Coach K really doing some damn fine work with this team. We will become dangerous.... Off nights will come but they do for every team. Love all the weapons and they really seem to be finding the "togetherness"..... Great sign
***DUKE VS INDIANA OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***
- Thread starter krzyzewskiville
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And everyone still hasn't fired on all cylinders together. Luke can really get going, and when the real Derryck Thornton steps up, this team becomes deadly on O. Will the D hold up is the question.
Well. you were part right. We didn't hold you to 70 but.......nice try though.
OFC
With the personnel IU has, they have no excuse for not defending better.
I too thought it would be closer. It is hard to argue that IU has a lot of talent, just lacking focus and grit. I thought this kind of game would garner them a collective focus, but Duke was too much and that never occurred.
I too thought it would be closer. It is hard to argue that IU has a lot of talent, just lacking focus and grit. I thought this kind of game would garner them a collective focus, but Duke was too much and that never occurred.
Agree and disagree. I agree that IU should be more competitive defensively. I disagree that talent is not a problem -- particularly size. IU's got a lot of good offensive players. But what struck me was how small they were all over the court, and particularly up front. I know true freshman Thomas Bryant is listed at 6'10 245, but the kid looked shorter than Amile and was definitely getting manhandled by him. Their backup 5 (Bielfeldt) is only 6'8 and hardly a space eater either. Bryant literally secured 0 rebounds the entire game and Bielfeldt secured all of 3. In other words, 3 rebounds from their center position. Beyond them, they're also not big at a lot of the other positions either. Yogi is small at the point, their 4 is really a 3 with unremarkable length or athleticism, etc. etc. And a lot of their backups were not great athletes or defenders.
In other words, while they have 4 or 5 guys who are individually very talented offensively, I actually don't think the pieces fit together at all on the defensive end. They just don't have enough size and strength to rebound effectively against a bigger team like Duke, they have basically no rim protection, and at any given moment have a couple guys out there who are going to struggle to defend. It's hard to win that way.
That's a longwinded way of saying focus and grit would help, but I don't think that would solve the problem. They're not built to be a good defensive team against a team like us.
After Duke jumped to an early lead, IU stormed back and seemed to take control...and I thought 'lookout' we've run into a buzzsaw. But Duke bounced back, retook the lead, and sucked the life right out of their team by taking a good halftime lead. Five minutes into the second half the game was pretty much over. I was happy to see a stress free second half, but that really surprised me. I wonder if that game might be the tipping point for Crean's departure.
OFC
I don't know that this game was a tipping point for his departure or not, but it sure looks like it is in the near future. He just doesn't seem to be in control of his team, and I'm not sure how much attention they are paying to him. I noticed during one time out that the player he was speaking to was paying more attention to the assistant coach than Crean.
When I first watched him coach a few years ago, and listen to him speak, I thought he might do a great job at IU, but I think he is becoming a little arrogant. He is definitely stuck on himself, kind of like he is a "Legend in his own mind".
Sure makes you appreciate "K" and the Duke program! Can't believe anyone that enjoys great basketball would not like Duke, if for nothing more than discipline and team play.
Go Duke!!
JC-OFC
When I first watched him coach a few years ago, and listen to him speak, I thought he might do a great job at IU, but I think he is becoming a little arrogant. He is definitely stuck on himself, kind of like he is a "Legend in his own mind".
Sure makes you appreciate "K" and the Duke program! Can't believe anyone that enjoys great basketball would not like Duke, if for nothing more than discipline and team play.
Go Duke!!
JC-OFC
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