MBB Duke 76, Purdue 60 Post-Game

[Jumbo]

Yes, this is the only negative I take out of the game. Dang, I just don't want to see us fall into a small 7 man rotation in the second half of every game that isn't a blow out. I know we actually played more than 7 in the second half, but the lion's share went to 7 after Zoub's left early in the quarter. I still say Marty earned minutes from the last outing and I don't know how putting him in for a few minutes in the first and second half over Elliot would have hurt. EW didn't do much, although admittedly he was only playing spot duty. I just hope we can get to a place where guys like Marty, Elliot and even Plumlee can get just a few minutes in in each half. I just firmly believe that will pay major, major dividends at the end of the year. The last thing I want to hear in March is that our guys are tired. I've heard that too much in the last 6 years. We have more than enough horses this year to make that a non-factor.

Go Duke!!!!

I'm not at all worried about that. We had a very solid eight-man, veteran rotation (the five starters, Paulus, Thomas and McClure) out there for most of the night. We didn't play small. When Zoubek got into foul trouble, K went to Plumlee for a bit in the second half, too. I think Elliot will eventually rise to a level where he can compete in games like this.

This was not a game to experiment, though, and not a game for Marty. This was a nasty, grind-it-out, physical, D-up-or-sit-out game. We had the right guys out there, we went deeper than Purdue and we're fine going forward.

[JDev]

The adjectives "tough" and "hard-nosed" have been thrown around in reference to Duke opponents SIU, and then Purdue. One thing is abundantly clear tonight: Duke, and most specifically Singler, is just flat out tougher.

[COYS]

I thought Gerald had one of the best games you'll ever see out of someone who shoots only 1-8 and scores only two points. He certainly didn't let his offensive struggles effect his play on the other end of the court. Well done.

Blocks, assists, rebounds, and strong D . . . he had everything going but his shot tonight. I'm also waiting for him to break out on offense, but if you have to have a 1-8, 2 point night, this was definitely the way to have one.

[dcarp23]

Nice Defense good game. Dont like Jon playing 38 minutes, and Kyle playing 35 minutes when we have a double digit lead the whole game.

While people aren't going to quit worrying about it, it should be noted that Shane Battier played more than 35 mpg his last two years and that Jason Williams averaged over 33 mpg for his career. I think Duke will be fine with Scheyer and Singler playing 36 minutes some games.

[Gooch]

I'm not at all worried about that. We had a very solid eight-man, veteran rotation (the five starters, Paulus, Thomas and McClure) out there for most of the night. We didn't play small. When Zoubek got into foul trouble, K went to Plumlee for a bit in the second half, too. I think Elliot will eventually rise to a level where he can compete in games like this.

This was not a game to experiment, though, and not a game for Marty. This was a nasty, grind-it-out, physical, D-up-or-sit-out game. We had the right guys out there, we went deeper than Purdue and we're fine going forward.

I agree wholeheartedly. The 8-man rotation seems much more even this year vs. previous years where it felt more like 5 or 6 "starters" + a couple "reserves". When we sub in I don't feel like there's a drop off at all. And two or three guys who can steal minutes off the bench at this point in the season is a blessing--if they can improve through the season we can be a really, really deep team.

I really like this team...it's going to be a fun season.

[dukebluelemur]

While people aren't going to quit worrying about it, it should be noted that Shane Battier played more than 35 mpg his last two years and that Jason Williams averaged over 33 mpg for his career. I think Duke will be fine with Scheyer and Singler playing 36 minutes some games.

More important to me than the number of minutes Singler plays is the number of minutes for Lance/Z. As long as they play 30-35, and relieve Kyle from having to guard the 5, I'm not ask concerned.

Scheyer... well, he was running the show at the end, and seems like our preferred late game FT shooter, hard to take him out at the end. Also, for some reason I dont feel the same concern over him getting tired. He works his butt off but he does it so quietly I never really seem to notice him getting overworked. Not that that really means anything.

[BlueintheFace]

It was very obvious that the Boilermaker fans have a lot of growing to do... I mean come on... "Booooooo" was their main cheer and "Paulus Sucks" was their only cheer that put two words together... very poor showing. Or in terms they can understand... Booooooooo

[dukelifer]

More important to me than the number of minutes Singler plays is the number of minutes for Lance/Z. As long as they play 30-35, and relieve Kyle from having to guard the 5, I'm not ask concerned.

