MBB: VT 64, Duke 60 Post-Game Thread

[dukepsy1963]

What a loser tonight. Lots of dumb moves and "dumb" shots. Nolan, what were you thinking toward the end? Jeez...
We could not run with them tonight, and should not have tried. ...they played a great game and we did not.

Kyle has gone away this year.

I have some serious doubts about the rest of the year. We have to win games like this one if we are to have any chance at anything.

And their crowd outdid the crazies tonight. Wow!!

Sorry to be so down...but really....I mean really.

I seriously hope they drop us to 10. That's about where we belong.

[GrantIsMyHero]

Too many jump shots. Need to learn how to box out (rebounding involves both effort AND skills). And we freaked out at the end (Nolan was pushing too hard and ended up with that charge. Kyle took that long three way too early in the possession with 30 secs left). Frustrating, but we are constantly learning. Plus, all these 9:00 games for TV are probably wearing the team down some...they are students too after all.

[DukeDevilDeb]

I have been worried about this game all week. Knowing that Game Day was there and that the Hokies have had some success against us in the past really made me nervous. When we went in at half time down only 2, I was thrilled! Came back out (usually our biggest momentum changing time) and, at the first media time out, we were only down 1. Not a huge step, but we did with that 4 minute segment!

Many of the players seemed to use bad judgment, but the coaches did as well. Nolan played a steady game until he started to try to take over at the end. I absolutely LOVE Kyle Singler, but after his third missed three, Coach K or Wojo should have taken him out of the game for a moment and told him that what had worked was driving, taking high percentage shots. Ryan had one play where he was behind the three-point line, used a ball fake, then drove to the bucket and scored! It was great, and he never tried it again. Andre had his best game, but I thought he didn't play enough in the second half. Thornton too... after all he was one of the only players to actually hit a three in the first half.

Low points:

1. Miles missing 2 slams. One, it happens. But again, where was the coaching staff in saying, Miles, take it up strong with two hands, or try a layup or something.

2. Mason randomly swatting at the balls and hitting several of them back to VT players for offensive rebounds and scores.

3. No seeming adjustment at half time that really made a difference.

4. My biggest gripe with the coaches, however, was putting Seth Currey back in the game for the last few seconds. The kid, who is a gem, obviously had a really bad night... 0 points, 4 fouls... Yes, they wanted three-point shooters out there, but Tyler had more success at that than Seth tonight.


This is so frustrating for fans and, I'm sure, for the team. We had that game won... and we lost it.

[jv001]

Well it is hard for Dawkins to score when the ball isn't sent his way even though he is wide open. We forced shots when we didn't have to down the stretch.

You are so right my friend. Toward the end of the game after Kyle had missed about 5 or 6 shots in a row, he drove the middle and had Dre wide open on the wing. He forced it and got stripped or missed. I know I was fuming after that play. Go Duke!

[mkline09]

Virginia Tech did not win, Duke lost. We blew this game the last four minutes with poor shot selection.

I agree with this for the most part with one exception. I think Va. Tech did win this game. Duke choked this one away but has come close before, the other teams just weren't good enough to take advantage. The Hokies are certainly good enough, especially in their own house to take advantage of Duke's mistakes. Poor shot selection from key player, poor, rebounding, and weak defensive effort at times one guy who got wide open looks. Just one of those games next play, but this one hurts.

[Chris Randolph]

What a loser tonight. Lots of dumb moves and "dumb" shots. Nolan, what were you thinking toward the end? Jeez...
We could not run with them tonight, and should not have tried. ...they played a great game and we did not.

Kyle has gone away this year.

I have some serious doubts about the rest of the year. We have to win games like this one if we are to have any chance at anything.

And their crowd outdid the crazies tonight. Wow!!

Sorry to be so down...but really....I mean really.

I seriously hope they drop us to 10. That's about where we belong.

Talk about super over reaction. Kyle has been our best defender and is averaging as many points this year as last. He had 22 tonight, 28 Wednesday. Sure he didn't step up in the end, but nobody (minus Mason) did. Their crowd was silent for over half of the 2nd half, which the Crazies never are. You might want to sit the next few plays out to quote Ron Burgundy

[Channing]

couple thoughts:

(a) I love Kyle and his D has been stellar ... BUT, his shooting percentage is really starting to hurt us. I mean, aside from Temple he cant be shooing much more than 30% for the last 4 or 5 games ... thats really bad.

(b) Kelly is killing us on offense. Either he can make 3s or he cant. He is bricking wide open look after wide open look, killing offensive possessions.

