***DUKE VS SYRACUSE OFFICIAL GAMEDAY THREAD***

[krzyzewskiville]

I’m really looking forward to this one. In a year that the ACC is down a bit, it at least feels like there hasn’t been as many marquee matchup’s of late.

This game certainly fits that bill - especially with the added cliffhanger on Moore’s availability tonight. Anytime we head to the Carrier Dome and face off against Boeheim and the Orange, it’s going to be a good game.

The key to beating Syracuse all comes down to your offense and its ability to attack the 2-3 matchup. You’d think as long as Coach Boeheim has been using it, it would lose its effectiveness. Especially in games when you’re facing a coach that is an elite tactician - like Coach K.

But that defense is always evolving, always adapting and because you really don’t face it throughout the year – it’s tough to prepare for. Different is often effective. So at the end of the day, can we attack the middle of the zone and hit shots? That’s what it will come down to - it’ll be tight, but I think we get it done.

Duke enters tonight‘s match up as -6.0 favorite. The two teams will tip at 8pm est and it will air on ESPN.

Duke 74

Syracuse 68

GO DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DukefanKY]

I think we double up on the spread

Duke. 81
Cuse 69











And if you look at my weekly challenge picks and standing, you’ll see that I don’t know SQUAT!!

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

Duke 80
Syracuse 70

 

[Fourteen44]

Duke 67
Orange Peels 65

 

[Laettner15]

Duke - 78
Cuse - 72

do no settle for 3s and give Carey touches on offense

 

[QC Dukie]

Duke 69
Orange 66

 

[JohnstonCDevil]

This is usually Alex's game to shine. He does again!!!! Duke by a dozen!!
OFC

 

[skysdad]

Duke 74
Syracuse 68

I feel this is gonna be a close one.

Need to wear our big boy uniforms tonight.

OFC

 

[Blueline Devil]

Duke 74
Syracuse 68

I feel this is gonna be a close one.

Need to wear our big boy uniforms tonight.

OFC

Speaking of uniforms, I read somewhere that we'll be wearing the Navy Blue ones that we wore against Wake.

 

[sheyduke]

Duke but there gonna have to hit jumpers and from the outside .

 

[chov1125]

I will be looking for us to come out strong early. We are a team of two paths. The team that came out against Mich St, dominating early and never looking back. And the team that came out against Clemson and Louisville, falling behind early and constantly playing catch up. Get out stay out.

Syracuse takes a ton of 3’s but I’m not sure they are a great 3 point shooting team. Buddy and Joe are volume shooters that need 15 to make 5 or 6. Disrupt their flow and force contested shots. Don’t let the crowd get into it. Take care of the ball and find the right shot on offense. Crash the boards but always have a guy or 2 back so we aren’t getting beat down the floor. Do all of the above and the talent disparity will result in a 10+ pt win.

 

[Blueline Devil]

I think we match up well against them as long as we're allowed to be physical. Our best two defenders, Tre and JGold will match up against Girard and Boeheim. Hurt will finally play against someone who might me thinner than him and Moore will match up against Hughes. As long as we limit turnovers and hit some 3's we'll be fine. Even if we miss, we're one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country.

Duke-68
Cuse-56

 

[pisgah101]

Worried bad

Duke-82
Cuse-80

 

[Hurley22]

It's pretty simple really, if we are going to take 30 threes, we have to hit more than 5. Hopefully we are getting the ball in the middle of the zone and working from there. If they are good threes then great, but please no passing around the perimeter for 20 seconds and then jacking one up. We should feast on offensive glass tonight too.

Duke 78
Cuse 74

 

[hart2chesson]

The key to beating Syracuse all comes down to your offense and its ability to attack the 1-3-1 matchup.

Good rundown as always K'ville, but unless they've changed it isnt that a 2-3 zone 'Cuse runs??? You are correct about where we need to hit our shots from. Glad the game is on ESPN HD....

DUKE 68
CUSE 67

OFC

 

[Fourteen44]

Worried bad

Duke-82
Cuse-80

Put your big boy pants on!!! Lol

 

[dukesince91]

Duke 80
Cuse 68
Bank it!

 

[layneja]

Duke 78
Cuse 69

Big game for Stanley.

 

[catdaddy48]

Is Moore playing?

 

[PixelDevil]

Duke 86
Cuse 64

I'm expecting domination from start to finish

 

[krzyzewskiville]

Good rundown as always K'ville, but unless they've changed it isnt that a 2-3 zone 'Cuse runs??? You are correct about where we need to hit our shots from. Glad the game is on ESPN HD....

DUKE 68
CUSE 67

OFC

Definitely right - it’s a 2-3 matchup. Tark the Shark
used to used the 1-3-1 amoeba defense. I may or may not have been an hour into an ambien lol.

 

[FearTheBeard]

I hate playing @ Cuse. Bad feeling about this one but I’m going to stay positive.

Duke 78
Cuse 76

 

[Laettner15]

He’s back!

 

[PixelDevil]

I’m going to stay positive

Oh you had better, or you know...

Spoiler

 

[PixelDevil]

View embedded media

He’s back!

Fantastic news!

 

[Quavarius]

Duke 76
Syracuse 68

 

[skysdad]

I hate playing @ Cuse. Bad feeling about this one but I’m going to stay positive.

Duke 78
Cuse 76

I feel the same. Don't know why but just don't like to play them at home or away. OFC

 

[Buzzooka Joe]

We have really missed Moore.. I did not realize how important he is to this team (specifically on defense) until he was out.. we can win a National Championship if all of our 10 man rotation players stay healthy the rest of the way.

 

[Louisville Crazie]

Back at full strength!!! Let’s Go!

 

[Dad2ze]

Duke - 83
Cuse - 66

 

[Mac9192]

If 2 of these guys (Alex, Jack, Joey, and Matthew) hit double figures, we will cover easily.

 

[500HP_Devil]

Duke wins! No ideas on score. Glad Wendell is back - we need him.

In other news Louisville is at NCSU and is a 4pt favorite. Would be great for Duke if Louisville dropped this one. I like our remaining schedule vs theirs.

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

View embedded media

He’s back!

Yes! Glad to see Wendell back!!

 

[duke198025]

Let's hope that was the last injury this year. Wendell ended up not being out too long. He's so important. He and maybe Stanley are the only guys that can get to the rim at will. He hasn't always finished well, but Duke rebounds well so just getting it up on the rim is important. And he means a lot defensively with his strength and length.

 

[Hurley22]

We got a little Moore to work with today.



Thank you. Thank you.

 

[skysdad]

We got a little Moore to work with today.



Thank you. Thank you.

That's a good one. Wish I had thought of that. OFC

 

[dukiejay]

 

[pisgah101]

Oh you had better, or you know...

Spoiler

yep I learned

 

[timo0402]

Let’s Go Duke!

 

[BlueDaveil]

Really glad Wendell is back. I won’t be too disappointed if it takes him a few games to get back to where he was offensively but I’d really like to see an immediate impact on defense from him. As it has been all year, our magic number is 70. Hold the other team to under 70 (we are 15-0 when we do) and we should come away with the W.