***DUKE VS NORTH CAROLINA OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***

[HuffyJB]

Most of the duke fans were deflated. I could only imagine the guys playing

For sure, and that mental impact runs both ways: I'm sure UNC spent the bulk of their time preparing for Zion, and 30 seconds into the game they get the gift of not having to play him. That's a mental bump for them, while being incredibly deflating for Duke.

 

[DukefanKY]

Well, I have to give it to Roy, he showed some real class about Zion's absence on the game. Thanks, Roy.

OFC

For sure

 

[PixelDevil]

Overshadowed was Javin's eye injury. I hope that's nothing, cause we're definitely gonna need him going forward. COuldn't tell if the yes was swelling, or if he just had it closed. I thought he played really well tonight.

 

[statelinecock]

Hopefully good news for Zion. That being said tonight losing millions flashed in front of his eyes. He'll never play another second of basketball without pay nor should he.

 

[FearTheBeard]

Key to beat Duke hope for an injury.

30 years and it’s still running strong.

 

[PixelDevil]

Hopefully good news for Zion. That being said tonight losing millions flashed in front of his eyes. He'll never play another second of basketball without pay nor should he.

wat

 

[pisgah101]

K saying that means he plays Saturday

 

[Mpm277]

I don't really care about this game at all other than the fact that we're extremely vulnerable with the absence of Zion. I just hope Zion can still play this season.

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

Hopefully good news for Zion. That being said tonight losing millions flashed in front of his eyes. He'll never play another second of basketball without pay nor should he.

You’re an idiot. He could tear his damn acl mcl tomorrow and go top 5 in the draft. Sorry but yea.

 

[FearTheBeard]

wat

I can translate that for you.

“I’m not a Duke fan and I REALLY hope Zion is scared to play because I’m scared crapless if he does suit up for Duke again.”

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

Hopefully good news for Zion. That being said tonight losing millions flashed in front of his eyes. He'll never play another second of basketball without pay nor should he.

Ridiculous. If this truly is a mild sprain, he will play again for Duke this year.

OFC

 

[Duke1783]

You’re an idiot. He could tear his damn acl mcl tomorrow and go top 5 in the draft. Sorry but yea.

He could tear his ACL tomorrow and still want to play. He young man is all heart

 

[Fightfan1]

For sure

Roy is a good dude. I know fans hate opposing rival coaches, but K and Roy are great friends and Roy has always been classy.

 

[denverexpat]

Duke medical is something else so he will be back. He's a true Duke player...nothing will stop him getting back and competing to win #6

 

[Mac9192]

I don’t think we were exposed - just unprepared. We are still a good team without Zion, it just calls for a different gameplan. Coach K and staff prepared the team in practice for today’s game with Zion included. Taking out Zion throws the whole gameplan in the trash and everything gets re-arranged at a moments notice. That’s the tough part.

No offense, but I don’t think you get what I said. The exposed part is the gap between our one and dones and the rest of the guys. It’s feast or famine. Has nothing to do with effort. Our development of our players isn’t what it should be. That’s obvious.

 

[Duke1783]

UNCheat is going to back themselves right into a 1 seed

 

[PixelDevil]

For those of you who work with UNx fans, I feel for you tomorrow. You have my sympathies.

 

[chov1125]

I don’t think we were exposed - just unprepared. We are still a good team without Zion, it just calls for a different gameplan. Coach K and staff prepared the team in practice for today’s game with Zion included. Taking out Zion throws the whole gameplan in the trash and everything gets re-arranged at a moments notice. That’s the tough part.

I would agree with this. The physical X’s and O’s and the mental aspect of it all, there’s no preparing for something like what happened tonight.

I will say it exposes something, it exposes our lack of depth. Swapping out a Zion or Tre for AOC, Jordan or Jack is not good. They are currently capabale of playing a specific role, not major minutes. Jack maybe, but his head is in such a funk right now, I feel awful for the kid. But we have a big problem right now and it’s what we are getting from our bench.

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

Zion’s injury is similar to the injury that Reid Travis suffered in Kentucky’s game against Missouri but it didn’t look quite as bad as when Reid Travis got injured. I hate seeing players get injured even if they play for another team especially college players and anyone that would wish/hope that a player would get injured is a pos. When Cam Johnson crashed into the photographers under the basket my first thought was that I hope that it isn’t too serious.

 

[bluedevilfan42]

Hopefully good news for Zion. That being said tonight losing millions flashed in front of his eyes. He'll never play another second of basketball without pay nor should he.

Geez the idiots are coming out of the woodwork tonight.

 

[Duke1783]

For those of you who work with UNx fans, I feel for you tomorrow. You have my sympathies.

I’m already getting blown up on FB.

 

[PatrickYates]

Seriously though, all bs aside.. what happened to our Defense?

I understand the first half.. shock from the Zion loss. But the 2nd half wasn't any better.

