Climb off that ledge

[Quavarius]

Im not happy we lost, but guess what, we're still one of the favorites to win it all. Why?

Our KenPom numbers are still Championship worthy (3rd in offense and 7th in defense).

We also won a game in our conference tournament (something all NCAA Champions have in common).

We have K and the field is not as strong as year's past.

My only concern is the health of Tre Duval and Wendell Carter. We need them to be near 100% as possible.

I still say this team makes it to the Final-Four! I'll gladly eat crow if they don't. Relax guys. We good!

 

[hallside]

Amen to that. It did suck to lose that, but UNC/Duke games don’t always make sense.

Off night, but I’m still optimistic we can run the table. This bunch wants to prove their greatness. And while they have been wildly inconsistent the last 3 months, I still would never bet against them. We have the most talented team pissed off at the right time. They can use this as fuel.

Just trying to keep the glass half-full to maintain my sanity.

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

The worse part is losing twice to them numbskulls, something that doesn't happen often, I'm good with losing last night, I just hate UNC fans for the next few days.

Go Devils!

 

[Quavarius]

The worse part is losing twice to them numbskulls, something that doesn't happen often, I'm good with losing last night, I just hate UNC fans for the next few days.

Go Devils!

Oh yeah I hate dealing with some of their fans as well. Wouldn't it be great if we have their 2017 season and they have ours?

2017 UNC: Lost first game at Duke; won second game at home; lost ACC semi-final to Duke; won NCAA Championship.

2018 Duke: Lost first game at UNC; won second game at home; lost ACC semi-final to UNC; ???????

 

[Quavarius]

Duke and UNC have won titles after each other before:

'92- Duke
'93- UNC

'09- UNC
'10- Duke

'17- UNC
'18- ????

 

[MyDudeG]

The biggest question for me is the health status of Wendell. It was obvious he didn't have the same explosion as normal. If he's even close to 100% by the tourney, I like our chances as much as any other team in the country. Hate that it's a foot injury since they're notoriously difficult to rehab, but hopefully we're able to get out of the first weekend without having to overdo Wendell's minutes.

 

[Quavarius]

The biggest question for me is the health status of Wendell. It was obvious he didn't have the same explosion as normal. If he's even close to 100% by the tourney, I like our chances as much as any other team in the country. Hate that it's a foot injury since they're notoriously difficult to rehab, but hopefully we're able to get out of the first weekend without having to overdo Wendell's minutes.

Agreed. Tre and Wendell's health is my only concern

 

[christophero]

Get out of the first weekend and, as the great Cole Porter said, "anything goes."

 

[topps coach]

Im not happy we lost, but guess what, we're still one of the favorites to win it all. Why?

Our KenPom numbers are still Championship worthy (3rd in offense and 7th in defense).

We also won a game in our conference tournament (something all NCAA Champions have in common).

We have K and the field is not as strong as year's past.

My only concern is the health of Tre Duval and Wendell Carter. We need them to be near 100% as possible.

I still say this team makes it to the Final-Four! I'll gladly eat crow if they don't. Relax guys. We good!

Q you know that after every loss our program is going down the toilet.Yesterday we were shoo in for the FF today we lose in the first weekend.Most of The people who say this are new to the board

 

[MyDudeG]

Yup, before yesterday everyone was saying that this team had bought in and truly cared about winning. All of a sudden, they lose and some posters think it's because they don't care and are just looking forward to the draft. It's all just narratives people try to spin depending on if we're winning or losing.

 

[christophero]

I have a feeling we go to the Midwest with Kansas, Michigan and Gonzaga as the other 3 top seeds.

 

[Quavarius]

I have a feeling we go to the Midwest with Kansas, Michigan and Gonzaga as the other 3 top seeds.

Yep

 

[Quavarius]

Q you know that after every loss our program is going down the toilet.Yesterday we were shoo in for the FF today we lose in the first weekend.Most of The people who say this are new to the board

I don't get it.

 

[QC Dukie]

I don't get it.

Me neither. The same thing we laugh at other fanbases about.

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

Step back from that ledge my Blue Devil friend!

 

[christophero]

I don't agree that we are younger next year. If Bolden comes back, we have 4 guys who were generally part of the rotation this year back. This year we had 2. So we'll be slightly more experienced.

 

[kingbluedevil]

I'd love to see Duke in the final four. They are not showing they can play 4 games consistently not turning it over and making foul shots. Will pull for them till the end. New start for everybody.

 

[Swervin_Irvin_Duke]

Bro, we play in the ACC no better conference to prepare you for March.

 

[Mac9192]

Bro, we play in the ACC no better conference to prepare you for March.

