MBB: Duke 72, Virginia Tech 65 Post-game Thread

[doctorhook]

78Devil,

We came out smoking with G unstoppable, then we lost our offensive flow in the first half. Second half, we let up a little, VT focused on/stopped G and Kyle stepped up on offense. After VT tied it, our defense was great, stopped VT and we gutted it out down the stretch. Good on ball defense all around, particularly Elliot. Good, tough win. Doc

[MChambers]

Lost in all the "Duke gets all the calls" excuses about the pivot foot at the end of the day is curious jump ball mauling of Singler on the rebound.

It was a poorly officiated game. I hope the league takes action against the Tech player for the elbow on Singler. That kind of stuff deserves a sanction.

[91devil]

Any win on the road is a cherished win. Terrific gut-check by the team in the last five minutes.

The Hokies play very hard all of the time, which is certainly admirable (because it is something that many teams in our conference do not do). Even if they had won this game, however, I still think they would have some work to do to get in the big Tournament (despite what Coach Dykes repeatedly said, I do not think they quite have a big-time resume). I think they need at least two more wins this year (regular season plus ACC Tournement).

Coach Greenberg has repeatedly played the 'we have to fight harder than anyone because some people (read: Duke, UNC) don't want us to be here' card. I think that toughness carries over to the team.

Despite the missed travel call on Jon near the end, which will certainly be rehashed ad-nauseum, I think the more telling reason for their loss was that their point guard, Delaney (who is quite good), had an absolutely miserable game in one that they needed him to have a good one.

Great win Duke!

[arnie]

Anyone else think Greenberg is a coach that gets a tremendous amount out of the talent at Tech? I do.

Tech is also a school that is hard not to like. As mentioned in DBR's pre-game report, their response to the tragedy speaks a lot about the place.

This is tough win against a team that I think are the "good guys".

Wow - I guess that's why we have our own opinions. I actually like the school less than any and although I might get "banned" for saying this, I always pull for the Heels against VPI. I think Greenberg is a thug and a whiner and am enjoying the fact that he's not going to get in again. I would never call their sports progams and players "good guys".

Anyway, GO DUKE!

[dukegirlinsc]

We must have won because Jon traveled three times and the refs did not see it.

Duhhhh, Duke wins every game thanks to the refs.

[Eckster]

Agree about the announcers today. John may have travelled but also had a clear charge taken on the previous play that they called a block. Looked to me like Kyle's rebound tie up on an earlier play was tied up by a guy whose foot was on the baseline. Point is, some things are seen, some not. The questionable calls evened out in this game, I think. Nice win.

[jpfrizzle]

I thought he was traveling myself, but I also could have sworn he may have been getting pushed a tiny bit.

Regardless, my blood pressure is up. These are the games that this team would lose two months ago. It's good to see them pull out wins in these situations.

I believe Jon was being pushed a lil bit too during his pivotal turns.

These past two months have had my blood pressure up as well, very stressful times and more to come I'm afraid to admit.

[dukegirlinsc]

Anyone else think Greenberg is a coach that gets a tremendous amount out of the talent at Tech? I do.

Tech is also a school that is hard not to like. As mentioned in DBR's pre-game report, their response to the tragedy speaks a lot about the place.

This is tough win against a team that I think are the "good guys".

For me, personally, it's not so hard not to like them. They've always seemed to be scrappy and a little low on the class scale, in my opinion.

[should_be_working]

(Also, the T on Gerald was sooo awful. He better have said something really out of line. Seriously.)

After watching the replay a couple of times, G didn't appear to say anything, he gave him a good stare, but I don't think anything was said

Tough win, just glad to get out of there with a win.

[OldPhiKap]

Wow - I guess that's why we have our own opinions. I actually like the school less than any and although I might get "banned" for saying this, I always pull for the Heels against VPI. I think Greenberg is a thug and a whiner and am enjoying the fact that he's not going to get in again. I would never call their sports progams and players "good guys".

Anyway, GO DUKE!

Deron Washington was one of my least-liked (non-Heel) players in conference history. Up there with Tom Sheehey. Even ahead of Joe Wolf.