Scheyer... well, he was running the show at the end, and seems like our preferred late game FT shooter, hard to take him out at the end. Also, for some reason I dont feel the same concern over him getting tired. He works his butt off but he does it so quietly I never really seem to notice him getting overworked. Not that that really means anything.

Z needs to stay out of foul trouble. Plumlee will get better once he gets used to the speed of the college game- hopefully he will get some minutes against some of the weaker opponents coming up. Lance has shown that he can give solid minutes and that should help keep Singler fresher.

[Kimist]

After the "Paulus sucks" chant, I'm wondering how long it will take for Singler to become the most hated current Duke player. He plays with the same kind of energy and tenacity that makes us loathe Hansblahblah, and he also has a certain swagger that reminds me of Redick and Laettner, among others. Plus he seems to get into it with opposing players on a fairly regular basis--not necessarily as the instigator, but he certainly doesn't back down. I love watching him play, and I think his energy helps the team as a whole.

I think the Duke haters are currently confused and will continue to focus on Paulus in general and on Henderson (especially the smurfs) in particular for venting their programmed hatred.

But as others have noted, Singler is the first player in recent years to carry that Laettner-esque smirk and also have the ability to back it up. (Yes, JJ gets honorable mention!) There is no doubt were Singler to hang around for four years that he could well be the lead poster boy for the opposing fans. I do expect him to make considerable "progress" in that area this season!

k

[watzone]

I thought it was a fabulous team effort. Gotta love our defense, free throw shooting and rebounding.

More thoughts - http://bluedevilnation.net/?p=1395

[Lulu]

So if we had lost I wouldn't say anything about this. However, even after such a big win I just have to state that the officiating was absolutely awful. Murder on one end, and inconsistent throughout. Maybe you have to flail in the Big 10 to confirm and let the ref know you've been fouled... sorta like "calling your own fouls". I don't know what to think but it was just ridiculous watching both ends tonight. I expected a typical rough game, but not such inconsistent officiating. And then there were just the bizarre calls, like the Plumlee charge I still need to go back and look at. It was like "clang-whistle" all night.

[Jumbo]

Scheyer... well, he was running the show at the end, and seems like our preferred late game FT shooter, hard to take him out at the end. Also, for some reason I dont feel the same concern over him getting tired. He works his butt off but he does it so quietly I never really seem to notice him getting overworked. Not that that really means anything.

I think that might because of this memorable story. Apparently, he can't get tired!

[Oriole Way]

By the way, how nice was it to have Kyle getting such huge offensive rebounds (usually coming from seemingly out of nowhere), putting them back up for baskets on more than one occasion?

We usually don't have players make those plays.

Doesn't it seem that other players on opposing teams do that to us a lot? Nice to be the ones grabbing big boards and getting second chance points. Those are deflating plays for the opposition.

[Jumbo]

By the way, how nice was it to have Kyle getting such huge offensive rebounds (usually coming from seemingly out of nowhere), putting them back up for baskets on more than one occasion?

We usually don't have players make those plays.

Doesn't it seem that other players on opposing teams do that to us a lot? Nice to be the ones grabbing big boards and getting second chance points. Those are deflating plays for the opposition.

Yup. It helped that we were playing against a small team. But the effort we saw should translate against bigger teams, too.

As an aside, I think one of the reasons for the supposed trend in Duke "fading" late in the season has to do with effort. Duke just plays so hard every game, and I don't think most programs can muster that kind of effort in December. In the Tourney, though, everyone is playing hard. So, that takes away some of Duke's inherent advantage -- that we'll just outwork you. It's a theory, at least ...

[Oriole Way]

Yup. It helped that we were playing against a small team. But the effort we saw should translate against bigger teams, too.

As an aside, I think one of the reasons for the supposed trend in Duke "fading" late in the season has to do with effort. Duke just plays so hard every game, and I don't think most programs can muster that kind of effort in December. In the Tourney, though, everyone is playing hard. So, that takes away some of Duke's inherent advantage -- that we'll just outwork you. It's a theory, at least ...

I think that's true, but I also think the injuries and fatigue were HUGE factors.

Last season, Singler was tired. Gerald had a bad wrist and needed significant surgery and recovery time. Paulus and Thomas were both playing very hurt, and needed surgery. Pocius out for the year obviously, when the year before he played some valuable minutes in our last two post-season games. Zoubek was nowhere near 100%. DeMarcus was tired and I had heard he was sick for our last loss.

The season before, Paulus and Thomas had injuries (I could be wrong about Thomas). I'm sure there were others, but the state of the team health-wise that year isn't as clear in my memory. That season we were just so young and dysfunctional with McRoberts.