That may not be true. A knock has always been how different the officiating is in NCAA compared to the ACC. When we get out of conference, it is much more physical. That hurt us last season.

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

I don't need to back away from the ledge, 'cause I'm nowhere near it. Disappointed at the loss to the Heels, but that was going to be a tough game...win or lose...and it was. Some of our fan base may think we're not good enough to win a title, but I can tell you almost no one out there wants to play Duke. If we get Wendell and Trevon back close to 100%, then I still think we've got as good, if not better, chance to cut down the nets than anyone. All the games up to now have been for bragging rights and seeding...the real season begins the next game.

OFC

 

[Swervin_Irvin_Duke]

What hurt us last season was South Carolina getting a home game in South Carolina being an 8 seed. They were playing very good though, still shouldnt have been allowed to play anywhere near South Carolina.

 

[AlanInNJ]

Losses suck. Losses to UNC suck a little more. It’s been that kind of year. I think most of is expected a rollercoaster ride.

I’m nowhere near the ledge either. I don’t care who is in our bracket. I still believe we can string together four wins and get to the FF. Once there I like our chances.

I’m a Dukie. I’m always going to think we have a chance. Heck we were down 15 with 5 mins left last night and I still had hope that we had a chance. And you know what?? We did give ourselves a chance.

Go Duke!!!

 

[skysdad]

I don't need to back away from the ledge, 'cause I'm nowhere near it. Disappointed at the loss to the Heels, but that was going to be a tough game...win or lose...and it was. Some of our fan base may think we're not good enough to win a title, but I can tell you almost no one out there wants to play Duke. If we get Wendell and Trevon back close to 100%, then I still think we've got as good, if not better, chance to cut down the nets than anyone. All the games up to now have been for bragging rights and seeding...the real season begins the next game.

OFC

Me too dirt. I don't go anywhere near any ledge. OFC

 

[dachampishere2]

I still believe we will win. I'm going to remember all the people on the board that said we probably won't make it out the first weekend. Don't jump on the bandwagon later on. Fairweather fans are the worst

 

[DukefanKY]

I still believe we will win. I'm going to remember all the people on the board that said we probably won't make it out the first weekend. Don't jump on the bandwagon later on. Fairweather fans are the worst

Luke warm, half hearted Duke fans are more nauseating than hard core opponents fans

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

Luke warm, half hearted Duke fans are more nauseating than hard core opponents fans

Your post made me reflect on my lowest point as a fan. Beyond Coach K's health issues in the mid 90s

I would say the late 2000's. When we were depending on Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus and Nelson. Victories over UNC were hard to come by: 1-6 record between March of 2006 and March of 2009.

NCAA Tourney loses to Virginia Commonwealth, West Virginia and Villanova

So it is now 10 years and 2 NC's later. Duke can pick & choose its recruits. It took Coach K a little bit to transition to the 2005 NBA 1-Year eligibility rule change but now he has mastered it.

Fun fact: the 2010 team was #9 in presseason AP rankings. Although obtaining a 2 seed in the previous Tournament. Duke's stock and credibility was relatively low

 

[DukefanKY]

Your post made me reflect on my lowest point as a fan. Beyond Coach K's health issues in the mid 90s

I would say the late 2000's. When we were depending on Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus and Nelson. Victories over UNC were hard to come by: 1-6 record between March of 2006 and March of 2009.

NCAA Tourney loses to Virginia Commonwealth, West Virginia and Villanova

So it is now 10 years and 2 NC's later. Duke can pick & choose its recruits. It took Coach K a little bit to transition to the 2005 NBA 1-Year eligibility rule change but now he has mastered it.

Fun fact: the 2010 team was #9 in presseason AP rankings. Although obtaining a 2 seed in the previous Tournament. Duke's stock and credibility was relatively low

It ain't always easy!!

 

[dukiejay]

I still believe we will win. I'm going to remember all the people on the board that said we probably won't make it out the first weekend. Don't jump on the bandwagon later on. Fairweather fans are the worst

I don’t like this particular team’s chances. I’m hardly a fairweather fan.

As I’ve said, I think this team could do it....if I gambled, though, I wouldn’t bet on them. It’s just hard for me to envision this team being able to play with the needed focus and intensity that tournament basketball requires. They’ll do it for stretches, like always, but consistently? There’s nothing there to suggest it magically changes 33 games into the season.

I’ll never rip on someone who believes. Hell, I’ve been trying all season with this group. I’ll probably pick them to win in every game they play going forward too...because they should win. I just think this team would need to overcome a lot to get number six.

 

[dachampishere2]

I don’t like this particular team’s chances. I’m hardly a fairweather fan.

