Duke Classics: Duke vs Baylor: 2010 Elite 8

[BlueDevilStop]

Who would have thought Duke would have survived an 0-10 night from Kyle Singler? One of my personal favorite games of the decade.

https://bluedevilstop.com/duke-classics-duke-vs-baylor-in-the-2010-elite-8/

 

[jwill133]

Those Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith second half three's....massive.
Even bigger, the rebounds that led to them by Lance and Zoubs. I'll never forget Lance's putback dunk at the end to put an exclamation point on the victory.

 

[timo0402]

Those two 3s by Dre were huge in the first Half.

 

[Jake1985]

This was a def gutt game

 

[dbav]

Those two 3s by Dre were huge in the first Half.

First thing I thought of. I believe he hit those shots within the last couple minutes of the first half when it looked like the game could get away from us. Dawkins was the key to that game.

 

[timo0402]

First thing I thought of. I believe he hit those shots within the last couple minutes of the first half when there looked like the game could get away from us. Dawkins was the key to that game.

1000% agree.

 

[dbav]

1000% agree.

I just loved that our alarmingly unathletic team beat the alarmingly athletic Baylor and West Virginia that post season, back to back.

 

[HuffyJB]

I loved the sideline, in-game high five between K and Nolan Smith after a big three.

 

[skysdad]

First thing I thought of. I believe he hit those shots within the last couple minutes of the first half when it looked like the game could get away from us. Dawkins was the key to that game.

Loved Dawkins. He had a lot to deal with as a young man while at Duke. Grateful he had so much support from the coaching staff and team mates. OFC

 

[christophero]

wow great game. Coach put Zoubek in with 4 fouls and 11 minutes left. Smith and Scheyer with the daggers. I think our frontcourt depth wore them down as we kept shuttling the Plumlees in. We hit shots when it counted. At one point we had Zoubek and Mason Plumlee in. Twin towers. We could barely get shots off inside against that Baylor frontline. Our vets played like vets when it mattered. Zoubek taking a charge with 4 fouls. That call changed the game.

 

[df64]

Great game. That game was a big ol Duke middle finger to the talking heads and all the haters.

 

[BlueDevilStop]

This was a def gutt game

Definitely. Baylor brought their A game and Duke had to earn it.

 

[AlanInNJ]

I watched this one yesterday during my working. Let's not forget foul shots. That team had so much confidence at the line in tight games. Before Dawkins missed those last two in the very end I think we were 19 for 22 or similar. It seems that's something we have been lacking in recent campaigns.

 

[jnastasi]

Such a great group. Jon and Nolan were killers that day. Back breaker after back breaker.

 

[Duke9172]

Basically a home game for Baylor. Those Duke boys were tough!!

 

[christophero]

Definitely a bad match up and the type of game that's done us in in the past. What a luxury to have juniors and seniors, and the Plumlees could just come in and do their thing for a few minutes. That was a man's game. One thing I noticed is Scheyer kept getting open looks so eventually he knocked them down from 3.

 

[bullcity gamer]

Loved Dawkins. He had a lot to deal with as a young man while at Duke. Grateful he had so much support from the coaching staff and team mates. OFC

I believe you are referring to “The Baby Face Sniper” Sky

 

[KDSTONE]

As talented and gritty as that team was (my favorite after 91-92), I couldn't help feeling at the time that this year balanced the books a little bit, making up for a year (86,99) when Duke should have won but didn't. I know that doesn't help the players involved whatsoever but for us as fans I mean.

 

[KDSTONE]

Great game. That game was a big ol Duke middle finger to the talking heads and all the haters.

You could almost hear most of the country sighing: Oh f___ Here we go again.....

 

[christophero]

I love 2010 too but we definitely benefited from some teams losing along the way. Still; you play who's in front of you. But the last 2 year's teams did not benefit from any upsets in the Elite Eight.

 

[jwill133]

I love 2010 too but we definitely benefited from some teams losing along the way. Still; you play who's in front of you. But the last 2 year's teams did not benefit from any upsets in the Elite Eight.

I'll never forget how happy I was when UK lost in the Elite 8 to WVU (the night before our Baylor game). I knew if we could just get by Baylor, the doors were wide open for the title.

UK would have been a fascinating matchup, they were LOADED with talent, no experience, and a questionable in-game coach. We were the opposite, we had tons of experience, not really any NBA-level talent, but the GOAT coach. I remember UK was the favorite going into the tournament, but I think we would have beat them.

 

[christophero]

What did we have a 3 seed and a 5 seed to play in the final four. That almost never happens.

 

[jnastasi]

I'll never forget how happy I was when UK lost in the Elite 8 to WVU (the night before our Baylor game). I knew if we could just get by Baylor, the doors were wide open for the title.

UK would have been a fascinating matchup, they were LOADED with talent, no experience, and a questionable in-game coach. We were the opposite, we had tons of experience, not really any NBA-level talent, but the GOAT coach. I remember UK was the favorite going into the tournament, but I think we would have beat them.

Just another example of how tough it is to win the tournament, let alone win it with a bunch of freshman. No matter how talented those freshman are and UKs were as talented as any one and done class ever. UPPERCLASSMEN win championships.

 

[christophero]

That 2010 team was tough. Baylor was blocking a lot of our shots. But oddly towards the end they missed shots when we made them, and gave us some open looks. Maybe they were tired. Lance and Zoubek just kept plugging away, and the Plumlees were the perfect frontcourt subs. Luckily we had Scheyer and Smith in the backcourt who could play big minutes as Dawkins was our only backcourt sub.