I will be REALLY disappointed if we fade in March again. So much talent, experience, depth, and for the first time in a while, good health on the team.

[Jumbo]

I think that's true, but I also think the injuries and fatigue were HUGE factors.

Last season, Singler was tired. Gerald had a bad wrist and needed significant surgery and recovery time. Paulus and Thomas were both playing very hurt, and needed surgery. Pocius out for the year obviously, when the year before he played some valuable minutes in our last two post-season games. Zoubek was nowhere near 100%. DeMarcus was tired and I had heard he was sick for our last loss.

The season before, Paulus and Thomas had injuries (I could be wrong about Thomas). I'm sure there were others, but the state of the team health-wise that year isn't as clear in my memory. That season we were just so young and dysfunctional with McRoberts.

I will be REALLY disappointed if we fade in March again. So much talent, experience, depth, and for the first time in a while, good health on the team.

Agreed completely. Basketball is a complex game, and the most underrated area of importance is pure luck/randomness.

[greybeard]

Really solid game against a very determined and physical opponent that wanted to make Duke play ugly, seemingly as priority number one, and to take players on physically. I loved the way everybody on the Duke team not only stood up to the physical play, but said, I see you 10 and raise you 20. Wow. And, I do mean everybody.

Jon did a tremendous job against very physical pressure all over the court. He looked much more comfortable on his shot (that vertibrae must have popped back in alignment ), and I enjoyed watching him successfully make plays penetrating the defense. Now let me pick a nit or two. I think it was in the first half, Jon had it between the wing and the corner deep, Z was low, with his guy somewhat siding him on the side away from the baseline. Z was asking for the ball high and to the basket (at least that is what I saw), Jon hesitated and didn't throw it. A few games before, Jon and Z were in the same configuration, Jon lobbed it but a tad low and short, looking for Z to come to the ball. It was intercepted. This time I thought that Jon was too protective of Z. The play was there, Z had the guy (no he didn't have him sealed as well as everyone would like, but he had him) and a reactive read of Z would have allowed Z to try to make a play.

If there is one thing that I thought Purdue did a good job of taking away was any consistent ability by Duke to attack the rim. Certainly off of anything easy, off a penetrating pass. I think that that must have been deliberate on Purdue's part.

What can anyone say about Kyle that hasn't been said. I'm not sure this makes sense, but I don't know that I can recall a player that plays both bigger and smaller than he looks as well as Kyle does, and so seemlessly.

Gerald I thought helped bring the game to the rim, and I thought that that was important in the first half. I thought Gerald's basket in the first half, you know the one, was very big--brought the game to the basket in a way that left at least three bad-a#$ Boilermakers wondering what to make of it.

And, hey, when McClure squared and took that 3 in the face of the beginning of what looked like it might be a Purdue run, which was oh so much the thing to do but in the past he might have passed on it, and it just dropped in, well, you had to be glad for the kid and for what it means for this team's will and ability to win.

Zoubek and Lance competed hard and both scored at the rim. The in-your-shirt-defense on the exterior made penetrating passes to them extremely difficult. I don't know that running better routes (okay, Jumbo, sealing better) would have made a difference. High marks for getting after it, and finishing when they had the chance. (I know that there are those who will disagree with this read, but I thought it was terrific that Z established enough room and control to be able to miss and then tap; to me those are territorial-statement plays.)

Oh, Smith was terrific and I thought that Paulus had one of his better all around games.

[Jumbo]

What can anyone say about Kyle that hasn't been said. I'm not sure this makes sense, but I don't know that I can recall a player that plays both bigger and smaller than he looks as well as Kyle does, and so seemlessly.

That's actually quite eloquent.

[dukemomLA]

Great game all around, especially on D. What a fun hard-fought game to watch! And agreeing with other posts, the officiating was atrocious and definitely anti-Duke. (Not that it mattered)

If I can nit-pic I have two concerns: 1) Duke has the ability to host two 5 person teams that would start for most schools in the country. I would like Coach K make more use of that (although tonight's game might not have been the best time for that). 2) I would like this amazing team develop more of a "killer instinct." As the year goes on, I (selfish that I am) want them to learn the "crush 'em like a bug" mentality. Don't even give the other team the THOUGHT that they have a chance.

[wisteria]

I don't have anything more to say. But did everyone see Singler making face (which was kinda silly lol) after making 2 threes? That's where I said, man, if Singler were on some other team I would have absolutely hated him.

But he's a Dukie. And thank God (or K) for that!