As I’ve said, I think this team could do it....if I gambled, though, I wouldn’t bet on them. It’s just hard for me to envision this team being able to play with the needed focus and intensity that tournament basketball requires. They’ll do it for stretches, like always, but consistently? There’s nothing there to suggest it magically changes 33 games into the season.

I’ll never rip on someone who believes. Hell, I’ve been trying all season with this group. I’ll probably pick them to win in every game they play going forward too...because they should win. I just think this team would need to overcome a lot to get number six.

I can respect that. I just think you won’t have to worry about lack of effort in this tournament. Missed shots may happen but effort definitely won’t be the reason we lose

 

[christophero]

We're all fans. Some are optimistic and some are pessimistic. It's more of a personality thing. I have no problem with either.

 

[jwill133]

I still think we should be the favorites to cut down the nets, and by favorites, I say we have a 25% title chance. Call me a homer all you'd like.

We just have so much more talent than everyone. I agree with whoever stated that our roster construction is poor. We have 2 of the 5 best big-men in the country, and also a back-up (Bolden) who most tournament teams would die to have as a starting center. We REALLY need another combo-guard. Throw Frank Jackson on this team and it's over.

What worries me- we REALLY struggle at the end of shot clock situations. Simple reason, our best scorers are our big-men. In a tournament setting, when the shot clock is running down, big guys don't score. We lack a Kemba Walker, Tyus Jones, Nolan Smith etc. I am not saying we lack a leader. We lack a guy who with 5 seconds left can get us a bucket. Grayson just doesn't get the seperation needed to get a bucket. He is a terrific "bad-shot-maker", his go-to-move is the one-footed moving-left jumpshot, that is VERY LOW PERCENTAGE, he is good at it though.

Gary isn't a great one-on-one player, plain as day. Trevon honestly is the guy we need, his problem seems to be more mental than anything, and there is also the "what if he has to shoot free-throws" issue as well.

 

[dachampishere2]

I still think we should be the favorites to cut down the nets, and by favorites, I say we have a 25% title chance. Call me a homer all you'd like.

We just have so much more talent than everyone. I agree with whoever stated that our roster construction is poor. We have 2 of the best 5 big-men in the country, and also a back-up (Bolden) who most tournament teams would die to have as a starting center. We REALLY need another combo-guard. Throw Frank Jackson on this team and it's over.

What worries me- we REALLY struggle at the end of shot clock situations. Simple reason, our best scorers are our big-men. In a tournament setting, when the shot clock is running down, big guys don't score. We lack a Kemba Walker, Tyus Jones, Nolan Smith etc. I am not saying we lack a leader. We lack a guy who with 5 seconds left can get us a bucket. Grayson just doesn't get the seperation needed to get a bucket. He is a terrific "bad-shot-maker", his go-to-move is the one-footed moving-left jumpshot, that is VERY LOW PERCENTAGE, he is good at it though.

Gary isn't a great one-on-one player, plain as day. Trevon honestly is the guy we need, his problem seems to be more mental than anything, and there is also the "what if he has to shoot free-throws" issue as well.

Check this article out J...

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...asnt-the-goal-winning-the-ncaa-tournament-is/

From the way they're talking it seems like they didn't necessarily take the ACCT that serious. Like I said before effort won't be a reason we lose. Maybe missing shots or something like that.

Tre should be our late clock ball handler. Let him run the pick and roll and attack. If I was him I would look forward to that. He's the only one that can break his man down and get the defense to collapse

 

[topps coach]

Your post made me reflect on my lowest point as a fan. Beyond Coach K's health issues in the mid 90s

I would say the late 2000's. When we were depending on Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus and Nelson. Victories over UNC were hard to come by: 1-6 record between March of 2006 and March of 2009.

NCAA Tourney loses to Virginia Commonwealth, West Virginia and Villanova

So it is now 10 years and 2 NC's later. Duke can pick & choose its recruits. It took Coach K a little bit to transition to the 2005 NBA 1-Year eligibility rule change but now he has mastered it.

Fun fact: the 2010 team was #9 in presseason AP rankings. Although obtaining a 2 seed in the previous Tournament. Duke's stock and credibility was relatively low

The late sixties and early seventies were the worst did not think we would ever come back.tough to be Duke fan then still am bitter over Bucky Waters.Know it is bad when recruits were told on the visit to go somewhere else

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

The late sixties and early seventies were the worst did not think we would ever come back.tough to be Duke fan then still am bitter over Bucky Waters.Know it is bad when recruits were told on the visit to go somewhere else

Your perspective and experience is very important especially in "low points" like these.