Bull- he has been pretty active on Twitter post game. I'm hoping that's a hidden good sign he's okay...
Can this team be a contender?
- Thread starter Mac9192
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I hope you’re right Jimbo. Cannot afford to have any of Duke’s 6 starters injured.
Its knee to knee incidental contact with some yahoo shouting/taunting in his face...just dumb but not intentional from what i see on the video....either way something needs to be done as it could get out of control...punches thrown etc if the wrong fan provokes the wrong player. Scheyer called it out..and so did the half time crew on ESPN..its got worse and now there is no time to get off the court. Wake didnt have security either...thats poor planning on their part. Hopefully something gets done soon.
Like I said in a post earlier, something should have been done when Caitlin Clark got hit a couple weeks ago. What will it take for the NCAA to eventually do something?
It’ll probably take some ncaa higher up getting injured due to a court storming for anything to be done.
4-0 @state toughest one book it!
Agreed!! I even thought we were going to pull it out until we lost it out on the sideline with three seconds Mac. Jon is wonderful at drawing up plays. Ashamed we were out of timeouts.
Regardless, we were underdogs in a game hyped all week. It took a game out of Wake's @$$ to win, and some sloppy play by us to force a Duke loss. Starting to look at least like an Elite Eight team to me.
OFC
IMHO it was 90 seconds of poor play.....15 seconds at the end of the first half, and 1:15 at the end of regulation. Otherwise I am with you Hart. We played very well for most of the game. Wake needed to play exceptionally well to beat us, and they did.
4-0 to close out the regular season sounds good to me!
4-0 to close out the regular season sounds good to me!
I was impressed with our offense as we kept making clutch plays until the final few possessions. Defensively we were okay, I thought Wake executed offense to perfection and were hard to guard. Outside of losing Sallis on a few plays, we weren’t bad defensively. We just couldn’t string together any stops when we were trading them baskets.
We’re a really good three point shooting team and have become a good passing team, it starts with Flip, something has clicked the past few weeks with him IMO to where he is looking to pass more than score/turnover. My question is what happens if our three’s aren’t falling in a tournament game? As long as we avoid an older team with a lot of size and strength, I think we can make a deep run.
We’re a really good three point shooting team and have become a good passing team, it starts with Flip, something has clicked the past few weeks with him IMO to where he is looking to pass more than score/turnover. My question is what happens if our three’s aren’t falling in a tournament game? As long as we avoid an older team with a lot of size and strength, I think we can make a deep run.
Three’s not falling will be a problem for any of the teams that are contenders, not just Duke.
Agree. This is almost for all of basketball. Even in the NBA, it's a norm to see a team to shoot 40 3's a game. If they hit them, they can beat anyone and if they miss they can lose to anyone.
Different era, different team. ACC was immensely stronger a conference and Wake was an even better program with Dave Odom. Also had Rodney Rodgers, 3x All-ACC, and ACC POY the following year.
Duke HAS to pick it up in the portal recruiting. Been awful so far in that area.
Imagine this team with a Dalton Knecht? SMH.
We have some decent pieces but when a freshman in McCain is your best scorer, and possibly your best player, that’s not a title winner. They can compete for the sweet 16 and if the matchups are great, maybe an elite 8. At best. IMO.
They can also go out by round 2, easily.
Imagine this team with a Dalton Knecht? SMH.
We have some decent pieces but when a freshman in McCain is your best scorer, and possibly your best player, that’s not a title winner. They can compete for the sweet 16 and if the matchups are great, maybe an elite 8. At best. IMO.
They can also go out by round 2, easily.
Delete your two other posts, and keep this one.
Can make a run or get taken out early sounds about right. How the guards shoot will determine how far we go.
The guy is a Kentucky fan trolling the Duke board. He needs to worry about his own kittens getting coached by pay pal cal.
Duke has been in every single game they’ve played in this season. I really do not understand how some think Duke will be an easy out in the tournament.
It’s been established, Duke has an elite backcourt. Guards win in the NCAA Tournament.
Duke has a very good defense
Duke has an Elite Offense
Duke has very good 3 point shooting
Duke’s chemistry is there
Duke’s gone through battles this season
I like these Blue Devils. If you think these guys are the same team they were before the Baylor game, then you have not been watching college basketball.
He's a duke fan. I've been here basically forever and he has been here a long time too.
