MBB: BC at Duke Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[geraldsneighbor]

Let me start by saying I broadcast my college's basketball games but its winter break and I haven't gotten to be on the call of a game in a few weeks so I found myself bored and wanting to do some game notes. I hope you enjoy.
Wednesday evening Duke will look to get back to its winning ways when the Boston College Eagles visit Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Obviously Duke enters the game coming off of Saturday's loss in Atlanta vs. then 17th-ranked Georgia Tech. Boston College enters Wednesday's tilt with a record of 10-6 and a 1-1 mark inside of ACC play. They lost by 16 points at Littlejohn vs. the Tigers on Saturday. Joe Trapani led the Eagles scoring 13 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Clemson is the only common opponent the teams share to this point in the season.

Boston College's Projected Starting Lineup:
Guard: Biko Parris 6'1'', 200 lbs., Junior, New Orleans, LA
PPG: 7.1 RPG: 2.8 APG: 5.4 FG%: 42.0% MPG: 33.4
Parris is very much the facilitator for the Eagles offense. His numbers are up in almost every category in his 3rd year in Chestnut Hill. He's scored in double figures in just 4 games this year and is averaging 5.5 ppg and 4 apg in 2 ACC contests this season. His only visit to Indoor came as a freshman in a game Duke won by 10 points but Parris had 11 points and 4 assists to go along with 6 turnovers. In the ACC tournament against Duke last year in Atlanta he had 15 points in Duke's 1 point win.
Guard: Reggie Jackson 6'3'', 200 lbs, Sophomore, Colorado Springs, CO
PPG: 13.2 RPG: 6.4 APG: 4.2 FG% 42.0 MPG: 32.8
Jackson has made a big leap up from his freshman season where he averaged just 7 ppg as a member of the Tyrese Rice-led Eagles. This season he has been in double figures in all but 3 games. His shooting averages nearly match his freshman years numbers but the attempts are way up with Rice's departure. Last year he had 15 points in BC's upset of the then 6th-ranked Blue Devils. He was held scoreless in the ACC tournament.

Forward: Rakim Sanders 6'5'', 230 lbs, Junior, Pawtucket, RI
PPG: 11.9 RPG: 4.0 APG: 2.8 FG%: 39.3 MPG: 27.0
Sanders has seen action in only 8 games this season for BC because of an ankle injury that saw him in street clothes for 8 games. He scored 22 points in last month's win over South Carolina. As a sophomore Sanders' averaged nearly 12 points per game. In his first two seasons with BC his FG% was mid 40's, while this year he has had it drop to 39%. In 3 career games vs. the Devils Sanders is averaging 9.7 ppg to go along with 4.3 rpg.

Forward: Corey Raji 6'6'', 218 lbs, Junior, Washington Twp., NJ
PPG: 12.7 RPG: 7.4 APG: 1.1 FG%: 52.7 MPG: 29.3
Raji has started 14 games this year after missing the first 2 games this season with BC. He scored in double figures in his first 10 games this year but since then hasn't scored more than 7 in a game. In 3 career games vs. Duke Raji is averaging 5 ppg and 5 rpg.

Forward: Joe Trapani 6'8'', 228 lbs., Redshirt Jr., Madison, CT
PPG: 15.1 RPG: 6.9 APG: 1.6 FG%: 42.9 3-PT%: 35.5 MPG: 30.8
Trapani, the Vermont transfer, torched Duke last season in the Devils visit to Chestnut Hill to the tune of 20 points and 7 rebounds. He nearly had a double-double in the team's meeting at the Georgia Dome scoring 12 points and pulling down 9 boards. This season he has been in double figures every game except the South Carolina game where he scored 9.

The Eagles, who for the 13th season are under the direction of Al Skinner, continue to look to find their ways without perennial All-ACC first team member Tyrese Rice who as a senior led BC is PPG (16.9), Field Goal Attempts (11.9), Free Throw% (85.6), and Assists (5.3).


Hope you enjoyed my effort to take you behind enemy lines. Let's Go Devils!

[BlueintheFace]

Trapani is one of the most underrated players in the conference...

[Newton_14]

Nice write up GN. Appreciate it. BC always seems to play us well no matter how their season is going. Very glad the game is in CIS. Downside is, read the weights of the players you listed. All are thick guys and in that Flex Offense there is going to be a lot of beating and banging on our guys. It will be a physical game.

Hopefully we can get out and get the tempo up and run the floor well to induce BC into a fast pace game. They have a couple of guys that have been Duke Killers in the past, Trapani being one of them. Kid can play and seems to rise to the occasion of going against Kyle.

But we have some new faces for them this year. I hope MP2 can continue his streak of good play. Plus with the lane being so clogged with how they play offense, our big guy committee should be able to use their size to make it hard on BC's Bigs. I personally hate the version of the Flex that BC runs as it is painful to watch and tends to wear down teams at time.