 

[jwill133]

Everyone remember how bad things were before the 09-10 season?? Not only did we miss out on the #1 recruit Harrison Barnes, but Elliott Williams transferred out. I was so upset when Williams left because he was exactly the player Duke had lacked for so many years. A long, rangy, athletic guy who's calling card would be defense and playmaking.

Regardless, whenever I worry about the future of Duke basketball, I think back to the 2010 team and then think about the 2015 team. K can win with any style, and he's gonna do whatever sets up the program for the best chance to win. We may see a massive overhaul with the way recruiting goes if the top 10 guys no longer choose college, but I trust K will have Duke ahead of the curve.

 

[timo0402]

Everyone remember how bad things were before the 09-10 season?? Not only did we miss out on the #1 recruit Harrison Barnes, but Elliott Williams transferred out. I was so upset when Williams left because he was exactly the player Duke had lacked for so many years. A long, rangy, athletic guy who's calling card would be defense and playmaking.

So accurate. I always say the same things. Additionally, while i understand the POV in both sides of the freshman vs upperclassmen argument that folks make. It’s an unfair comparison. At most you have a handful and i mean 2-3 teams that might be freshman dominated and talented enough to make noise. That means you have probably 5x that amount with upper class experience that have a chance. It’s not a fair argument. It’s the equivalent of taking one team or the field. Additionally, to your point above, i don’t care how the team is crafted as long as when we go into each season, we have a realistic chance to win it. In those 2007-09 teams that was not the case.

 

[jwill133]

So accurate. I always say the same things. Additionally, while i understand the POV in both sides of the freshman vs upperclassmen argument that folks make. It’s an unfair comparison. At most you have a handful and i mean 2-3 teams that might be freshman dominated and talented enough to make noise. That means you have probably 5x that amount with upper class experience that have a chance. It’s not a fair argument. It’s the equivalent of taking one team or the field. Additionally, to your point above, i don’t care how the team is crafted as long as when we go into each season, we have a realistic chance to win it. In those 2007-09 teams that was not the case.

Couldn't agree more. I really have no preference, I just want Duke to win, and win in any way possible. You are exactly right to point out that saying freshman dominated teams don't win titles is inaccurate.
IMO there have been 2 programs with freshman dominated teams (Duke and UK) and the fact that both programs won a title this decade with those teams is pretty remarkable. Sure, 8 other titles this decade were won with upperclassman, of course there was, because every other program in America is trying to win that way.

It drives me crazy when folks complain about the 2018 and 2019 Duke teams. I know we came up short, and I know we had all the talent in the world. But those teams had a CHANCE to win the title, and in college basketball that's all you can hope for. The older teams of 07-09 had 0 chance. Same with 2012 and 2014, which weren't young teams.

 

[timo0402]

Couldn't agree more. I really have no preference, I just want Duke to win, and win in any way possible. You are exactly right to point out that saying freshman dominated teams don't win titles is inaccurate.
IMO there have been 2 programs with freshman dominated teams (Duke and UK) and the fact that both programs won a title this decade with those teams is pretty remarkable. Sure, 8 other titles this decade were won with upperclassman, of course there was, because every other program in America is trying to win that way.

It drives me crazy when folks complain about the 2018 and 2019 Duke teams. I know we came up short, and I know we had all the talent in the world. But those teams had a CHANCE to win the title, and in college basketball that's all you can hope for. The older teams of 07-09 had 0 chance. Same with 2012 and 2014, which weren't young teams.

The only thing I’d change in this post is your statement that every other team in America is trying to win that way. I bet if you polled every other coach in America and asked how they’d do it, they’d go the route we have. Give me the most talent i can get, regardless of class, and I’ll take my chances. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t but you’ll always have a chance.

 

[christophero]

I'm not sure every coach in America would want to coach 4 freshman starters, no matter how good.

 

[kingbluedevil]

That 2010 team played very hard on both sides of the ball.

 

[springsportster]

I was at this game against Baylor. It was wonderful. Lost my voice being surrounded by Baylor fans in Houston.

 

[BOOGIEMAN1914]

Baylor was a championship team w/ athletes....that was a BIG win

 

[christophero]

Agreed it was a classic contrast of styles. If we don't have the Plumlees to keep our bigs fresh/out of foul trouble we lose that game. We had great frontcourt depth on that team, and even had Kelly if needed.

 

[christophero]

Watching Duke Florida from 1999. How did we not win the title that year? Brand, Burgess, Battier, James, Carrawell, Maggette, Langdon, Avery. That team was just ridiculous. Burgess looked like an NBA draft pick in that game. (we were up 20 in the first half)

 

[timo0402]

Watching Duke Florida from 1999. How did we not win the title that year? Brand, Burgess, Battier, James, Carrawell, Maggette, Langdon, Avery. That team was just ridiculous. Burgess looked like an NBA draft pick in that game. (we were up 20 in the first half)

Avery set the record for most 3s in that game too. One of my favorite old games to watch.

 

[christophero]

Agreed. Maggette seemed a bit underused; he could have had a Tatum type year with more minutes. What a weapon he was. He might be my favorite OAD guy.

 

[timo0402]

Agreed. Maggette seemed a bit underused; he could have had a Tatum type year with more minutes. What a weapon he was. He might be my favorite OAD guy.

Corey was so good. Having him and Avery back would have been amazing. So much regret.

 

[christophero]

Those were definitely the "wait your turn" days which may have frustrated CM. Every game I've seen he plays great when he's in; but rarely got big minutes, at least not when it mattered. Today with that team he'd be in the starting line up.

 

[bullettoothtony]

Wasn't Langdon injured during the ACC Tournament at some point, and Maggette started and played really well? Am I remembering that correctly?

 

[christophero]

I can't remember.