Raise Your Hand If You're Eating Crow

[Udaman]

This is my mea culpa comment. I was down on Duke after our game in UNC. Big time. I wrote that we had basically no chance of winning the NCAA tournament. I was frustrated that our big guys (combined) weren't playing as well as Zoubek did last year, even though by all accounts they are individually faster and better shooters. I felt our bench was playing with no confidence. I wondered what happened to Singler.

Then, these college athletes came out and played just about a perfect ACC tournament. They WANTED the Tar Heels yesterday, and took it to them in just about every way possible.

So, I come here eating crow. Could we still regress back? Sure. This team definitely has holes...but so does everyone else. And if they play as they did the last 3 days, we are a brutal out for anyone, and have as good a chance as any other team to win it all

[dukelifer]

This is my mea culpa comment. I was down on Duke after our game in UNC. Big time. I wrote that we had basically no chance of winning the NCAA tournament. I was frustrated that our big guys (combined) weren't playing as well as Zoubek did last year, even though by all accounts they are individually faster and better shooters. I felt our bench was playing with no confidence. I wondered what happened to Singler.

Then, these college athletes came out and played just about a perfect ACC tournament. They WANTED the Tar Heels yesterday, and took it to them in just about every way possible.

So, I come here eating crow. Could we still regress back? Sure. This team definitely has holes...but so does everyone else. And if they play as they did the last 3 days, we are a brutal out for anyone, and have as good a chance as any other team to win it all

We had not seen Duke impose their will on a team in a while. At Va Tech- Duke had a chance to crush them and did not- and Tech got back in it. Against UNC there- Duke let them dictate the game and UNC had the emotional edge. Yesterday, Duke was aggressive and took the game to UNC. When UNC made their run to get under 10, Duke did not wilt but hit big shots and got stops. We had not seen that in this Duke team for a while. If they bottle that and continue to impose their will- they will be a tough out.

[ncexnyc]

I went from a 9 to a 6, for last week's Confidence Poll, so I'll hold my hand up sheepishly from the back of the classroom.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Mea culpa accepted! Just don't do it again! I told you in the Status Check thread we were going to crush them yesterday, and we did. We are focused on the mission at hand, and at foot, so to speak, and will "march on through" as our fight song says into April. Six more games. Bring on all challengers. We are equal to the task at hand. And toe...

[aimo]

I had a very good feeling going into yesterday's game. I knew that Duke did not play Duke ball last weekend, and that their poor play was not credited to the holes' play. They played yesterday like they did the second half of the game in Cameron, which is what they need to do the next 6 games!!!

GO TO HELL CAROLINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[uh_no]

Guilty! But I refuse pick the winner of a duke uconn game...

[CDu]

I was certainly down after we lost to UNC. Very down. I don't think I ever said we had no chance of winning the title, but I'm sure I probably said we had a very small chance to win the title. I do think the chances look a bit better after seeing us play so well against an elite team away from home. I still don't like any particular team's chances of winning the title (even the very most dominant teams are a less than 50% probability of winning it all).

I wish I could have seen the VT and UNC games on Saturday and Sunday. A family wedding and subsequent travels screwed it up, but my wife and I kept constantly updating our phones to keep track of the score. It seemed amazing - hopefully I can find it on ESPN3 at some point and enjoy it. I'm so happy for the team!

It looked like there was much more balance offensively (which, if continued, bodes well for the occasional star's off-night). But more importantly, it sounds like the defense was just outstanding. That level of defense will be needed throughout the tournament if we are to win the championship.

[PADukeMom]

Not me...I'm eating strawberries! Just remember what I posed in the Virginia Post Game thread. I still stand by that post.

[dukeballboy88]

I was never sold on unc to begin with. I felt like they were a good but could have easily had a 9-7 record. The ball just bounced their way a few times. Duke on the other hand, I felt like hadnt really put it all together yet. I new when they did it was going to be really fun to watch. Yesterday they put it all together and it just so happened to be against the tar heels. I am looking forward to the NCAA's and going back to the final four!

[SoCalDukeFan]

I did not expect to win at Chapel Hill. I did think that some of guys just had a bad game, ie Ryan Kelly, and would play better if we played them again. I did think UNC-CH was an improving team as Marshall got better and better and Drew II was history.

I was certainly right about Ryan who played great yesterday. I thought the game would be a toss up. I had to miss the start and was delighted to hear 8-0 as I approached my home, 8-3 when I started watching.

So I was not expecting a loss yesterday but was also not expecting such a put down. LOVED IT.

SoCal

[Kedsy]

My only comment is you shouldn't judge the future based on one (or even two) games. Bad or good.

I've never been able to get past the negativism after we lose. It bothers me. A lot. On the other hand, I don't think the pasting we just gave UNC automatically says "national champion," either. The key lesson from the two UNC games is our team has to get out there and play 40 minutes with intensity. We're capable of it, but we're also capable of losing focus. Bottom line is, if we keep the intensity and the focus and the will, we have a good chance to win every game. We (as fans) can't really ask for more than that, whether we actually win every game or not.

[Channing]

I wasn't down on the team as much as I was distressed by Kyle's play. However, I think Kyle clearly showed during the ACC tourney he is just as good as ever, even if he isn't hitting his outside shot. His ability to efficiently score in and around the lane were huge. Add that to Kelly bringing his game about 5 feet closer to the basket and it was like a whole new team out there.

[cbnaylor]

We finally played Duke Defense! If we continue to play that type of Defense, we will be ok.

[BlueDGal]

the guys are solidifying (is that a word?) their roles and that's what we saw in the UNC game yesterday. And Nolan and Kyle's leadership, maturity and fearlessness were on full display. I've been thinking all year that, since Kyrie went down, we just didn't seem to know who we were....and now we do. Beautiful.