The main thing for Duke is to take away the 3 Ball from BC, and rediscover our good shooting. I feel Andre is soon going to bust out of his slump and this would be a great game to see that happen. Might also be a game where Kelly can provide good minutes as well.

Looking forward to seeing our guys bounce back from Saturday's loss with a strong performance at the friendly confines of CIS. Speaking of that, I got an email today letting me know there are still some tickets available in the Standing Room only Section for $50 each if any of you DBR folks are interested in going.

Go Duke!

[roywhite]

Thanks for the writeup, geraldsneighbor. As I look at BC's roster, reflect on how well they played against Duke last year, and then look at their record this year, things don't quite add up:

1. This team has talent, experience, and a veteran coach
2. They lost to Harvard and Maine!

This game being at CIS means a lot, IMO. BC could give us a hard time, but I think it's more likely Duke gets up early and BC does not play well together, resulting in a decisive win for the Devils.

[Kedsy]

They have a couple of guys that have been Duke Killers in the past, Trapani being one of them. Kid can play and seems to rise to the occasion of going against Kyle.

Trapani's their tallest starter -- do you think he'll be guarding Kyle tomorrow?

Also, based on Just_a_lemma's post in another thread (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=350010#post350010), since BC is such a short team this could be a game for Z to step up (as well as the other bigs).

[Newton_14]

Trapani's their tallest starter -- do you think he'll be guarding Kyle tomorrow?

Also, based on Just_a_lemma's post in another thread (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=350010#post350010), since BC is such a short team this could be a game for Z to step up (as well as the other bigs).

Easy Kedsy. I just meant that in last years games they seemed to go at it a lot with Trapani playing well, especially in the game at BC. Based on the make up of both teams this year you are correct in that it is not likely Trapani guards Kyle this year.

[roywhite]

What I'd really like to see tonight is for Duke's inside game to be effective. This could be a great opportunity for Mason to continue his progress. I don't see how BC matches up with him.

I'll say the over/under on Mason's dunks tonight is 2.5
(I'll take over:) )

[Exiled_Devil]

Nice write up GN. Appreciate it. BC always seems to play us well no matter how their season is going. Very glad the game is in CIS. Downside is, read the weights of the players you listed. All are thick guys and in that Flex Offense there is going to be a lot of beating and banging on our guys. It will be a physical game.


Go Duke!


I just want to say that I hate the flex offense. Not from a basketball point of view, but from a basketball-viewing point of view. Really, I hate the way that Skinner runs it with everyone bunched up in the paint. So many fouls. So much bumping. Ugh. I can see how it is effective, but man is it less fun to watch than almost every other basketball system out there.

[Kedsy]

Easy Kedsy. I just meant that in last years games they seemed to go at it a lot with Trapani playing well, especially in the game at BC. Based on the make up of both teams this year you are correct in that it is not likely Trapani guards Kyle this year.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be snide. I know they guarded each other last year and was merely pointing out the makeups of the teams are very different this year and actually asking your opinion. It's not like Trapani's a center or anything. If they thought Trapani would play better matched up against Kyle, why not put Sanders and Raji on Duke's light-scoring bigs and see what happens? Mr. Skinner usually has something up his sleeve.

[Newton_14]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be snide. I know they guarded each other last year and was merely pointing out the makeups of the teams are very different this year and actually asking your opinion. It's not like Trapani's a center or anything. If they thought Trapani would play better matched up against Kyle, why not put Sanders and Raji on Duke's light-scoring bigs and see what happens? Mr. Skinner usually has something up his sleeve.

Got you. My bad, I misunderstood your comment. It is going to be interesting to see the strategy tonight in terms of who guards who on both ends. I do expect our bigs to fare well. I can see LT and Mason matching up on Trapani with Kyle guarding Sanders and Miles on Raji. Or LT/Mason on Raji with Miles on Trapani. I do expect Southern to play a lot as well with Miles and Zoubs obviously matching up with him.

I look forward to seeing Mason tonight as he will be a challenge for BC to match up with, especially if he is playing as well as he has in the last few games..

[moonpie23]

what i would like to see is for kyle singler to have an amazing game where he was DA MAN...........tripple double and CIS security seen hauling the monkey that is on his back away....

[CrazieDUMB]

what i would like to see is for kyle singler to have an amazing game where he was DA MAN...........tripple double and CIS security seen hauling the monkey that is on his back away....

Haven't gotten to see BC yet this year; any chance they run a FC press considering how much GT bothered us with it? Do they have anyone that can put ball presure on in the half court beyond the 3 pt line? That seems to be the strategy for taking us off our game, i wonder if BC can run it.

