MBB: UNC 79, Duke 71 Post-Game Thread

[Jumbo]

Tough loss, but plenty of good signs, too. Discuss here.

[AluminumDuke]

I took a drink every time they mentioned Ty Lawson's stubbed toe. Too drunk to discuss the game now.

[cruxer]

If we could have hit a few more of our open shots out of the offense, we're in a great position to win. We played pretty well, but Carolina absolutely hit open shots and some shots that weren't open. Tough luck with Kyle being out of bounds (barely) on that late rebound that resulted in Lawson's 3-pt play.

The officiating could have been better (the first charge on Kyle?) but didn't cost us the game in any sense. Still, we played well and I feel like we can make a good run in the ACC and NCAAs.

-c

[Wheat/"/"/"]

That was a very good game by Duke and a lucky win by UNC.
Unfortunately for Duke, they were just overmatched and ran out of gas.

I'm a UNC fan, and this UNC team has the dumbest basketball I.Q. I have ever seen from a highly rated team. They didn't deserve to win this game and I now don't think there is any way they will win a NC with these players.
For as many dumb plays they made in the first half, they were worse in the second.

[JDev]

That was a very good game by Duke and a lucky win by UNC.
Unfortunately for Duke, they were just overmatched and ran out of gas.

I'm a UNC fan, and this UNC team has the dumbest basketball I.Q. I have ever seen from a highly rated team. They didn't deserve to win this game and I now don't think there is any way they will win a NC with these players.
For as many dumb plays they made in the first half, they were worse in the second.

I don't know if I would agree with that, but you certainly watch them more closely than I, or many Duke fans do. What sorts of things are you referring to?

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I don't know if I would agree with that, but you certainly watch them more closely than I, or many Duke fans do. What sorts of things are you referring to?

Fouling a 3 point shooter THREE different times in one game.

Up 7 under 4 to go (I think) DG gets a big block, turns and tries a weak full court bounce pass that my mother could pick off.

DG forced at least three bad outside shots late in the game, but made them.

Once, UNC was up 5 and under 4 to go,(I think) DG forces a three 5 seconds into the shot clock, misses, TL gets the long rebound, and immediately fires up another one that bricked.

Just a few I can think of off hand...

[calltheobvious]

Fouling a 3 point shooter THREE different times in one game.

Up 7 under 4 to go (I think) DG gets a big block, turns and tries a weak full court bounce pass that my mother could pick off.

DG forced at least three bad outside shots late in the game, but made them.

Once, UNC was up 5 and under 4 to go,(I think) DG forces a three 5 seconds into the shot clock, misses, TL gets the long rebound, and immediately fires up another one that bricked.

Just a few I can think of off hand...

Thanks for the perspective, Wheat. It's nice that you have an eye for some UNC breaks that have nothing to do with the officials (who were nowhere near swinging this game).

As I watched the game, it seemed like Carolina converted one tough shot after another. Ellington made two or three absolute circus shots at the rim; he hit a couple of threes with hands right in his eyes; Hansbrough hits two threes in the first half; it's Duke, so a 3-ball decides to fall for Frasor.

Yes, Ellington struggled from the line, but Carolina still benefitted from a substantial amount of luck offensively.

Duke's game-plan was what it had to be. Slowing tempo was the only way to stay in this one. If a couple of those tough Carolina shots don't fall this game goes to the wire, the lopsided rebounds notwithstanding.

I like our chances next week with this team. If we can get everybody healthy in two weeks, I love our chances.

Great effort today, guys. Next play.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

As I watched the game, it seemed like Carolina converted one tough shot after another. Ellington made two or three absolute circus shots at the rim; he hit a couple of threes with hands right in his eyes; Hansbrough hits two threes in the first half..

Exactly my point with UNC. It's fool's gold, and they are winning ugly. Very ugly.
Bad, tough shots that happen to go in...this time.

What is TH doing playing the high post, dribble driving and shooting three's in the first place?
I really have no problem with him shooting threes, I don't think it's luck that he made the wide open ones, he has a nice shot off the catch, but why is he out there the whole first half? Deon has a very good low post game, and we saw a few times he showed it, but most of the time his and TH's first touch in the 1/2 court set was around the foul line...way too far out from the hoop. Why? When they did post up lower, nobody got them the ball and instead they took more bad outside shots.

If this team could ever play a "smart" game the entire 40 minutes, then we would have a NC team. I have yet to see it, and like the MD game, they are going to get too casual with a good team, or too confident that they can overcome their dumb mistakes and it will bite them.

[jipops]

Exactly my point with UNC. It's fool's gold, and they are winning ugly. Very ugly.
Bad, tough shots that happen to go in...this time.

What is TH doing playing the high post, dribble driving and shooting three's in the first place?
I really have no problem with him shooting threes, I don't think it's luck that he made the wide open ones, he has a nice shot off the catch, but why is he out there the whole first half? Deon has a very good low post game, and we saw a few times he showed it, but most of the time his and TH's first touch in the 1/2 court set was around the foul line...way too far out from the hoop. Why? When they did post up lower, nobody got them the ball and instead they took more bad outside shots.

If this team could ever play a "smart" game the entire 40 minutes, then we would have a NC team. I have yet to see it, and like the MD game, they are going to get too casual with a good team, or too confident that they can overcome their dumb mistakes and it will bite them.

But you gotta give some big props to Dancin' Danny for his defense on Henderson and the drives by Ellington were spectacular against a solid defender in Scheyer.