Anyone who knows the xs and os give some more detail?

Our D isn't as great as it looks. We get a high number of steals and blocks. But when we don't get a steal, or a block, the other team tends to get a good look. Not necessarily a wide open look, but a good look. Take out a few steals and blocks, and the other team ends up with a lot of good looks.

 

[denverexpat]

Roy knows... · Coach Roy Williams exact quote at the post game Press Conference. “We played a heck of a game but let’s be honest when the big fella went down it made a huge difference”

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

For those of you who work with UNx fans, I feel for you tomorrow. You have my sympathies.

Oh yeah, they're going to be a rowdy bunch for sure.

OFC

 

[pisgah101]

For those of you who work with UNx fans, I feel for you tomorrow. You have my sympathies.

I don’t but I deactivated my Facebook with 11 minutes left lol I can’t take it so I’ll log in next week

 

[Mpm277]

We have no depth. Javin gives us almost nothing. Jack gives us nothing. AOC gives us nothing. Jordan can help out on defense but provides nothing on offense. Bolden is regularly lost. Our offense is literally just Cam, RJ, and Zion. Trey is a warrior on defense but can't shoot and doesn't attack. Zion goes down and we can't expect just RJ and Cam to win games.

 

[tp394]

Gosh it is so frustrating seeing all these people being like “you still have so many other McDonald’s all Americans. That’s not an excuse as to why you lost.” I just don’t understand how people can’t understand that when you make a team you put pieces together that make them all fit. Like a puzzle. And when you lose a major piece like Zion unexpectedly it just doesn’t work. It affects everything. Yes we still had a ton of talent on the court but you can’t take a player out like that even with a bunch of other talent and expect it to all just be fine

Like this clown

 

[pisgah101]

No offense, but I don’t think you get what I said. The exposed part is the gap between our one and dones and the rest of the guys. It’s feast or famine. Has nothing to do with effort. Our development of our players isn’t what it should be. That’s obvious.

Yup pretty ridiculous Carolina turns Maye into a star and we can’t even get points from low 5s and 4 stars

 

[Jnood]

Its times like this, that having quit drinking, even though it’s been 9 years, is really tough!

 

[jcdevilfan]

Well folks, I am sick to my stomach over the injury to Zion, to hell with the game!
K says "mild knee sprain" and I hope he is right. God, I hurt for this kid and this team, I am so proud of them.
As far as the game goes, the best team won tonight. Make no mistake about it, Carolina is a Final Four team, and if you don't think so, you are not dealing with reality. None of us like them, but they are very good, and when two very good teams meet, this can be the result. Of course losing Zion was huuuuge, but you still have to play the game.
I love this team more right now than I did before the game started tonight, and I will feel the same way tomorrow. Seeing those kids being interviewed in the locker room after game makes me feel worse for them.
Our main focus now should be for the well being Zion, and to remain loyal Duke fans right to the end.
When you go to bed tonight, give thanks for all that you have, and give thanks for having such a great bunch of kids to root for!
As long as you are a Duke fan, win or lose, "IT'S GONNA BE OK"!
Go Duke!
OFC

 

[BlueDaveil]

I’m glad so many people on here apparently learned tonight that we aren’t nearly as good without Zion. Now we can add not being great without our best player to our list of concern with 3 point shooting.

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

Roy might be a good dude but UNC fans are sh!t. @skysdad wasnt their a guy wishing a knee injury before the game on Zion. I got about 10 messages from UNC (ex) friends that I haven’t and won't open. Some “haha I’m retarded” bs probally....priceless bunch of ignorant pricks. Gahhh I can’t stand them.

 

[FearTheBeard]

For those of you who work with UNx fans, I feel for you tomorrow. You have my sympathies.

Just take it in stride and after Zion comes back with a vengeance in the rematch and Duke wins just stroll in whistling, smiling, and asking them how their day is going.

 

[Jnood]

Why does it always have to be such a damn roller coaster?

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

We got ?s on offense and defense...with Zion.

 

[dukiejay]

Roy is a good dude. I know fans hate opposing rival coaches, but K and Roy are great friends and Roy has always been classy.

They’re not great friends, but both guys are two of the best at what they do, and they’re great people. Not really friends, though.

 

[springsportster]

Duke wins by double digits at UNC. Count on it. Zion will be fine. As bad as we played tonight, he would have been good for 15 minimum on offense and could have stopped UNC from scoring at least 10 points on defense. He was the difference despite the poor play elsewhere. UNC will be in trouble in a few weeks.

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

We got some pretty decent excuses for all 3 of our losses don’t we. Lol. Peace I’m mad I’m out .

 

[germantondevil]

Listening to Eric montross creaming in his underwear refuses to admit Zion not playing made no difference Luke was unstoppable

 

[dukiejay]

Maye was a top-100 kind of recruit. He’s not chopped liver.