MBB: Duke 60, VPI 56 ACCT Post-Game Thread

[hurleyfor3]

And another close one with VPI. Discuss.

[FerryFor50]

VPI is always tough because they play physical. Luckily, they shot worse than Duke.

Tyler had a lot of shots, but it was because he was often (left) open. Had to be a part of the VT game plan.

Missed Kelly on the boards, as well as his offensive versatility, but Hairston played well.

Dawkins is a magician... disappears a lot.

[NSDukeFan]

VPI is always tough because they play physical. Luckily, they shot worse than Duke.

Tyler had a lot of shots, but it was because he was often (left) open. Had to be a part of the VT game plan.

Missed Kelly on the boards, as well as his offensive versatility, but Hairston played well.

Dawkins is a magician... disappears a lot.

Dawkins missed his shots, unfortunately, but he looked like he was in the game, defended fine, got a few boards, just missed some good shots. I agree Hairston gave the team some good minutes. I think VT did want to leave TT open and I thought he took a few extra ones that were unnecessary, but I think he has to take the wide open ones in the flow of the offense. Tyler played two fantastic games vs. Green this year.

The D carried the team tonight.

[FerryFor50]

Dawkins missed his shots, unfortunately, but he looked like he was in the game, defended fine, got a few boards, just missed some good shots. I agree Hairston gave the team some good minutes. I think VT did want to leave TT open and I thought he took a few extra ones that were unnecessary, but I think he has to take the wide open ones in the flow of the offense. Tyler played two fantastic games vs. Green this year.

The D carried the team tonight.

He was ok on D, but not standout.

Sometimes it's good to be invisible on defense... means your guy isn't beating you.

However, he just wasn't in any rhythm on offense and his body language was pretty bad after missing the last shot he took (a layup, I think).

[#1Duke]

I'm trying to take something positive away from this game tonight and am having a difficult time thinking of much. Mason's free throw shooting was a high point though.
We need to step it up tomorrow if we hope to advance to the final.
Don't know if Miami or FS will leave 16 points at the front of the rim.

[RoyalBlue08]

I'm trying to take something positive away from this game tonight and am having a difficult time thinking of much. Mason's free throw shooting was a high point though.
We need to step it up tomorrow if we hope to advance to the final.
Don't know if Miami or FS will leave 16 points at the front of the rim.

A win?

[#1Duke]

A win?

Well, of course!! But I am thinking about tomorrow and the next day. Seriously, while we didn't have a good shooting night VT DID leave at least 16 point blank range points hanging out there. They didn't finish well.
I don't think we can count on that happening from here on out.... if 8 of those points would have fallen, the game would have been very different in the last several minutes.
While we rightfully lament our disappointing shooting from 3 point land, VT should be kicking themselves in the butt for leaving so many points in the paint where USUALLY a team has a MUCH higher percent of makes.

[ncexnyc]

Well, of course!! But I am thinking about tomorrow and the next day. Seriously, while we didn't have a good shooting night VT DID leave at least 16 point blank range points hanging out there. They didn't finish well.
I don't think we can count on that happening from here on out.... if 8 of those points would have fallen, the game would have been very different in the last several minutes.
While we rightfully lament our disappointing shooting from 3 point land, VT should be kicking themselves in the butt for leaving so many points in the paint where USUALLY a team has a MUCH higher percent of makes.

Do you really want to play the, "What if" game?

Seriously, Dre missed two lay-ups along with two 3 pt shots, which were superwide open. Throw in several of Tyler's wide open misses and a couple of bunnies that Mason and Miles left on the table and I'd say we were even.

Accept the win and the way in which it came as par for the course this season, nothing's been easy for this team, but the vast majority of the time they've found a way to get it done.

[A-Tex Devil]

That was a pretty awful display of Mr. Naismiths game by both teams. Just gross. Glad we won. That is all.

[hurleyfor3]

That was a pretty awful display of Mr. Naismiths game by both teams.

Hey, we scored more baskets than in the first game ever played. That's something I'm not certain Georgia Tech could have said last night.

[jv001]

That was a pretty awful display of Mr. Naismiths game by both teams. Just gross. Glad we won. That is all.

At this time of year, I just enjoy every win. Win baby, just win. GoDuke!

[NSDukeFan]

I'm trying to take something positive away from this game tonight and am having a difficult time thinking of much. Mason's free throw shooting was a high point though.
We need to step it up tomorrow if we hope to advance to the final.
Don't know if Miami or FS will leave 16 points at the front of the rim.

Let me help you, the team won in a one-in-done tournament. Always a positive. Style points don't matter nearly as much as Ws.

[#1Duke]

Let me help you, the team won in a one-in-done tournament. Always a positive. Style points don't matter nearly as much as Ws.