(c) Glad to see Dawkins knock two down. I don't know why we didn't attach the zone through the free throw line and kicks to a shooter like Dawkins on the other side.

(d) Offense in general was totally stagnant today. Probably had something to do with the abysmal shooting, but there was little movement.

(e) The last possession looked like nothing more than mass chaos. From Nolan over dribbling before the time out to Seth looking for Mason(?????) at the three point line with time running down before throwing it away.

[Devilsfan]

There was too much pressure on Seth tonight. Kyle needs to remember where the shots came from on the court when he scored 28 and if we can just win our next 11 games everything will be fine.

[wgl1228]

A few bad decisions in the final minutes. That's all it comes down to. The crowd was wild and VT responded. A third member of this team must step up though.

[rotogod00]

Talk about super over reaction. Kyle has been our best defender and is averaging as many points this year as last. He had 22 tonight, 28 Wednesday. Sure he didn't step up in the end, but nobody (minus Mason) did. Their crowd was silent for over half of the 2nd half, which the Crazies never are. You might want to sit the next few plays out to quote Ron Burgundy

yeah, but pts per shot down a bit to 1.23 from 1.30, 1.29, and 1.29

[verga]

Kyle has been off for most of the new year, i have no idea what it is. His shot selection is poor and he fumbles so many balls that you normally would think he would catch. Both he and Nolan after we got the 6 point lead really never had any type of control on their game. Speaking of the 6 point lead, why not continue to pressure Va. Tech. they were dead tired and their subs were few. Maybe we can learn from this, i know coach K will try and figure out what the problem is. I just don't understand why, when you have the best team you pull the ball out and then jack up a 3, it's beyond me, i guess that's why i'm not a coach.

[jv001]

After beating Temple, Coach said that it was a good win against the kind of opponent we will face in the 2nd round of the tournament. Well if we face a team like VT in the
2nd round will we have the same result as tonight? I'm off to bed, as I've already said more negative things than I have all year. Go Duke!

[dukestheheat]

duke looked out of sync...almost like....they were waiting on something....

So to me, at least, the point for growth from this one is to go back to work and develop a paint game and let the offense flow off of THAT; let the offensive game begin there and flow outward. We seemed fully resigned again to jack it up and if they're going in we look like we can beat an NBA team but when they're not......

Let's work to make a couple extra passes and set up a better shot!

Next play and I am confident, based on history, that Duke will rebound from this loss and be more than ready to play Clemson and the holes to round it out.

dth.

[Delaware]

We forced shots when we didn't have to down the stretch.

Bob, this is about the third time you said this and you are of course correct!

I was looking at this game as a test of our mental toughness and togetherness as a team and I think we failed. We had very few assists. We did not trust each other down the stretch. We were not patient when they went zone. We gave up offensive rebounds by not focusing. We had poor shot selection and forced shots down the stretch.

I was looking for "growth" from the FSU game which I looked at as a very similar type game. Hostile environment, slow, low scoring game, etc... we did not grow. The box score will look very similar I think. Low assists, givign up offensive rebounds, poor three point shooting, etc.

[Vincetaylor]

No one should be surprised we lost this game. It was a must win for them and we haven't proven we can beat good teams on the road. Duke should be an underdog at UNC too, even though Vegas will probably incorrectly favor us.

[Devilsfan]

We just showed our empathy for Seth Greenburg and decided to let him in the big dance for a game or two. Just kidding.

[Gthoma2a]

If someone was to say that this would be the last L then I will take it...does this game remind you of last year? Anybody anybody.

I have to honestly say no. This was nothing like the Maryland game. The Maryland game was a brilliant effort by a great player overtaking a superb effort by a team that did play with discipline on top of effort. Tonight the discipline was off. We played hard, and we are a good team, but we didn't play with poise at the end...

[Ultrarunner]

We lost because of seriously bad shot selection down the stretch!

...and an inability to hit the open player, be it Mason or Dawkins, with a timely pass.

[NashvilleDevil]

What a loser tonight. Lots of dumb moves and "dumb" shots. Nolan, what were you thinking toward the end? Jeez...
We could not run with them tonight, and should not have tried. ...they played a great game and we did not.

Kyle has gone away this year.

I have some serious doubts about the rest of the year. We have to win games like this one if we are to have any chance at anything.

And their crowd outdid the crazies tonight. Wow!!

Sorry to be so down...but really....I mean really.

I seriously hope they drop us to 10. That's about where we belong.

Wow. Just, wow.

[Devilsfan]

Kyrie get in shape real soon.