Duke MBB at Wake Forest post-game thread

[Constantstrain 81]

COngrats to WF - I guess if we had to lose a game, I would want it to be at WF this year (plus it may help them to get into the tournament).

We played with some energy, but without passion at times. We were not sharp or focused and stupid turnovers and missed free throws ensued. It didn't help that most free throws were taken by our worst free throw shooters most of the time. The free throws and turnovers kept Wake in the game in the first half - having Singler on the bench with foul trouble didn't help.

Scheyer and Paulus will have their best success shooting the three when we drive and kick. However, tonight, Nelson mainly drove and shot (or attempted to). Henderson drove, but Wake simply fell back and gave him the shot (which he didn't take). In both cases, there was a definite lack of openings for Paulus and Scheyer accordingly. Singler wasn't in the game because of fouls. Just as we have won as a result of teamwork and balance - tonight we lost as a result of a lack of this.

Wake made their big run in the second half with Nelson and Singler on the bench with four. In fact, we fouled out five starters in the end - but the impact was felt much earlier in the half when an awful lot of Duke players picked up their 4th or 3rd. I actually thought that Wake was more aggressive early - literally pushing the Blue Devils around with no games. That, of course, is fine - but only as long as we can push back. That did not seem to be the case. Wake's defense produced "blocked shots" and "charges" - Duke's were touch fouls and blocks. It sure did not seem equitable (the final fouls numbers certainly bear that out) with both teams looking to play physical. First Nelson and then Henderson were both bumped hard out of bounds with no calls. Scheyer took it to the hoop, was bumped off balance, and missed the layup - no call.

The foul inconsistencies coupled with the turnovers coupled with the free throws coupled with at least 10 stupid turnovers (those not forced by Wake) coupled with Gerald playing one handed ... well, I guess you can't couple that many things together and have a good game.

[Ben63]

Do we have to vote for a MOTM?? I guess Nolan Smith but they all played like crap.

[mapei]

I thought the announcers were fine, pretty fair and even-handed. I know sometimes guys like Packer and Elmore are anti-Duke, but I just didn't hear any of that tonight, except perhaps to mention the bad call on the intentional a couple too many times. But it WAS a bad call.

We were outhustled and outrebounded big time by Wake tonight. We've lived on quickness all year, but tonight ran up against a team that
s quicker than us. They made every one of our players, with the exception of Nolan Smith, look like a much worse version of himself.

I too am concerned about Henderson. If he can't contribute, let him heal!

[OldSchool]

I thought Zoubek should have played a bit more. If I'm not mistaken, he didn't play at all after he was assessed a Technical, a technical he didn't at all deserve. Not only did we need Brian but keeping him out of the game after stuff like that can't be good for his confidence.

We were clearly having trouble getting rebounds and it's hard to say Brian wouldn't have helped. I keep saying it, this kid is going to have to log legit minutes if we're going to go deep this year. I truly don't believe there's any way around it. I know he isn't exactly a Naismith candidate but this team needs Brian whether or not they realize it.

Z did make one more very brief appearance after that.

From what I could tell trying to lip-read, after the foul by Zoubek, McFarland must have said something chippy upon which Brian turned to the official and said something like "what was that about?", and then promptly got T'd up. It seemed completely undeserved.

I would have played Zoubek more in a game like this when we were just getting muscled around by Johnson. Brian is not only tall but strong. But with a team as quick as Wake, they can't just have him switching out there on the perimeter, they need to make adjustments on the defensive scheme to let Z be effective.

[dukestheheat]

Duke did not play well enough to deserve the win. Too many missed, close shots. Too many free throws clanked away. Improper defensive play on the perimeter. I'd like to see a rematch in the tournament.......but not with this group of blind mice in stripes. The bump-outs on the baseline, that hotheaded Brian Zoubek , the intentional on Wake's center, the forarm shiver Thomas took at the 7:00 minute mark, The pull down of Singler at the free throw line after the over-and-back. That's enough. Man of the match....Coach K, for keeping his cool when the chips were all falling down around him. I'm not one who could have kept a chair from getting a flying lesson, a la Bobby Knight.

He seemed totally impassive and almost detached...I did see him up a few times and getting it going with the refs, but not like usual. The whole team seemed like they were still walking to Winston to play the game?!

This was just a weird game and I think we learn from something about the game, but unlike Pittsburgh, we will 'throw this one out'. Like in scientific trials, you sometimes have 'artifacts'. This game was an artifact for Duke, I believe. Proof Point 1: All five of our starters fouled out. Ever seen that? No.

Weird.

dth.

[oso diablo]

just got back from the game, and reading the comments about Scheyer's game tonight. haven't seen it mentioned in this thread, but he limped off the court at one point in the first half, and just looked off all night after that.

Lots of energy in the building. Lots of things i didn't like, but i am happy to see Wake playing well. I was worried whether their new coach could get it done at this level. They looked pretty well coached to me.

[DevilDad]

A question for anyone listening to Bob Harris tonight. At the final buzzer he said the Wake kids were storming the floor (expected of course), but he said there would be no hand-shake line because our guys may be in danger, or something to that effect. Maybe tongue-in-cheek, but it did seem like the Deacs were a litte chippy near the end. Thoughts?

[mapei]

Do we have to vote for a MOTM?? I guess Nolan Smith but they all played like crap.

Or could we vote for Teague? He was the best player on the floor IMO.

[weezie]

YES!! Give the capt a CIGAR. Sorry if it sounds like sour grapes but we were completely horse-collared! The entire starting 5 fouls out? I'd like to see that happen inside the Deandome.

Hey Playcaller, how's about you give us a lesson on this ludicrosity?

