MBB: Duke 85, UNC 84 Post-Game Thread

[Matches]

I think K likes that stuff as long as it walks the line between tough and dirty. It reminds me of that classic Marcus Ginyard quote:

“A lot of their players walk the line between a good, tough player and like a little shady, dirty…I have a strong dislike for most of the players who play at Duke.”

That's Thornton to a T. Dahntay was like that, too. Anyone else come to mind?

Gerald Henderson.

[UrinalCake]

A funny nerd stat fact about this game is that UNC "won" the game based on possession by possession efficiency. UNC was on pace to score 120 points in 100 possessions while Duke was on pace to score 118. Duke just happened to win the tip AND held the ball for the final shot meaning we had one more possession than UNC and allowing us to walk away with the incredible victory. Who would've known that winning the opening tip set up the pattern of alternating possessions that, along with Zeller's almost-goal tending tip in counting as a 2 instead of a 3, put the ball in Austin's hands for the final shot to win in a game in which UNC actually held a (very, very slight) advantage.

Some cool number crunching! When we won the opening tip I was actually thinking to myself that we haven't won very many of them this year, and tried to see it as a good omen. Turns out I was right 8-)

[striker219]

There is a video up on www.dailytarheel.com showing UNC student reactions to the last shot. If you are a fan of Schadenfreude, it is priceless.

Oh, and if you want to see the "Duke - Still the Best" line on the front page of the DTH, click here -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/81018186/T...ebruary-9-2012

That is awesome. I almost feel bad at how much I enjoyed that video. There is something particularly enjoyable about the linguistics major from Carolina describing the end of game as a "perfect storm of crap" at around 3:26 in the vid.

[superdave]

There is a video up on www.dailytarheel.com showing UNC student reactions to the last shot. If you are a fan of Schadenfreude, it is priceless.

Oh, and if you want to see the "Duke - Still the Best" line on the front page of the DTH, click here -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/81018186/T...ebruary-9-2012

The fun begins at the 2:40 mark. It's worth watching. I think every girl in CH has the same light blue scarf. And the same stunned look on their face.

[Lord Ash]

Gerald Henderson.

Gerald? I never saw that from him...?

[Matches]

Gerald? I never saw that from him...?

Ask Tyler Hansbrough. If you can reach him with Wes Miller holding him back...

[FerryFor50]

Gerald? I never saw that from him...?

Uh... you're joking right?

[alteran]

Heh heh heh ... you mean like this?
Attachment 2363

Thank you Austin!

That needs to be combined with this. http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html

[TruBlu]

First, for the crow eating part, I would like to admit that I was guilty of believing that we were probably going to get a beat down in this game (although as an infrequent poster, I did not express these feelings publicly). I am elated that I was wrong!

As far as the watermelon tie-in: It is said (down on the farm) that the watermelon that tastes the best is the one you steal from a neighbors watermelon patch.

MAN, DOES THIS WATERMELON TASTE GREAT!

[Billy Dat]

I know this is petty, but I don't care. I want MC Skype, the Black Pidgeon, to lose to Duke as many times as possible, in the most painful ways possible, before he takes his pretty-boy game to the NBA. I'll give it up to him, he was putting it on us last night, which makes the win so much more sweet.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

My final general comment has more to do about last night's coverage. I thought Dickie V was horrible as usual. Little or no talk about the game that was going on. Poor camera work for the most part. ESPN must believe it is more about entertaining fans with personaities rather than giving the fans the best game experience.

I had the choice and went with Bonner and Brando on the ACC Network. They were great all night.

[Mr.Analogy]

I know this is petty, but I don't care. I want MC Skype, the Black Pidgeon, to lose to Duke as many times as possible, in the most painful ways possible, before he takes his pretty-boy game to the NBA. I'll give it up to him, he was putting it on us last night, which makes the win so much more sweet.

Not only that but I'd like to see Austin drive another dagger into him at Cameron to put the exclamation point there!

[Lid]

I think every girl in CH has the same light blue scarf. And the same stunned look on their face.

I kept thinking this during the game last night. There must be a ton of people with card tables set up on Franklin St selling nothing but that same color pashmina. One for $7, two for $10! (Three for the win!)

[davekay1971]

The fun begins at the 2:40 mark. It's worth watching. I think every girl in CH has the same light blue scarf. And the same stunned look on their face.

Ahhh...the glorious sound of SILENCE!