My comments had nothing to do with "style" points. Everything to do with what we may face tomorrow.

[Newton_14]

I'm trying to take something positive away from this game tonight and am having a difficult time thinking of much. Mason's free throw shooting was a high point though.
We need to step it up tomorrow if we hope to advance to the final.
Don't know if Miami or FS will leave 16 points at the front of the rim.

It was an ugly game, and Duke was out of sync on offense all night. Something positive is we won ugly in a slow down game, when we were no where close to firing on all cylinders. Survive and advance.

In fairness to Andre, he played most of his minutes at the 4. Had to be awkward. Still, he made some positive plays even though he missed his shot attempts. His defense was serviceable, as he provided valuable minutes with Miles sitting with the 2 fouls. Not bad given the circumstances.

I thought we should have gone to Mason more on the block. We did not work hard enough to get him open, and then get him the ball. Mason not getting enough touches, combined with Seth having a really quiet night offensively, made for a really weird game on the offensive end. Tech played 5 on 4, daring Tyler to shoot. He made just enough shots to make them pay. When he missed, Tech could not capitalize either.

We live to see another day. Let's pull for Miami and see what happens.

NEWS ALERT: THE NCAA HAS DECLARED DURAND SCOTT IN-ELIGIBLE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. INTERESTING.

[Kfanarmy]

I thought we should have gone to Mason more on the block.--.

at least a couple of times, Mason was the recipient of entry passes that got by him...one of which was a near perfect pass from AR; Mason looked like he was trying to grab it with a couple of bricks...I think he left 6 points on the court by not getting ahold of the ball...a win is a win however.

[greybeard]

at least a couple of times, Mason was the recipient of entry passes that got by him...one of which was a near perfect pass from AR; Mason looked like he was trying to grab it with a couple of bricks...I think he left 6 points on the court by not getting ahold of the ball...a win is a win however.

Greenberg said, "we wanted to make Thorton beat us." They did. Mason got off 6 shots, and made 4. One of the makes came immediately after a time out off an intricate play that ended with a lob over the rim which Miles caught behind the defense and threw down.. If you get a less than ideal pass, have been jammed all game, and maybe look too soon for an opening that probably wasn't there, not catching it is predictable and not a reflection of "brick hands." Seth shut down the inside game, that's the reason that Mason got only 6 shots.

From what I saw, when the ball was even approaching a position from which an entry pass could have been made, Mason was quickly double teamed by two inside defenders who not only impeded a pass even being thrown but also formed a wedge that prevented a catch and quick move to a scoring position if one was and cleanly got through. There also was a guard dropping down to prevent Mason from even thinking about bouncing the ball to maneuver to a better spot after a catch. The same was true of how Miles was defended inside. I think Seth had devised what we used to call a "bastard defense"--man with zone principles, that varied depending upon who had the ball and where, and that had five guys guarding four. Brick hands? Six shots? From where and in what circumstance? We saw different games.

[CDu]

Missed Kelly on the boards, as well as his offensive versatility, but Hairston played well.

Actually, I'd say that our rebounding should improve with Kelly out. I think that Miles and Hairston are both better rebounders (by rebound rate). I think we missed Kelly offensively for sure, though. Would have been nice to have one more scoring threat and have one more guy to spread the floor (and hopefully take shots away from Thornton).

Dawkins is a magician... disappears a lot.

Zing!

[FerryFor50]

Actually, I'd say that our rebounding should improve with Kelly out. I think that Miles and Hairston are both better rebounders (by rebound rate). I think we missed Kelly offensively for sure, though. Would have been nice to have one more scoring threat and have one more guy to spread the floor (and hopefully take shots away from Thornton).



Zing!

I think Kelly gets better positioning than Hairston, but Hairston goes after it harder.

One thing I like about Hairston is that he plays like he's tall. Kelly doesn't always do that.

[CDu]

I think Kelly gets better positioning than Hairston, but Hairston goes after it harder.

One thing I like about Hairston is that he plays like he's tall. Kelly doesn't always do that.

I was merely talking about rebound rates. I'm think that Hairston rebounds a higher percentage of missed shots than Kelly. I'm certain that Miles does.

[FerryFor50]

I was merely talking about rebound rates. I'm pretty sure Hairston rebounds a higher percentage of missed shots than Kelly. I'm certain that Miles does.

I know Miles is better. I think that Hairston's rebound rates are a reflection more of his minutes played than his rebounding prowess.

Because he goes after it so hard, he tends to pick up fouls. If he played the same # of minutes as Kelly, I think his rebounds would suffer because of foul trouble.

What are the foul rates between Hairston and Kelly?

EDIT: I know that "same number of minutes" doesn't make sense, because foul trouble means he'd not play as many... but you get my point.