Our young team got the “close” game (in the NCAA Tournament) out of their system. It’s great learning lessons through wins as opposed to losses. Now they see how fragile the NCAA Tournament can be.
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One positive from the UCF game
- Thread starter Quavarius
- Start date
We haven't faced a matchup like that all year and we overcame it. It helped that their shooters were smoking hot. In years past I think we would have lost this game. Fortunately we got the win and can use this as another example to learn from. UCF could have beaten any team in the country last night with that performance.
Exactly, Honkey. I think people are more critical of Duke's performance because of the letters across our opponent's chest. If that had been UNC, MSU, FSU, etc., on their jerseys then probably not as much complaining. I watched the game closely and UCF played with poise, passion, and guts. That was an excellent performance by them, or anyone else. I'm proud of our guys for not folding when the pressure was mounting on us...and it was. That was a great game. Our team should be proud of the W, and so should us fans.
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Even the ones who said we were toast with 6' to go and we had the lead?
Haha, DukeKY, you know some on here are hopeless! Nothing less than a 30 point win will satisfy. It's not gymnastics, or a Zion dunk contest, it's win or go home. We're not going home, and I'm damn fine with that outcome.
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I'll take a one point win 4 more times!! But I'm not sure if my heart or TV can!!!
You know had we lost last night, our buddy Yates would’ve made a guest appearance.
Unfortunately I have to counter that with a couple of ominous stats I read earlier this morning:
Since 1991, we've never made the Final Four after winning our second round game by single digits.
Also, since 1997, in games following a single-digit win in either the first or second round, we're 2-8.
Here's to bucking some trends, gents.
Stats are fun to play around with but I'm not concerned too much about these, Bullett, 'cause this is a different team, and this is their road, to make or break. It could go wrong, but it won't go wrong because of what's happened in the past, 'cause the past is not part of them.
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I didn't see any panic on our guys down 4 with a minute left. I liked that. Cam has had his struggles, but he rose up and hit that big three. RJ and Zion did what they needed to do to get the job done.
Win and advance.
Win and advance.
I like the way you think.
I was also going to add the most important thing:
None of those teams had Zion.
Coach K needs to sit Tre down in his office today and say “son I know you like going to class and care about your grades BUT we’re here to win championships. We are going to sit here and watch film of Rondo and then we will go in the gym and you will shoot 1000 shots everyday.”
I would think the positive is that we ended up in the Sweet 16, haha.
Good post "Q", and I hope they all felt the sting in their gut when they were down and it looked like they may be done.
My hope would be that this game puts a new energy in them, and they play the next four (4) games like crazed maniacs! If they can get that "D" intensity back (talking,helping & recovering), and everyone decides they are going to focus on the main prize, they can hang #6 in Cameron.
Like "K" asked them during one of the time-outs last night - how bad do you want this!
Go Duke!
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Oh, and UCF beat Houston this season, and in the process breaking their 33 game home winning streak. Again, we beat a good team, just not a household name.
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If we beat Virginia Tech on Friday, make it to the Final Four and beat Gonzaga, we would have avenged every loss on the season.
But, you know, one game at a time.
But, you know, one game at a time.
A lot of us give cam a lot of flack but cam is clutch. It’s hard for me to think of a time down the stretch in the last 3-4 minutes of a close game where he hasn’t hit some big shots. He’s not afraid of the big moment. I’ll give him that
We didn't lose any 1 point games this year either. I would also bet we lost a few 1 point games during those 6 or so years prior to this team too. This team has a mental toughness, and a will to win that allows us the opportunity to win those gut wrenching games at the end. It's a terrific trait to possess. Oh, and we also have Zion.
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The trend or stat I’d like to rid of is the fact that no team with such a poorly rated 3pt % has won an ncaa title....
I am grateful as hell for the W- and will continue to be positive as hell BUT the name of the game in the tourney is stepping on throats as absolute early as possible. Letting the under dog (everybody when your Duke) get confidence and groove is absolute death!!!! We can and should praise UCF, but don’t fool yourselves Duke simply wasn’t good enough Sun night. They just were not. You cannot piss an 8 point half time lead away to a team that has the hottest player. You can’t. Championship teams step on throats early and often. Bottom line!!!!!!
Sunday night was more about what Duke didn’t do then what UCF did.
We’ve gotta get better FAST- VT scares the living F outa me. Dudes are mean.
Sunday night was more about what Duke didn’t do then what UCF did.
We’ve gotta get better FAST- VT scares the living F outa me. Dudes are mean.
I don’t buy this narrative. UCF played out of their minds yesterday. But Duke actually played pretty darn well too. Change the name on UCF’s jersey and we are all talking about one of the gutsiest all-time Duke wins and a team of destiny.
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I thought the most positive outcome of this game was that we won. Did I miss something?
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