***DUKE VS KENTUCKY - CHAMPIONS CLASSIC - OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***
- Thread starter krzyzewskiville
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Thanks! Both teams have a ton of upside, and with that, lots of room to grow. I’m not going to lie… most Duke fans relish in the schadenfreude of beating Kentucky (as do most Kentucky fans with Duke). But, I’m hearing a lot of negativity from your fans, and I don’t get it. It was a well-played, tough game. Up until the very end, you guys were right there. A few of those threes land, and it’s a different game entirely, going into overtime with a team who’s best players were obviously dehydrated. Ty Ty will just get better. The rest of your team will continue to gel. This isn’t last year… for either of us.
A great win. I don't know why Kentucky fans are already looking to next year over at Rupp Rafters when they have a team that can challenge this year. They've got shooters and an amazing big down low who seriously cleans up on the glass. This was a season opener for goodness sakes no matter how big the matchup was.
Duke has Baylor bodies this year, a lot of muscle guys, they will not be pushed around in terms of the physicality. We'll see how the shooting develops going forward but I actually thought Kentucky guarded the three very well. Can't recall a game with that much leg cramping. Guess that let the young guys know that they're not in Kansas anymore they're in big time D1 College Athletics.
K is 7-2 vs Kentucky. Duke went 2-0 vs Kentucky the season before K arrived so Duke has won 9 of the last 11. Series is 12-11 KY.
Duke has Baylor bodies this year, a lot of muscle guys, they will not be pushed around in terms of the physicality. We'll see how the shooting develops going forward but I actually thought Kentucky guarded the three very well. Can't recall a game with that much leg cramping. Guess that let the young guys know that they're not in Kansas anymore they're in big time D1 College Athletics.
K is 7-2 vs Kentucky. Duke went 2-0 vs Kentucky the season before K arrived so Duke has won 9 of the last 11. Series is 12-11 KY.
That big guy on Kentucky's team is going to abuse a lot of people this year. Learning experience for Mark. Remember he didn't come on until late last season and had a great ACC Tournament until COVID ended it abruptly.
Duke vs. Kentucky game recap, plus six observations.
bluedevilstop.com
Paolo Banchero, Trevor Keels lead Duke past Kentucky
To say that the atmosphere in the building leading up to tipoff for this one was electric would be an understatement. That theme would continue throughout the night. This one had the feel of a late March/early April game. There was a high level of intensity on the floor from the opening tip...
bluedevilstop.com
I finally got to watch the game. Great win. I agree we sure look older this year than we have in recent years, bigger and stronger too! Key takeaways for me; Keels is going to be special, Moore had a great game, and Johns was a great pickup! Banchero is so dangerous. Anybody else surprised to see Keels at PG most of the game? I thought we looked good, especially this early. UK is not going to miss the tourney this year.
I am perplexed by the cramping. I know it's early in the season, but these players should be in top condition, and they have a top medical staff behind them. How are they not hydrated? Multiple guys shouldn't be on the bench cramping.
I am perplexed by the cramping. I know it's early in the season, but these players should be in top condition, and they have a top medical staff behind them. How are they not hydrated? Multiple guys shouldn't be on the bench cramping.
It’s funny this was our first preseason doing a secret scrimmage instead of 2 exhibitions. Maybe that made a difference because we’ve never had cramping issues before on the very first game of the season and that was the only change we’ve made. So I don’t know.
With the exception of their center we were just so much stronger out there. If you look at the line-up from last year, this year's team is bigger, stronger, tougher, longer, and has more leadership due to Wendell. Only thing that last year's team may be better at is 3 point shooting.
Matthew Hurt on this team would be unfair
Watching the game, I felt like we moved the ball reasonably well too. But looking at stats this morning, saw we only had something like 7 assists, less than half the number of assists KY got. That surprised me.
Odd game. We shot so bad from 3. KY shot so bad from 2. We had good size but KY brutalized us with Off rebounds.
I think we should shoot better from 3 in the future, this had to be an anomaly. Shooting gets hot and cold. But defense... I think this could be the best defending team we've had in some years and defense shouldn't run hot and cold like shooting does. So that's encouraging.
I said in a post a few weeks back 3 point shooting was my biggest concern. I think we will shoot better from there moving forward, but certainly need to iron that out come conference play.
Don't think we're a good 3 point good shooting team unless Joey gets hot but I also think we're better than yesterdays 1-13
As everyone has already said, Keels and Banchero are studs. Moore was solid as well. I don’t think Kentucky’s that good right now. They should improve. I try not getting too jacked up over one game, and the first one on top of that.
Think we have 2 solid bigs in John and Williams. The concern I have is going forward is our shooting and point guard play. Hope to see better ball movement as the season goes as well.
Not trying to be a Debbie downer, but I’ve seen the movie with Duke having 2 studs and a bunch of hopefuls.
It also started out beating Kentucky.
Think we have 2 solid bigs in John and Williams. The concern I have is going forward is our shooting and point guard play. Hope to see better ball movement as the season goes as well.
Not trying to be a Debbie downer, but I’ve seen the movie with Duke having 2 studs and a bunch of hopefuls.
It also started out beating Kentucky.
I’m extremely high mostly based on the defense. We didn’t shoot good but comfortably had control the entire game. It wasn’t like the blowout with RJ and Zion when we couldn’t play a better game the whole year after that. We got so much room to improve after beating a pretty good Kentucky team that had me surprised..
I couldn't agree more about the scoring. As pleased as I am with winning last night, I DO NOT want another team with two alphas and 4-6 background singers.
I want balanced scoring on offense. At least 4 guys averaging double figures. Not two dudes averaging 21 a game and the next closest is 9.8 or whatever.
The year of RJ and Zion, I heard Mike Greenberg reveal this stat: no team has ever won the national championship when two guys account for over 50% of the team's scoring.
I don't think that'll happen with this team though. Wendell should definitely be a reliable double digit scorer. And I think AJ should eventually be a double digit scorer. Williams has the capability certainly.
Roach should be able to pump in 9 or 10 a game, with 4-5 assists.
Balance is key on offense IMO.
And yes, ball movement. 31 field goals, 7 assists. Don't like.
But it's one game. We should be a pretty good passing team moving forward.
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I don't get the Duke has peaked talk on rival boards. We have peaked early before, but AJ is just getting back into game shape and our starters are 2 freshman and 2 sophs.
Lol.. we aren't close to peaking. Wishful (irrational) thinking on their part.
Agree. We are better than 1-13, but we have to be atleast 35%. I think we will but I don't want to put that trust entirely in Joey. Keels and Roach will need to step that up.
Once AJ gets going (which will 100% happen) he gives us a all new dimension. I've made it clear on here I'm super high on AJ.
