina of course where they’ll stay three to four years) then Duke Should absolutely use the transfer portal to their advantage when they can. So, bring on the 1,000+ transfer names that have entered the portal (and it’s only the third day of April lol)
It was a phenomenal season for a young team.
This is all very true. And we should be very proud of what K accomplished with this team this year as well as having been hands down greatest coach of the 64 team era.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t in any way alleviate the pain of the last two losses to UNC. Not just losing to them but particularly the circumstances of those losses are arguably the two most painful losses of the Coach K era. Arguably ever. The only other loss that is in that category is UCONN, in the ‘99 final.
However, I’d put this latest loss in the first ever meeting between Duke and UNC in the tournament as the absolute worst.
For those who lived through the history of UNC dominance during first couple of decades of the Smith era until K got his grounding with the team in the mid 80s, the animosity toward UNC arrogance many of us share from that era makes this doubly painful. Especially since there is no redemption from it. No way for K to change it.
The finality makes the pain from the last two losses sting permanently. We will move on with the Scheyer era but this season and the end of K’s era will always be remembered with the two UNC losses.
Well, now I have another excuse to drink more! The pain of this loss has hit me harder than any other sports loss. I can't even talk to anyone about it. Work has been hell today. People running their mouths all ****ing day. Most of them are band wagon fans too. I am proud of our team. K is and will always be the GOAT. But I can't shake this one. I also refuse to watch them cut down the nets tomorrow or acknowledge it.
We just lost to Carolina in Coach Ks last home game and now in the final four. Kind of a big deal wouldn’t you say? What color is the sky in your world
Carolina has as many bandwagon fans as anyone. Reminds me of Miami football in the 80s and 90s
We lost a close game in the FF. Sucks that it was to them, but we have no reason to hang our heads. Nor does Villanova, who lost by more than we did.
If some of these folks don’t seem to understand why this is so painful they should root for someone else. Whether we beat Carolina or not and in the FF no less is at the very heart of bleeding Duke Blue
I wouldn't count on it man. Everything seems to be going their way.....unfortunately.
Funny thing is, go back and the last couple of titles they won we won one right behind them. It’s the nature of the game .
young man I was agreeing with your post not refuting it. I meant to actually respond to another post
Let's get through the next few days. College basketball will be forgotten by the media and we can have a better perspective on the season. Which was a great one, with our team improving in late March and beating some really good teams to get to the Final Four.
Appreciate the optimism but what happened Sat will never be better or feel better. Losing to Carolina in the FF in Coach’s last game is dark man very very dark
What hurts is not just the loss but giving the game away at the end again. OFC
Coach K would have been of benefit to never announce retiring before the season. The best option would have been to play the season and then whenever it ended, decide if he felt like he wanted to come back or announce he is retiring. Duke never would have lost recruits if he announced his retirement right after the season ended.
Funny story: the moment duke beat Arkansas, my wife excitedly ordered my a Duke 2022 FF shirt and hat. When she told me, I calmly thanked her but also told her that we only wear championship gear. Long story short, the package arrived this morning. The box is sitting on the table unopened.
why would nolan leave? seems like weird timing given he’s moving up the chain at duke
should k have gone zone to minimize foul trouble?
should k have gone zone to minimize foul trouble?
I don't live in North Carolina and I feel bad for those that do. But coach K won 5 titles. They can't say they are a better program; they just are right at this moment. And they can't say that we stink; we won the ACC and made the Final Four. They do have bragging rights at the moment. But this year was much, much better than the last 2 years for Duke. I would bet Coach K takes a big picture approach to his career; I doubt he's going to stew on this loss for the rest of his life.
Living here sucks ass. They're the worst fanbase in all of sports. I've never been a shit talker. I don't see the point in it. I have been hammered the last two days. I expect it to be the worst it has ever been after tonight's game.
Living here sucks ass. They're the worst fanbase in all of sports. I've never been a shit talker. I don't see the point in it. I have been hammered the last two days. I expect it to be the worst it has ever been after tonight's game.
Living here does suck, biggest scumbag fanbase in history. They outdo cowboys, Yankees, Red Sox, patriots etc. Most are
Illiterate rednecks mixed with rich scumbags
Living here does suck, biggest scumbag fanbase in history. They outdo cowboys, Yankees, Red Sox, patriots etc. Most are
Illiterate rednecks mixed with rich scumbags
This is my experience as well. Nothing would make me happier than to see them lose tonight. It would lessen the sting of Saturday for me personally.
They're like they always are, you'd need Indiana Jones to find one of their fans when things are not going well. When they are going well you'll hear from people you haven't heard from in years. I don't care for North Carolina at all, lived here my whole life and I've just had enough. You can't wear a damn coat or sweater anymore the winters have become so mild and you want to go nude in July and August it's so insanely humid outside that just going to the mailbox is a miserable affair. Christmas? better have shorts ready, will probably be 65 or 70. Politics? nope.
If I'm blessed to live long enough Colorado will be my retirement destination.
If I'm blessed to live long enough Colorado will be my retirement destination.
I lived in Colorado for a few years. It's a great place to live; as long as you don't mind not being near the water.
Same, and for everyone that doesn’t live in state this is the typical unc fan.
“Oh hey I love unc basketball but I’m actually a Alabama, Oklahoma, usc, or etc football fan. Look at their home games vs bc and pitt with the empty seats when they were struggling.Supreme bandwagon fanbase