[Kedsy]

Haven't gotten to see BC yet this year; any chance they run a FC press considering how much GT bothered us with it? Do they have anyone that can put ball presure on in the half court beyond the 3 pt line? That seems to be the strategy for taking us off our game, i wonder if BC can run it.

I didn't think we were bothered by the press much at all against Ga Tech (or Clemson, either, for that matter). It took a few extra seconds to get it over half court, which gave us a bit less time for our half court offense, and I suppose it probably contributed to our being a little tired at the end of the game, but we didn't turn it over much or anything like that. I thought we handled it well, especially when Mason was in there.

In fact, we almost always have three and sometimes four guys on the floor who handle the ball pretty well -- I don't know why people think we should have problems against the press, unless it's still a hangover from last year's Clemson game.

[CrazieDUMB]

I didn't think we were bothered by the press much at all against Ga Tech (or Clemson, either, for that matter). It took a few extra seconds to get it over half court, which gave us a bit less time for our half court offense, and I suppose it probably contributed to our being a little tired at the end of the game, but we didn't turn it over much or anything like that. I thought we handled it well, especially when Mason was in there.

Well I agree the press didn't cause turnovers, but I think it was successful in mixing up our offense once we crossed halfcourt. The biggest problem during the GT game IMO was that every time Scheyer had the ball he was being pressured heavily far away from the basket (even got trapped a few times). Why K didn't tell him to drive, or let Nolan drive, against that high pressure I don't know. It cut off our ability to pass around the perimeter, which I think is pretty crucial to running our sets.

[Olympic Fan]

Anybody else take issue with DBR's description of Boston College as "a team that has given Duke some trouble since joining the ACC"?

Obviously, NOBODY in the ACC is easy, but I don't remember BC as a particular problem. Yes, they beat us last year in Chesnut Hill and gave us two tough ACC tournament games (the 2006 title game and the 2009 quarterfinals), but both of those were Duke wins.

In fact, since BC joined the ACC in 2005-06, Duke is 6-1 against the Eagles -- and 2-0 (by 10 and 14 points) in Cameron.

How does that compare with the rest of the ACC? Let's see ... since 2005-06, Duke is:

BC 6-1
Miami 5-1
N.C. State 5-1
Va Tech 5-1
Virginia 4-1
Maryland 7-2
Clemson 5-2
Georgia Tech 5-2
FSU 5-2
Wake Forest 5-2
UNC 2-6

So Duke actually has its best record over the last four-plus seasons versus BC ... surprisingly, its most wins coming against Maryland (a total that we could match with a win tonight).


PS I appreciate the preview from geraldsneighbor, but I suggest that Skinner may start 6-10, 252-pound junior Josh Southern in place of one of his wings (probably in place of Jackson, who will come off the bench as a sixth man). So far this season, Southern has started 10 times -- Trapani and Paris have started all 16 BC games; Sanders and Raji have started every game they've played in (8 and 14, respectively).

Either way, it will be a good test to see how Duke's big lineup looks against the ACC's smallest team -- but one that's loaded with very good wing athletes.

[JDev]

It seems their guards, Paris and Jackson, have had some "above their average" moments against Duke in their careers. I don't see that happening tonight, with Duke coming off a loss and ready for a statement.

[airowe]

Also, based on Just_a_lemma's post in another thread (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=350010#post350010), since BC is such a short team this could be a game for Z to step up (as well as the other bigs).

I don't see a matchup against smaller guys a chance for Z to shine. Quite the opposite IMO. Z seems to do much better against bigger, lumbering centers who are tied to the post. Mason and Miles should certainly shine. I wonder if we see Mason in the starting lineup or if it's too soon...

[Kedsy]

I don't see a matchup against smaller guys a chance for Z to shine. Quite the opposite IMO. Z seems to do much better against bigger, lumbering centers who are tied to the post. Mason and Miles should certainly shine. I wonder if we see Mason in the starting lineup or if it's too soon...

That had been my original perception as well, but the data in just_a_lemma's post was somewhat eye opening to me. At least from a shooting/scoring perspective, Z's best work this year has been against shorter teams. His rebounding and defense has not been as correlative, however, so maybe we're just talking about different things.

[CDu]

Well I agree the press didn't cause turnovers, but I think it was successful in mixing up our offense once we crossed halfcourt. The biggest problem during the GT game IMO was that every time Scheyer had the ball he was being pressured heavily far away from the basket (even got trapped a few times). Why K didn't tell him to drive, or let Nolan drive, against that high pressure I don't know. It cut off our ability to pass around the perimeter, which I think is pretty crucial to running our sets.

Well, I think the overall pressure of the defense, rather than the actual press itself, was the key. Georgia Tech had a seemingly unlimited supply of athletic, long, physical defenders and they harassed us the whole game. I think that had a lot to do with it. I think the other big key was the poor shooting. It's possible that the physical defense led to missing so many of our relatively open outside shots.