[91devil]

Agree about the announcers today. John may have travelled but also had a clear charge taken on the previous play that they called a block. Looked to me like Kyle's rebound tie up on an earlier play was tied up by a guy whose foot was on the baseline. Point is, some things are seen, some not. The questionable calls evened out in this game, I think. Nice win.

That's exactly right. The block call on Jon late in the game had 'make-up call' written all over it. Coach Greenberg at one point held up six fingers to show how many charging calls had (accurately) been made on his team.

[OldPhiKap]

Duhhhh, Duke wins every game thanks to the refs.

"8>5"

[DukieInKansas]

Since I'm in Big 12 territory, I had to watch on ESPN 360. Don't know if it was our computer system or theirs, but the screen sure froze often. The game finished at least 10 minutes after y'all started posting about the victory.

Way to hang tough at the end. I'm glad we get all the calls so that we can win. Scheyer did walk, but is it Duke's fault that the refs miss a call?

I'm still shaking my head about the jump ball on Singler's tie up at the end. I thought it should have been a reach in foul, myself.

Enjoy the victory!

[cf-62]

It was a poorly officiated game. I hope the league takes action against the Tech player for the elbow on Singler. That kind of stuff deserves a sanction.

Actually, the precendent has been set in the Miami / OSU game, as well as the Miami / Duke game -- the refs are SUPPOSED to review the video if something obviously happened.

The fact they didn't shows they just weren't interested in elevating THEIR effort to match the teams', as was Gerald's T -- Vasallo almost took Gerald's head off -- with no call -- of COURSE he's going to react -- if refs won't get the game under control, it's up to the players to do it.

[sagegrouse]

Jon got away with a walk in the only minute of the game I was able to see out west. That call is made very rarely, but the announcers pointed it out, so the anti-Duke campaign might have some more travel material in the next week.

Yeah, I heard our idiot savant Jimmy Dykes on the replay. He conveniently ignored that Jon was getting bumped every few tenths of a second, which should have been fouls.

Interesting call by K: Duke had the arrow, so the play was for Scheyer to receive the pass, stay in position, and get fouled; or else, take it out of bounds on a held ball.

I think that is relying too heavily on fate; we'll see if we do that again.

sagegrouse
'I love to get in people's heads by having them think Duke gets all the calls'

[Duvall]

Wow - I guess that's why we have our own opinions. I actually like the school less than any and although I might get "banned" for saying this, I always pull for the Heels against VPI. I think Greenberg is a thug and a whiner and am enjoying the fact that he's not going to get in again. I would never call their sports progams and players "good guys".

Agreed, except for pulling for the Heels. And soon we'll see the other major reason to dislike VPI&SU, the way their fans descend like locusts on anything resembling criticism of the Hokies anywhere on the Internet.

P.S. Expansion was an expensive mistake.

[78Devil]

Based on what you saw of VT today, what kind of chance will they have against the Holes at home? Will their loss to us deflate them or inspire them?

[diablesseblu]

Actually, the precendent has been set in the Miami / OSU game, as well as the Miami / Duke game -- the refs are SUPPOSED to review the video if something obviously happened.

The fact they didn't shows they just weren't interested in elevating THEIR effort to match the teams', as was Gerald's T -- Vasallo almost took Gerald's head off -- with no call -- of COURSE he's going to react -- if refs won't get the game under control, it's up to the players to do it.

I'm so glad you mentioned the lack of a video review. Have been astonished at how few times I've seen it used this year.

The quality/consistency of the officiating has been abysmal in recent ACC games.

Maybe Johnny Swofford's too busy campaigning for Myles Brand's job to notice?

[Neals384]

It was a poorly officiated game. I hope the league takes action against the Tech player for the elbow on Singler. That kind of stuff deserves a sanction.

#1 Terrell Bell was the guy who caught Singler on the chin with his elbow. Looked intentional to me. I was amazed Kyle stayed in the game.

[cf-62]

sagegrouse
'I love to get in people's heads by having them think Duke gets all the calls'

You can't really have rational conversation with idiots that think we get everything, so I've started telling people we SHOULD be getting all the calls since I give $1,000 annually to the "pay off the refs" fund.