Working today in Charlotte, I hear that same sound from all the Tarheel fans that spent the last 3 days asking me if I'd be watching the game, did I want to bet on the game, etc. The beautiful, glorious, wonderful sound of SILENCE.

Thank you, Austin Rivers. I've heard of shutting the crowd up, and I've seen a big shot silence a crowd for a few seconds, a few minutes...but Austin has shut up the incessant yapping of the pastel blue crowd for going on 12 hours. Amazing.

[davekay1971]

I know this is petty, but I don't care. I want MC Skype, the Black Pidgeon, to lose to Duke as many times as possible, in the most painful ways possible, before he takes his pretty-boy game to the NBA. I'll give it up to him, he was putting it on us last night, which makes the win so much more sweet.

I think we can lay our issues with Harrison Barnes to rest. Last year, UNC got him and we got Kyrie. That's a win for Duke, I don't care how many games Kyrie played. This year, UNC still has him, we've got Austin. I believe Austin made that a win for Duke last night.

The Pigeon landed in Chapa Heeya, and they can enjoy the Pigeon's droppings on Franklin Street, because I'm not missing them in Cameron.

[brumby041]

Ahhh...the glorious sound of SILENCE!

Working today in Charlotte, I hear that same sound from all the Tarheel fans that spent the last 3 days asking me if I'd be watching the game, did I want to bet on the game, etc. The beautiful, glorious, wonderful sound of SILENCE.

Thank you, Austin Rivers. I've heard of shutting the crowd up, and I've seen a big shot silence a crowd for a few seconds, a few minutes...but Austin has shut up the incessant yapping of the pastel blue crowd for going on 12 hours. Amazing.

I have seen NO Carolina gear AT ALL today. Where did they all go?

[ACCBBallFan]

A funny nerd stat fact about this game is that UNC "won" the game based on possession by possession efficiency. UNC was on pace to score 120 points in 100 possessions while Duke was on pace to score 118. Duke just happened to win the tip AND held the ball for the final shot meaning we had one more possession than UNC and allowing us to walk away with the incredible victory. Who would've known that winning the opening tip set up the pattern of alternating possessions that, along with Zeller's almost-goal tending tip in counting as a 2 instead of a 3, put the ball in Austin's hands for the final shot to win in a game in which UNC actually held a (very, very slight) advantage.

But no matter. SCOREBOARD!

Two strange halfs. Duke leads entire first half until final 43 seconds. UNC leads entire second half until final second.

[freedevil]

I have seen NO Carolina gear AT ALL today. Where did they all go?

I truly enjoy days without that gear harming my eyes.

[cspan37421]

Another poster remarked how they didn't like this kind of behavior citing a desire to be "old school". As someone else pointed out, citing Art Heyman, I actually think Thornton's behavior is more old school than new school in terms of not trying to be buddy/buddy with the opponent.

With all due respect, this is a straw-man argument. Refraining from woofing and smack-talk does not make one buddy-buddy with the opponent. Another poster correctly identified my ideal - Battier or Hill (or King), letting their game do the talking (at least as far as directed to the opponent).

To me, Duke basketball should stand above the rest, whether it is on the court, in the classroom, in the stands (creative harassment - a nod to Frederick C. Klein and the Avuncular Letter*), and in the community. We should not lower our standards - otherwise, we are nothing special, just like everyone else, and hypocritical in thinking that we are. I, for one, would rather see us rise above in every way.

* - which, if I recall correctly, resulted in (among other things) a bouquet of flowers delivered to Dean Smith in Cameron before one game! Anyone who saw that as buddy-buddy probably had a faulty sarcasm detector.

[Kfanarmy]

The chattering heads are roasting Zeller because it's the easy thing to do. Zeller did have a hand in his face when he shot the ball. It was not terrible defense. Give Austin some credit, he shot it over a seven-footer with a hand in his face. If Zeller had crowded Austin with his arms up, then AR simply jumps into Zeller and gets to shoot free throws. Then Zeller would be an even bigger goat.

Any well-coached basketball team will switch everything in the last few seconds, they don't need to be told that.

I think if Zeller put his hands in the air, he would have zero chance of stopping a drive by the smaller faster man...with his hands down he was in a much better position to cut off a drive...damned if you do either and it doesn't work out. Imagine what these perfect beings would be saying if AR blew by Zeller standing there with his hands up and Duke tied the game on a two and won on a foul or overtime...