Nothing he said was untrue or disrespectful. This team has potential but some weaknesses, like almost every other team. If we can win out against the North Carolina schools that will put us in 2 seed territory. The Foster injury is not a big deal. Nothing against Foster; he is a solid guard who could be great next year. But we are very deep at guard. Just no more injuries please.
Don’t see what purpose bringing up the transfer portal or Unc guys like Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram serves.
I rather have Duke’s players than either of those guys. Duke has played way better than Unc has since their matchup with one another on February 3rd.
Scheyer has done a very good job constructing his two rosters.
I rather have Duke’s players than either of those guys. Duke has played way better than Unc has since their matchup with one another on February 3rd.
Scheyer has done a very good job constructing his two rosters.
It was fairly obvious in May that we needed a transfer big man, and for whatever reason we didn’t get one. If this team flames out in the tournament, I think you can point to that as a big reason why. We don’t force turnovers because we can’t gamble on defense because we have zero rim protection. Our offense is better because of it though, we just have to hit three’s.
The portal is something we have to utilize more. All of the top teams this year have big time transfers.
The portal is something we have to utilize more. All of the top teams this year have big time transfers.
This issue has been discussed ad nauseam. For institutional reasons, other schools have greater access to the portal. Period.
So that’s it? We just accept the fact that we aren’t going to be getting big time transfers in the portal? That doesn’t seem like something K would do.
For context purposes, kenpom rankings are usually pretty accurate. Teams that are contenders and usually win the national championship are top 10 in one category and top 20 in another category. Currently Duke sits at #8 overall with the 8th best team in Offensive Efficiency and the 25th best team in Defensive Efficiency. Below is how Duke compares with the other current overall top 10 teams in Kenpom:
Offensive Efficiency:
Duke has a better offense than the following teams: Houston, Tennessee, Auburn, Unc, and Iowa State
Defensive Efficiency:
Duke has a better defense than the following team: Alabama
The teams that fit the bill of being Top 10 in 1 category and top 20 in the other are (offensive efficiency/defensive efficiency):
1. Houston 17/1
2. UConn 4/18
3. Arizona 7/11
4. Tennessee 18/4
5. Auburn 13/6
Those are it. Purdue is very close with being 2/22. Obviously anything can happen in the tournament, but Arizona and Auburn tend to have a very good balance of offense and defense. Would prefer Duke not having to play Arizona out West and Duke not having to play Auburn down South.
Point is, yes Duke can be beaten in the first weekend of the tournament, just hope you group Alabama, Iowa State, Unc, and Purdue in there with Duke as well as being teams who can flame out early based off the current Kenpom rankings.
Hopefully, Duke improves in both categories heading into the NCAA Tournament.
Offensive Efficiency:
Duke has a better offense than the following teams: Houston, Tennessee, Auburn, Unc, and Iowa State
Defensive Efficiency:
Duke has a better defense than the following team: Alabama
The teams that fit the bill of being Top 10 in 1 category and top 20 in the other are (offensive efficiency/defensive efficiency):
1. Houston 17/1
2. UConn 4/18
3. Arizona 7/11
4. Tennessee 18/4
5. Auburn 13/6
Those are it. Purdue is very close with being 2/22. Obviously anything can happen in the tournament, but Arizona and Auburn tend to have a very good balance of offense and defense. Would prefer Duke not having to play Arizona out West and Duke not having to play Auburn down South.
Point is, yes Duke can be beaten in the first weekend of the tournament, just hope you group Alabama, Iowa State, Unc, and Purdue in there with Duke as well as being teams who can flame out early based off the current Kenpom rankings.
Hopefully, Duke improves in both categories heading into the NCAA Tournament.
Bullcity that is a great analysis, readable and apparently accurate.
Just to add something on the transfer issue, it's hard to get a top transfer when you are playing a bunch of 5 stars who will eat up a lot of minutes. Most big guys who will make an impact want to play more than 15-20 min. a game. The guys Duke was after aren't exactly burning it up where they are.
Just to add something on the transfer issue, it's hard to get a top transfer when you are playing a bunch of 5 stars who will eat up a lot of minutes. Most big guys who will make an impact want to play more than 15-20 min. a game. The guys Duke was after aren't exactly burning it up where they are.
Thank you for the kind compliment Liftee. You are correct about the transfer portal, teams want to go after players who fit their team’s personnel. The only big who I think is performing very well this season that Duke was after is Holmes from Dayton, but again, maybe Holmes wanted to be the focal point on offense for Duke like he is at Dayton.
