There isn't a thread for this already? (If there is, please merge).
Just to get excitement up for this game, check out the line already at wilson (courtesy of DukeBluePlanet):
LETS GO DEVILS!
There isn't a thread for this already? (If there is, please merge).
Just to get excitement up for this game, check out the line already at wilson (courtesy of DukeBluePlanet):
LETS GO DEVILS!
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
Very cool, Cameron Crazies, very cool! (clap, clap)
Very cool, Cameron Crazies, very cool!
Watch yourselves tonight when the thunderstorms come through after midnight. I'm sure the line monitors (or University officials) will move you indoors for a while.
Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
9F 9F 9F
https://ecogreen.greentechaffiliate.com
we are riding pretty high right now, but make no mistake...izzo is gonna come with everything he's got...
let's hope our guys are ready... !!!!
go duke...!!!
"One POSSIBLE future. From your point of view... I don't know tech stuff.".... Kyle Reese
Agreed. Both Izzo and the press will be making much of Duke's 80 game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. It's not a record, but it's a lot, and it's definitely on the line. MSU will be ready. We will be too. It'll come down to execution and the ability to put that orange round thingy into the little hoop thingy. We shot 42 percent from the floor Saturday in the first half against Oregon. If we do that for the game on Wednesday, and MSU gets hot -- shooting say 60 percent -- there could be issues.
I believe I have way to guarantee a win over Michigan State.
Dress the crazies in light blue t-shirts and light blue-hair wigs. Have them sit on their hands and whisper their cheers. Unveil new light blue uniforms just for this game. MSU will think they're playing UNC and roll over. Game won.
I think it would work, but I also think it's so morally and aesthetically repugnant we could never do it.
Let's go Duke!!!! Should be a great game! Or at least I hope so. Last night was much warmer than Sunday night in the line... Sadly it seems like we might be swimming tonight! Oh well.
Group 10 represent! (Right behind the second street light with the green chair!)
My feeling is that I would hope that Duke would win most games when they are shooting 42 percent from the floor. I would hope the team would lock down defensively and create enough turnovers to win a game like that, even against a top tier team. I would worry more about a team that outrebounds Duke by quite a bit getting a big advantage that way. Fortunately, MSU does not seem to have hit their stride in the rebounding department yet this year, but their center Nix is now back. They were in the top 10 in the NCAA in offensive rebounding percentage the last 4 years, but currently rank 109th at 35.2% http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Michigan%20St.
I expect that is something MSU will improve on as the year progresses, hopefully it won't start against Duke.
In this article, at the Detroit Free Press, Tom Izzo expresses frustration with turnovers and rebounding:
Both Duke and Michigan State have been on the road, which makes it difficult to practice. With this ACC - Big Ten Challenge game being at Cameron, I'm confident Duke will pull out the victory. I'm equally confident Michigan State will make us earn it."I think it's a lack of concentration"
Bob Green
I'm looking forward to this game because I expect Michigan State to be physical. We need a game like this before the ACC. It's a good thing to figure out how to finish a shot in the lane with some Big Ten hooligan draped over your shoulder. It's a skill that will serve us well going forward.
Also, I really look forward to watching Irving vs. Kalin Lucas who is averaging 17.5 ppg and 47.8% on 3s. Maybe he'll provide the challenege that Pullen did not.
Super "Respek, Tom Izzo, Respek" Dave
MICHIGAN STATE AT DUKE (ESPN, 9:30 ET)
Bilas: Duke -- Michigan State is turning it over too much right now, and Duke's defensive pressure should capitalize.
Brennan: Duke -- After Duke’s dominant win over Kansas State and Michigan State’s sluggish start in Maui, the Blue Devils look miles ahead of the field. This early in the season, the Spartans won’t be able to close the gap in Cameron.
Fraschilla: Duke -- Tough place for ANYONE to win.
Gottlieb: Duke -- Derrick Nix is back and he should help with the depth of Michigan State inside, but MSU struggled with the quickness of Washington and UConn. Duke's pressure and athleticism is similar.
Katz: Duke -- The Spartans aren’t in March form yet, while the Blue Devils look like they’ve already made plans for Houston.
Leung: Duke -- In case you missed the CBE Classic, the Blue Devils are just better than everyone else right now.
Lunardi: Duke -- Won't make the same mistake of picking against Duke this week.