[mehmattski]

Duke did not play well enough to deserve the win. Too many missed, close shots. Too many free throws clanked away. Improper defensive play on the perimeter. I'd like to see a rematch in the tournament.......but not with this group of blind mice in stripes. The bump-outs on the baseline, that hotheaded Brian Zoubek , the intentional on Wake's center, the forarm shiver Thomas took at the 7:00 minute mark, The pull down of Singler at the free throw line after the over-and-back. That's enough. Man of the match....Coach K, for keeping his cool when the chips were all falling down around him. I'm not one who could have kept a chair from getting a flying lesson, a la Bobby Knight.

Man, did Wal-Mart have a sale on blue-colored glasses?

1) Zoubek's technical: there are some things you just can't say during a game. If Brian said one of those things, he absolutely deserved it.
2) The intentional foul was pretty questionable. MacFarlane was playing the ball and didn't take a swipe at Henderson, he took a two handed swing at the ball (and hit it, I might add).
3) Not sure what forearm you're referring to, but Thomas himself was not playing with much poise and control the whole game- Thomas does a lot of shoving underneath the basket, and paid for it with fouls tonight.
4) Singler was absolutely not pulled down on that play. If anything, that should have been a foul on Kyle for taking out the Wake player's knees. But both players were continuing their momentum and a correct no-call was made.

To blame the game on the referees is to sink to the level of hot-headed opposing fans. Although, this game is good fodder for the next time a Terp/UNC/UK fan pulls the "Duke gets all the calls" crap, because frequently those folks look only at free throw numbers, and Wake made more free throws (27) than Duke attempted (25) tonight. Style of play dictates those numbers more than anything. Particularly, sloppy play dictates those numbers...

[Kilby]

Those that blame match up problems are absolutely right. But with the steady play of Singler, the improvement of Lance and the toughness of Henderson and Nelsonn and Duke's great help rotations I do not worry about the match-ups down low. The biggest matchup problem is whoever Paulus is guarding. Wakes guards are too quick for him and he's too small to guard anyone else. Paulus has been a great spot up shooter for Duke with nerves of steel but he has been a defensive liability often this season. Duke plays great help D but if the other teams PG is continually getting penetration it leads to points or foul trouble. The guys down low have to move to cut off the penetrator then they have poor position to defend the man they left. Why was Paulus playing D with his back to his man? Because that was the only way that he could stay ahead of him.

[oso diablo]

A question for anyone listening to Bob Harris tonight. At the final buzzer he said the Wake kids were storming the floor (expected of course), but he said there would be no hand-shake line because our guys may be in danger, or something to that effect. Maybe tongue-in-cheek, but it did seem like the Deacs were a litte chippy near the end. Thoughts?

the Wake students come in from the end zone by the Duke bench. it gets pretty chaotic when they storm.

[Duvall]

Yo, feldspar - a question re the over-and-back call with ~2:00 minutes left. Was that good or bad? Can you gain possession by tipping a loose ball?

[KandG]

A question for anyone listening to Bob Harris tonight. At the final buzzer he said the Wake kids were storming the floor (expected of course), but he said there would be no hand-shake line because our guys may be in danger, or something to that effect. Maybe tongue-in-cheek, but it did seem like the Deacs were a litte chippy near the end. Thoughts?

I'm under the impression the players are coached to leave the court immediately when fans storm it, to avoid any chippy incidents or overzealous fans. I don't think it had anything to do with the way the Wake team was behaving specifically.

[duketaylor]

I told my wife, as the 1st half went along how bad I thought it was, then as the 2nd half unfolded it got worse, IMO. Then Duke lost 5 starters, not sure I've ever seen that. Maybe 3 or 4. In watching the game and replays I'm commenting on the calls, both ways, about how bad they are. (I have coached for 6 years and understand what a foul is...or is NOT) Of couse, wife thinks I'm a nut, but knows better. Again, worst game-calling I've seen in a long time. A long, long time. I'll guess this crew never calls another ACC game. Any way to track that? They shouldn't. I'm not overly concerned that Duke lost, just in the process in which they did.
I'm not saying Duke should've won, but that was awful.

[grc5]

Our offense was totally out of rhythm tonight, and I'm totally pinning the blame on Paulus. He just could not do anything in the face of the WF defensive pressure, and could not get us into our offensive sets...
The rumors of the death of the Smith vs. Paulus debate have been greatly exaggerated.

[captmojo]

The team did so much that was not right, K could only smile while the camera was on, and shake his head. The team did not appear to have the toughness they needed for this contest.

It's bedtime. Better dreams everyone!

[RelativeWays]

We beat the holes.

Keep that in mind in times like these.

Sorry but "WE BEAT UNC" doesn't count for crap when losing to Wake, and lets remember that the holes have a return engagement as well.

[feldspar]

I told my wife, as the 1st half went along how bad I thought it was, then as the 2nd half unfolded it got worse, IMO. Then Duke lost 5 starters, not sure I've ever seen that. Maybe 3 or 4. In watching the game and replays I'm commenting on the calls, both ways, about how bad they are. (I have coached for 6 years and understand what a foul is...or is NOT) Of couse, wife thinks I'm a nut, but knows better. Again, worst game-calling I've seen in a long time. A long, long time. I'll guess this crew never calls another ACC game. Any way to track that? They shouldn't. I'm not overly concerned that Duke lost, just in the process in which they did.
I'm not Duke should've won, but that was awful.

One of the worst-played Duke games I've seen in a while, so I guess they're even.

[hurleyfor3]

This game doesn't bother me. If we're going to have Just One Of Those Off Nights, there are worse teams to have it against than Wake.

BTW, Wake, the world of dance music thinks it's funny your official song is a track that's NINE years old now.