We got Young and Grandison. Seems like getting two of those level guys per year is a good idea. Guys who will be happy to play a role. Certain guys want to start but playing 10 minutes per game for Duke will get you a lot of exposure. Few would know who Ryan Young was if he stayed at his old school. Plus you could have a lot of team success. It also depends on how many of our current players we can keep. Guys like Blakes and Reeves are the type of player we can get in the portal, so hopefully they stick around. Flip is leaving, and our center recruit is injured, so there is a spot at the 5 unless we get that big man recruit we are after.
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I agree that getting transfers who will be happy playing a role will be effective. But I also think that when you have a guard dominant roster and no starting center that getting a center out of the portal who can be a starter is an effective strategy.
I think there is a good chance that Stewart develops into a good 4, and if Mitchell comes back, our front court will be more than solid. I still have hopes for Reeves but I must admit those hopes are not as high as they were.
I really hope Mitchell plays 3 and/or 4 years for The Blue Devils. Last time I checked he is nowhere near any NBA Mock Draft Projections. Hope he sees the mistake Keels made by leaving early.
@GAAP is right, this topic has been beaten to death. Say we would have gotten a "good" big out of the portal, who sits, McCain, Roach, or Proctor? And how little would Foster have played? I know he's injured now, but the roster gets set with everyone expecting to contribute. That's not even talking about Stewart. Many think he should play more all season, but with a talented transfer, how much less would he have played? You think a really good big would come to Duke to play 15 minutes or less?
The more really good talent a team has is in today's era, the higher you bring the risk of lowering the chemistry.
And no offense, but your comment saying this isn't something K would do is just plain nonsense.
Like I said I feel we are a rim protector short. I love Young’s effort, but we don’t need his offense, our guards and Flip can provide plenty of that. Young would be the fall guy who wouldn’t play much had we brought in a transfer big, he seems like a good teammate who would accept that. Maybe I’m wrong? None of our guards would be playing less, especially given our injuries. Every guard we have has been injured minus McCain. So I am not positive what you are inferring about the guards.
And I stand by the K comment. He adapted better than anyone. He got tired of losing to more talented teams with 5 star NBA guys and did something about it.
In a one loss tournament anyone can flame out early. If we’re shooting 3’s at a good percentage, I like our chances against anybody. I’m hoping we learned a lot from the Wake game and can finish close games better.
If you had a crystal ball last summer and knew how the season was going to unfold, then yeah, maybe a really good big from the portal would have been interested. But it doesn't work that way. No one knows how the injury bug will play out, and you can't recruit that way. We also had fans before the season that thought Stewart was going to be a major force, and really soon. I'm not trying to insult you, but you're not seeing the whole picture. It's easy for us fans to say we need this type of guy. But we're lying if we say multiple guys that are in our rotation wouldn't have seen major reduction in minutes.
Look at our close games from January on. We have six, maybe seven guys that played at least 10 minutes. Jon is doing exactly what K did, or any other top tier coach does. The bulk of the minutes go to the stars. This isn't rec league.
If you're referring to K adapting over his 40 plus years of coaching, sure I'll agree there. Jon is only in his second year of coaching though.
But, after K's second year, some powerful fans were seriously questioning him being the coach.
Agree '91 100%.
I want us to win the ACC regular season and ACC tourney every year, but more importantly, I want the regular ACC season to prepare the team for March. We did not finish well at Wake, and I hope the team learned from that. I think in our best years, we have seen that happen. In other years we have seemed to peak early and plateau in January. Despite the Wake loss, I do feel like we are still growing.
When 3's are falling we are going to be a tough out for anyone in the country.
I want us to win the ACC regular season and ACC tourney every year, but more importantly, I want the regular ACC season to prepare the team for March. We did not finish well at Wake, and I hope the team learned from that. I think in our best years, we have seen that happen. In other years we have seemed to peak early and plateau in January. Despite the Wake loss, I do feel like we are still growing.
When 3's are falling we are going to be a tough out for anyone in the country.
Duke has an arsenal of offensive weapons this season, it’s not a team that solely relies on 2 scorers.
Proctor, Roach, McCain, Mitchell, Flip, Foster (if healthy), and Power (given extended minutes)
are all capable of putting together offensive onslaughts on the opposition.
Proctor, Roach, McCain, Mitchell, Flip, Foster (if healthy), and Power (given extended minutes)
are all capable of putting together offensive onslaughts on the opposition.
