MBB: Duke vs. Texas (NCAA Tournament) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[JDev]

Who is it that we've played that TX looks like?
I was in a bar tonight and couldn't hear any audio for either game (and frickin' CBS kept switching away anyhow). But it sounds like they may resemble FSU -- a great shooter on the perimeter with some interior strength. Sound about right? We did ok against FSU last time we played them, no?

Anybody know how good their depth is? If it becomes a physical game, using their size against our "bigs," I expect to see much more of Zoubs and Lance and Miles. See -- depth DOES help.

Also I like that our guys were able to rest some tonight -- not facing serious fatigue issues like recent years. Wahoo!

I like our chances. They need to fear DUKE!!!!
Be the hunter! Not the prey.

-BDBD

I think that is a reasonably good comparison, with some small caveats. I think Douglas is a better overall player than Abrams, but Abrams second fiddle, James, is better than any other player on FSU's roster.
Duke's versatily in line-up possibilities will help in this game. Off the bench Zoubek will get much more time than yesterday, and Nolan will continue to get big minutes guarding Abrams. He seems to be back to, or at least very close to his early season form since returning from his concussion.

[mkline09]

This game reminds me a lot of the match up with Kansas a few years ago. Texas isn't usually a team like Coack K said you see very often in the round of 32. It was unusual to see Duke match up with Kansas that early and Texas really is no exception. They are a solid team but beatable.

[ns7]

Just for comparison, Wake is favored by 7.5 over Cleveland State. Also, Vegas is more confident than www.kenpom.com, which has us favored by 5. I imagine both are

Other comparisons:
Oklahoma -6 Michigan
Villanova (home) -2 UCLA
Memphis -9 Maryland

As an earlier poster said, once you get to the round of 32 they are all tough matchups. Duke's falls right in the middle of what you'd expect.

[CDu]

I second the thoughts of those who said that we should expect a tough opponent from here on out. It's the NCAA tournament. Unless you're the #1 seed or you get the good fortune of an upset in your pod, you are going to face a tough team in Round 2 and beyond. Texas is no different. By the same token, they're appropriately seeded as a #7, and thus we should beat them (but of course could lose).

In terms of ACC teams, I disagree with the idea that they're similar to Clemson. I think that they're much more similar to Wake than Clemson. They don't have anyone similar to Booker, and Clemson doesn't really have anyone similar to Abrams. Wake, on the other hand, has better comps with Johnson and Teague.

That said, I think Texas is a very poor man's Wake. Both teams rely on basically one perimeter shooter (Teague/Abrams). Both teams have a tall, versatile forward who can score and rebound, and has a tendency to prefer the perimeter but can score in the post (Johnson/James). But in both cases, Wake has the better of the two players. Abrams is too much of a chucker and doesn't attack the basket. Teague is a better shooter and more aggressive off the dribble. Similarly, Johnson provides more consistent production and better defense than James.

Beyond their big two, the advantage goes heavily to Wake in terms of matching up with us. Pittman is certainly the best other player at the moment. But I'd take the quartet of McFarland, Aminu, Woods and Weaver over Pittman, Johnson, and Atchley for Texas. And the rest of the backcourts are a wash, if not in favor of Wake.

If we can't contain Abrams and James, then Texas has a good chance to win. If we can contain Abrams (and I think we can - we've contained Teague in games past), then Texas is going to have to have an otherwordly performance from a few players and/or we're going to have to have an off-night offensively.

[Cameron]

Anyone have the regional CBS map for Texas-Duke, and who will be getting what game, as Gonzaga-Western Kentucky is playing at the same time?

I'm getting pretty nervous thinking about it -- to the point of nauseam. I can't stand not knowing whether or not Duke will be televised. (I live in NW Ohio, near the Michigan border.) I'm hoping Western Kentucky is too small a school to draw a great deal of regional coverage.

[gumbomoop]

Anyone have the regional CBS map for Texas-Duke, and who will be getting what game, as Gonzaga-Western Kentucky is playing at the same time?

I'm getting pretty nervous thinking about it -- to the point of nauseam. I can't stand not knowing whether or not Duke will be televised. (I live in NW Ohio, near the Michigan border.) I'm hoping Western Kentucky is too small a school to draw a great deal of regional coverage.

You're good. See my response to you on [Yes] CBS [definitely, along with many NC local affiliates] sucks thread.

[gumbomoop]

Anyone have the regional CBS map for Texas-Duke, and who will be getting what game, as Gonzaga-Western Kentucky is playing at the same time?

I'm getting pretty nervous thinking about it -- to the point of nauseam. I can't stand not knowing whether or not Duke will be televised. (I live in NW Ohio, near the Michigan border.) I'm hoping Western Kentucky is too small a school to draw a great deal of regional coverage.

My apologies to you for a bad mistake. As Feldspar notes on CBS sucks thread [post #55], the TV-time bracket lists local times, so I'm wrong that we're only late game. WKU-Zags do conflict.

[Troublemaker]

If Texas plays man to man, Duke will need to post up our guards some. One of the advantages we have in this game is guard height, as Balbay, Abrams, and Mason only go 6'0", 5'11", and 6'2" across the backline.

Texas can beat Duke but they'll have to do it using quickness. The way we play defense, the Horns will need Balbay, Abrams, and Mason to penetrate, draw, and dish or just shoot, allowing Pittman and James to clean up the offensive boards for easy putbacks. If they're quick enough to beat us off the dribble and disciplined enough to not charge, the game's a toss-up. If they're not, we might even blow them out. I haven't watched Texas enough to know how good their guards are. I just know that having lots of size inside is wasted against Duke unless the opponent has quick guards because our defense takes away the vision for entry passes.