[bleedingblue]

Miles DNP, Marty DNP, Greg 6 min, Nolan hurt DNP, we need to get these guy's a couple minutes with the 2nd season now lets not wear down,bench production today 0 points!!!

[zingit]

As I watched the game, it seemed like Carolina converted one tough shot after another. Ellington made two or three absolute circus shots at the rim; he hit a couple of threes with hands right in his eyes; Hansbrough hits two threes in the first half; it's Duke, so a 3-ball decides to fall for Frasor.

Yes, Ellington struggled from the line, but Carolina still benefitted from a substantial amount of luck offensively.

Yeah, but we hit a few tough shots too, and Carolina also missed some open shots. This does not comfort me.

[hurleyfor3]

I'm a UNC fan, and this UNC team has the dumbest basketball I.Q. I have ever seen from a highly rated team.

Anyone who has seen the DePaul/St. Joseph's game from 1981 would disagree.

[kaufmjo]

We gotta be very happy with the play of Duke's big 3 today but VERY worried about the complete lack of support from others. EWill deserves credit as well. Carolina just REALLY good team when they play well.

To echo a comment made in the ingame thread, Duke's got some issues with the big men. Its sad but Zoubek just cant keep up with ACC big men and is a liability to team. Wish it wasnt the case but he's just 2-3 steps behind.

Anyways Jon was amazing and deserves tons of credit for keeping us in it. G has some spectacular plays and Kyle played tough

[captmojo]

...yet it will happen. The frustration lies with the refs. It isn't terping when it's true. When these three sit to review, they should come away feeling quite embarrassed. The missed traveling violations. (these cut both ways) The foul calling, or lack thereof, was awful. (Beaker's reach-in prior to the flop was so obvious. Two hands go in, two legs kick out.) The NBA style continuations on unc's shots. The forth foul call on Kyle. Terrible.


WFMY cut away from the MVC game just in time for tip-off. Now their news is dominated by the fantastic celebrations forthcoming for Franklin St. Sickening.


The tournament is gonna be a bloodbath. It makes for good TV.

[riksmits]

I stopped reading after like 5 replies...the refs are not the reason Duke lost. UNC is a better team. They exploited the post/rebounding weakness well. That combined with a very limited bench + some sub-par decisions were the end of it. I thought UNC's defense vastly improved compared to other times I have watched them this year.

All of that being said, there is no reason Duke can't win the ACC tourney. UNC is I think a clear #1 team, just because Pitt won't be able to slow them down that much. Nothing to take away from Duke, I would put them top 6, especially with the big lineup now.

One question/comment...does it bother anyone else that there were no zone sets on any defensive series today? Without a few breaks + shooting lights out from 3, it will be very difficult for Duke to beat UNC this year. Mainly because of Lawson's ability to penetrate.

So why not play a little zone? It's not like the rebounding can get any worse. It saves some defensive energy especially if we are only going 7 deep. If Green, Ellington, and Frasor light us up, okay then big deal. But obviously no one on Duke (or anyone in the country) can stop Lawson. I just think a zone may be able to slow them down.

[Faison1]

Stop complaining about the refs!!!!!

Let me get this straight...when opposing teams say the refs stole the game, we think it's ridiculous...but when the calls don't go our way, it was the refs fault?!?!?! Or home cooking?!?!?! C'mon!!!! Have a little more insight than blaming the loss on the refs, please!!!!!!!!!

[BlueintheFace]

Stop complaining about the refs!!!!!

Let me get this straight...when opposing teams say the refs stole the game, we think it's ridiculous...but when the calls don't go our way, it was the refs fault?!?!?! Or home cooking?!?!?! C'mon!!!! Have a little more insight than blaming the loss on the refs, please!!!!!!!!!

I don't see a lot of people blaming the loss on the refs. Everyone seems to feel that a few close calls went Carolina's way and that is probably true. It was frustrating, yes, but most people here are not blaming the loss on the refs at all.

Settle Down. (insert optional line of exclamation points here )

[Regenman]

I'm somewhat confused by some of the responses here.

It's a good thing that we held the game close because a starter for at least the last 2 years can't even contribute off the bench because he can't guard anyone on the UNC roster? Do you see something implicitly wrong with the logic there? Instead of reveling in that, I'd be asking the question why Paulus can't contribute in his last UNC game (recruiting issue, developmental issue, etc.).

For more than half the game, we only had 4 people score. We had two McDonald AAs (a junior and a senior) that scored 2 pts combined. Remember when folks were saying that Thomas was outplaying Wright at the McDonald AA practices?

We've lost 3 games in a row to our biggest rival and we're 3-7 in the last 10 games (I think). Let's not blame the refs...

[eddiehaskell]

We've lost 3 games in a row to our biggest rival and we're 3-7 in the last 10 games (I think). Let's not blame the refs...

There is no doubt that UNC has had the advantage for a while. They've found a good nucleus of players in Lawson, Ellington, Green and Hanbrough. Luckily, all these guys are probably gone next year. If Singler and Hendo come back next year, I don't think there will be any doubt that Duke will finally gain back the advantage.

[JDev]

There is no doubt that UNC has had the advantage for a while. They've found a good nucleus of players in Lawson, Ellington, Green and Hanbrough. Luckily, all these guys are probably gone next year. If Singler and Hendo come back next year, I don't think there will be any doubt that Duke will finally gain back the advantage.

It is just how the rivalry goes; ebbs and flows. If you look back at the time from 1999-2004 Duke won something like 14 out of 16 against UNC (my numbers might not be exactly right, but I think they are close). Duke will have their time back on top, and it might be in the near future, as you said.