Liftee said:

I can't make this one, but I went to the Pinstripe Bowl the year Duke beat Indiana and had a great time!

Represent us well Jeffrey!

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I certainly shall!

OFC

I feel the same way, LGD, but i guess if he wants to transfer, he probably doesn’t want to risk injury. Kind of the same thinking behind the guys who have NFL aspirations in a few months and decide to sit out a bowl game. Although we had a couple of guys suit up last year for our bowl game against Troy last year, even though they were going to transfer.

As many of you know, i wasn’t a big fan of his, due to his reluctance to run, and relatively weak touch and accuracy. But I acknowledged his great plays as well, such as the clincher against Wake. He always seemed like a good kid and represented us well. So I hope he continues to improve (unless it’s against us) and lands in a good spot.

OFC

RJ Barrett led Toronto with 30 points and eight rebounds in a 113-108 loss to the NY Knicks.

I’m honestly not surprised but to not play in the bowl game is shitty

I agree Mitchell was ok, Duke has had plenty of ok players, it doesn’t mean they cannot contribute.

All I’m saying is Mitchell did what was asked of him, he was arguably Duke’s most versatile defender (being able to defend 1-4 positions), and he would have been a part of the rotation had he returned.

Some on here were upset 7 months ago when Duke lost 7 players to the transfer portal and were criticizing the Duke coaching staff and clamoring for more continuity with returning players (not wanting to field a new team each season)

Now that it appears Duke’s coaching staff pieced together the right team for this season. Some on here who were not happy about the players Duke lost such as Mitchell, Stewart (“he is going to shine elsewhere just watch,” was one of the things people were saying), and Power, now some of those same fans that were unhappy initially have done a complete 180 on Duke and it’s staff while criticizing some of Duke’s former players they were so upset about losing 7 months ago.

Duke’s Coaching Staff did a fantastic job piecing together this season’s team. I wish the former players well until they play against Duke.

I'm surprised about Murphy but the way things are I shouldn't be. We will be fine at QB

Mitchell was ok in his two seasons at Duke. But ok just doesn’t cut it, especially in this era.

Stud

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jamsession2 said:

I do not see Mark competing with Kon for pt. That might've been a disaster.

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Kon is more talented offensively and a better shooter

Mitchell is a better defender, more athletic, and has the 2 years of experience over Kon

Those 2 definitely would have been been competing for minutes.

It's also a matter of only so many shots to go around. Guys like Roach and Mitchell are both guys I wanted back; and yet both are guys used to taking 10 plus shots a game. Sion is better than Blakes (Blakes' Stanford numbers nonwithstanding), Mitchell and Roach are the same guys they were last year, and Power and Stewart have not made big leaps. Pat can probably give us more than Reeves. If I were to pick one guy back it would be Stewart due to need and Pat still not being 100%.

sheyduke said:

I also think this is why Jon was honest with every player on where they stood after last season and what he expected .

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I do not see Mark competing with Kon for pt. That might've been a disaster.

Something Gillis does really well and kind of a lost art. He sets really good screens that gets guys open.

It's one thing for the opposing team to be psyched up, but that doesn't explain making 80% of their 3rd pointers. If anything you'd think they would shoot poorly because the other team is so stoked.

bullcity gamer said:

Valid Points Conor. I’m not in the know by any means at all. Just from observing from the outside I could have seen a scenario where

Proctor
Foster
Mitchell
Flagg
Maluach
Brown
James
Knuppueul
Evans

All suit up for the Blue Devils, but if Mitchell would have returned maybe Duke doesn’t land Knup or Evans. It’s neither here nor there so it’s a moot point.

You are right though, it’s a hard ask to ask a 2 year starter to have their minutes reduced because more talent is coming in.

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I also think this is why Jon was honest with every player on where they stood after last season and what he expected .

I can't make this one, but I went to the Pinstripe Bowl the year Duke beat Indiana and had a great time!

Represent us well Jeffrey!

Mac9192 said:

Agree. We have very little low post game. If we would utilize it a little, the opportunities open up for our shooters too.
I know Maluach is raw, but it’s hard to not think lob attempts are there for him if we’d look to do that a little more.

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Yes I don’t think anyone is saying twenty a game but give him a little more and Duke also needs to drive more and give him and Brown chances for put backs . I doubt we see alot of Flagg or Brown tomorrow night so it would be a good time .

Anyone going to the Gator Bowl? I and 2 of my Duke frat brothers are going. We’re 14 point underdogs, but i don’t see our D letting us get blown out like that, especially with 3 weeks to prepare. This will let me check off another bucket list item, seeing Duke FB in a bowl game (and a good one at that).

OFC

ConorONeill said:

Haha yeah man!

I *think* Mark's dad's comments were more personal and honestly, religious-focused, than it had to do with Mark's on-court usage. I think the distance was hard on Mark's family, which is why he's back in the mid-west this season.

Any time you've got a 5-star, top-25 player who isn't one-and-done after two seasons, he's got to think he's going to be recruited over. Which is what Duke did by bringing in Cooper. So then, you can't expect Mark to stick around and go from starting, playing 27-30 minutes per game, to a bench role.

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Valid Points Conor. I’m not in the know by any means at all. Just from observing from the outside I could have seen a scenario where

Proctor
Foster
Mitchell
Flagg
Maluach
Brown
James
Knuppueul
Evans

All suit up for the Blue Devils, but if Mitchell would have returned maybe Duke doesn’t land Knup or Evans. It’s neither here nor there so it’s a moot point.

You are right though, it’s a hard ask to ask a 2 year starter to have their minutes reduced because more talent is coming in.

Did it have to do with players going to the bars and such? My freshman year my mom found my fake id and my housemates put a bunch of condoms in my laundry as a prank. Good times.

Haha yeah man!

I *think* Mark's dad's comments were more personal and honestly, religious-focused, than it had to do with Mark's on-court usage. I think the distance was hard on Mark's family, which is why he's back in the mid-west this season.

Any time you've got a 5-star, top-25 player who isn't one-and-done after two seasons, he's got to think he's going to be recruited over. Which is what Duke did by bringing in Cooper. So then, you can't expect Mark to stick around and go from starting, playing 27-30 minutes per game, to a bench role.

sheyduke said:

But he’s only caught like five or rather been thrown five or six . And we wouldn’t know if he does or doesn’t . Duke has not attempted to throw it in the post unless Flagg is there . We don’t even throw it into Brown down low . Last lob thrown was from Foster. I don’t believe Duke has anybody that can make the entry pass. Every lob he’s caught has been when he’s already around the basket .

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Agree. We have very little low post game. If we would utilize it a little, the opportunities open up for our shooters too.
I know Maluach is raw, but it’s hard to not think lob attempts are there for him if we’d look to do that a little more.

Conor was it you that asked him? Haha I honestly do not remember.