[RelativeWays]

What I'm hoping is that Duke approaches this game like the Purdue game and attacks aggresively. This team knows that alot of people are picking Texas as an upset, and Texas can be a scary team. People forget that Duke can be scary too, ask Purdue or Xavier. I think our guys will remember what happened last year with WVU, but unlike WVU, Texas is an underachiever, not a sleeper like WVU, and I think Duke is well aware of what damage they can do. Even when they play up to their potential, I think this Duke team is better, especially as of late. We're not stumbling and bumbling into the NCAA's this year, we're FOCUSED!!!!!!

[Deladev]

Thanks for your Post.

Whoever you are, I love you!!!

Deladev--nervous, but breathing better

[mgtr]

If we run a lot, can we tire out Pittman?

[dukebballcamper90-91]

Just saw that Saturday's game is a sell out.

[House G]

If Texas plays man to man, Duke will need to post up our guards some. One of the advantages we have in this game is guard height, as Balbay, Abrams, and Mason only go 6'0", 5'11", and 6'2" across the backline.

Texas can beat Duke but they'll have to do it using quickness. The way we play defense, the Horns will need Balbay, Abrams, and Mason to penetrate, draw, and dish or just shoot, allowing Pittman and James to clean up the offensive boards for easy putbacks. If they're quick enough to beat us off the dribble and disciplined enough to not charge, the game's a toss-up. If they're not, we might even blow them out. I haven't watched Texas enough to know how good their guards are. I just know that having lots of size inside is wasted against Duke unless the opponent has quick guards because our defense takes away the vision for entry passes.

I hear they like to play zone--can anyone confirm?

[Atlanta Duke]

K and Rick Barnes make nice in a N&O blog post

On Friday, a day before the Longhorns were scheduled to meet Duke in a second-round NCAA Tournament game, Barnes talked about a job interview he had at Duke in the early 1980s...

"I remember telling him, 'I've watched what you do, and I believe in you.' " Barnes said. "Obviously I wanted the job. I said, 'I believe in what you've done, and there is no doubt you're going to get the job done.' "...

"He understands like most of us in our game that the game's bigger than all of us, and we just should do our part and get along and try to become the best we can be," Krzyzewski said.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow...e-long-history

Unfortunately no quote from Dean as to whether K or Barnes is more wonderful

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I just know that having lots of size inside is wasted against Duke unless the opponent has quick guards because our defense takes away the vision for entry passes.

As a Heel fan, I would actually like to see Duke and the ACC play well and win.
I want to see the Heels and Duke meet in the final four...wouldn't that be great? Thnk anyone would pay attention to that?

As for the Texas game, it will be interesting and I think Troublemaker hit the nail on the head as they say by bringing up entry passes.
Can Texas get the ball inside to the big men in scoring position? Without turning it over? That's the game deciding question to me.

Duke's ball pressure is unlike anything Texas has probably experienced. I'd say the Texas guards can handle it OK, but can the big men? My prediction is they struggle and turn it over too much, allowing Duke's transition game to get them in the end.

I like Duke in this one....by 6.

[Indoor66]

As a Heel fan, I would actually like to see Duke and the ACC play well and win.
I want to see the Heels and Duke meet in the final four...wouldn't that be great? Thnk anyone would pay attention to that?

As for the Texas game, it will be interesting and I think Troublemaker hit the nail on the head as they say by bringing up entry passes.
Can Texas get the ball inside to the big men in scoring position? Without turning it over? That's the game deciding question to me.

Duke's ball pressure is unlike anything Texas has probably experienced. I'd say the Texas guards can handle it OK, but can the big men? My prediction is they struggle and turn it over too much, allowing Duke's transition game to get them in the end.

I like Duke in this one....by 6.

Good thinking, oh level headed tar heel fan!

[banneheim]

Ok, the 300lbs I believe, but is he really 6"10? He seems only about 6"7.

[weezie]

Oh yeah, he's definitely that tall. He darkens the skies. The floor seemed to tilt at either end in Gboro when he was anywhere in the paint. Which he was...often.

[weezie]

If we run a lot, can we tire out Pittman?

Yes to this, too, but AJ does not know the meaning of tired. It's got to be lights out shooting from Duke. And everybody say their prayers tonight for a nice free throw percentage.

[-bdbd]

Who's going to have a big night for the Devils?

I'm thinking this game looks to play out well for Mr. Singler, as he'll be guarded by a not-ideally-mobile big who likes to stay near the paint. Let's hope Kyle's shots are falling. I'm also thinking Gerald's penetration will make a difference, in terms of opening things up. But Zoubs could really have an impact, especially on the D end. (And as has been said, on-the-ball pressure from Mr. Smith and Mr. Williams will be critical.)

Am REALLY hoping we get up early to take the Kerlina crowd out of the game. If Duke leads by 12+ at the half, then many of them will be gone.

I've always been one to pull for the ACC in general, against non-conference foes, especially in the NCAA's (Damn Clemson and BC!)... But knowing that 20,000 LOUD/OBNOXIOUS Longhorn fans will be cheering on "their team" while decked out in faded blue... just makes it hard for me not to root for LSU!


-BDBD

Gaeux Tigers!!