O’Neil: Michigan State -- I'll admit I'm not 100 percent in on this pick, especially with Duke playing at home. But after a few humbling visits to the other part of Tobacco Road in recent years, a disappointing loss to UConn and a tongue-lashing after a lackluster effort against Tennessee Tech, I think the Spartans are due for a show-me win.
Williams: Duke -- Duke is hands-down the best team in the country and the energy within Cameron will be too much for Michigan State to handle.
If O'Neil had picked us, making it a perfect sweep of the ESPN "Experts", we'd be completely hosed!
In all seriousness, I'm looking forward to this game as a learning opportunity for our team. Izzo's squads tend to play good, disciplined, intense basketball. Win or lose, this is a great December game for us. That said, let's go out and beat down Sparty!
And here is the exchange with Andre Dawkins for those interested - http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/11/d...ichigan-state/
As the board's resident Spartan, figured I'd contribute a scouting report.
First, the pick-Duke gets out early with the initial blitz, State finds their legs and counterpunches, but Duke pulls away late and wins by 10-12. The Spartans turnover issues and their lack of cohesion (due to a ridiculously injury-ridden offseason and early season) will haunt them in this one.
Lucas looks like a different player from before the injury. He has lost some of his quickness and has gained a lot of strength. His shot is also more accurate from 3 point range. He will not spend much time guarding Irving-Korie Lucious, a quicker defensive player, has drawn that assignment. Durrell Summers, the shooting guard, remains State's wildcard-when he's on, the Spartans are lethal. He reminds me a bit of Ben Gordon-a massive talent who has a tendency to float. He does tend to show up when the lights are bright.
The matchup Duke should be concerned with is Draymond Green. Green has been coming off the bench, largely to save him from foul trouble, but he may start tomorrow. Green reminds me much of Carrawell in that he fills multiple roles and is the toughest guy in most any room he walks into (Kyle will give him competition tomorrow). Green has added the 17-20 foot J to his game, and remains the team's best rebounder. If Green stays out of trouble, Duke does not have a player to match his strength and quickness combination.
Delvon Roe has drawn the Singler assignment and will have plenty of help. Adreian Payne may also chase Kyle some, based solely on his speed and length. You may also see Austin Thornton and Mike Kebler as defensive specialists. Thornton is a good 3 point shooter, but Kebler will probably have his arm broken by a teammate if he takes a jump shot.
The Spartans have not hit their stride on the glass as of yet, thought they did start to right the ship against Washington. And although Cameron is not a forgiving place for a freshman, Keith Appling may use tomorrow as his bow on the national stage. Appling is a very talented offensive player and has been cited by Izzo as the most impressive defensive freshman guard he's coached, including Cleaves.
State has no one to stay in front of Irving, and Izzo will not zone Duke at all. Irving should be able to get by his man, draw help, and find players on the perimeter for wide-open looks. I doubt the bigs will shade off of Mason much.
Should be a fun game for sure. Wish I could be there.
dukemsu
I know K's strategy is to force MSU to match-up w/ us, but the flip side of the coin is that Summers (6-4), Green (6-6), and Roe (6-8) present tough match-ups for us. Kyle can guard any one of the three, but Nolan will have his hands full with Summers and the Plumlees and Ryan will have a tough time chasing Roe. If Andre is playing well we could see a lot of him because he can probably stay with either Summers or Green, leaving Kyle to guard Roe.
Overall we have played somewhat better than Michigan State so far this year so we should win, especially because we are playing in Cameron. Should be a tough, bruising game, and if MSU plays well it could be close.
I just hope Kyrie doesn't get ahead of himself tomorrow night. So far this season he has gone through a few stages where he plays WAY too fast. He can't get into early foul trouble. I understand what he has shown thus far, especially in the showdown with K-State but a game like tomorrow night (in cameron) is going to be the most pressure-filled situation of his young career. I have confidence that he will play very well but there's still a part of me that thinks he can't be this good, this quick. Maybe I'm being too pessimistic?
Izzo will have his guys ready to play, that's for sure. Whenever I think of big games like this though, my mind immediatly goes back to senior night in 2006. Our guys came out with too much intensity and couldn't sustain their play for the entire game. Redick was lights out at the beginning and it went all downhill from there.
But I digress... I think Duke has more talent, the better coach(and that's certainly saying something), the home crowd, and most importantly, the health. Duke wins a tough one.
Check out the attached picture! Wooh! Can't wait for the game tomorrow!