BC will also try to make the game physical (especially on the perimeter), so in that regard they will probably employ a similar strategy. I don't think they'll press full-court, but they'll ratchet up the half-court defensive physicality.

But the reality is that BC just isn't as good a team as GT. As such, we should still win comfortably - especially at home.

[Greg_Newton]

I wonder if we'll see Andre's "comeback" of sorts tonight. From a recent tweet-stalking sesh, it appears Nolan and Lance have been spending some time with him getting him ready...

I think we match up very, very well with BC.

[HCheek37]

Living up in Boston I have been able to attend 2 BC games this year...both losses to Harvard and Maine.

This team will run the same offense that Al Skinner has always used, the quick screens along the baseline with cutters flashing to the elbows where they will either pass to the other elbow or look for a guy coming off a screen down low.

They miss the athleticism of Rice who was their go-to guy with the shot clock running down or when they needed a key bucket. In the end this game won't be easy because just like last year they have talent and stay within their system. It will be key to slow the outside shooters tonight (Trapani/Roche) because their big shots last year hurt us.

Vegas has the Devils as 16 point favorites so hopefully they are right.....big game tonight from Singler...calling it now

[ScreechTDX1847]

I just scored a ticket to the game!!! Unfortunately, I have to attend the game in a suit coming straight from work. Ugh.

[phaedrus]

I just scored a ticket to the game!!! Unfortunately, I have to attend the game in a suit coming straight from work. Ugh.

So you'll be the best-dressed person there. What's wrong with that?

[ScreechTDX1847]

So you'll be the best-dressed person there. What's wrong with that?

Suit + CIS Sauna = Yuck.

[left_hook_lacey]

Living up in Boston I have been able to attend 2 BC games this year...both losses to Harvard and Maine.

This team will run the same offense that Al Skinner has always used, the quick screens along the baseline with cutters flashing to the elbows where they will either pass to the other elbow or look for a guy coming off a screen down low.

They miss the athleticism of Rice who was their go-to guy with the shot clock running down or when they needed a key bucket. In the end this game won't be easy because just like last year they have talent and stay within their system. It will be key to slow the outside shooters tonight (Trapani/Roche) because their big shots last year hurt us.

Vegas has the Devils as 16 point favorites so hopefully they are right.....big game tonight from Singler...calling it now

Duke by 20, with or without a big game from Singler. Roche listed as day-to-day with a sore back(I think). Pretty sure he'll play, don't know how effective he'll be.

I'm not just throwing "Duke by 20" out there as this is the only time this season that I have been that confident going into a game. BC has some terrible losses already this season, and Duke is due for a terrific all-around game as they have not "hit on all cylinders" in a few games now.

[riverside6]

I'm a little surprised Mason still isn't starting. Starters are the same and you can check out the live tempo-based stats here:

http://www.scacchoops.com/ViewHdGame.asp?hSchedule=3762

BC did move Reggie Jackson back to 6th man and is going bigger with Southern back in the starting lineup. You can be they were worried about Duke's rebounding.

[NSDukeFan]

Good, we get the General as an announcer tonight. I got a new TV during boxing day sales, and am excited to be able to watch it in HD tonight.

[devildownunder]

I'm a little surprised Mason still isn't starting.



it didn't take long for him to get in, did it?

[DownEastDevil]

When will the defense show up?

[ChicagoCrazy84]

Booo!!!

This is awful. Can anyone but Nolan Smith stop their man off the dribble?

Singler is invisible on offense. Mason Plumlee has made more mistakes offensively and defensively to cover the season. Nolan is playing well and so is Miles. Everyone else?....ugh

[RoyalBlue08]

I know Miles has a lot of dunks, but he defense has been terrible. Duke bigs need to help against the drive, and he seems to have no interest in doing so.

[DownEastDevil]

It has to be some of the worse officials I've seen lately

[AlaskanAssassin]

offense weak. defense weak. weak performance overall. sigh.

[NSDukeFan]

I know Miles has a lot of dunks, but he defense has been terrible. Duke bigs need to help against the drive, and he seems to have no interest in doing so.

Don't include Z here, he has been great helping out tonight, though not much help offensively.

[RoyalBlue08]

Don't include Z here, he has been great helping out tonight, though not much help offensively.

You are right. And Lance is always playing tough D. If you can combine Z and Lance's defense with the Plumlee bros offensive game, you could really have quite the front court. (This is why I am strongly in favor of only have one Plumlee in the game at a time!)

[ChicagoCrazy84]

offense weak. defense weak. weak performance overall. sigh.


Here, here

The last couple minutes were better. We got more loose balls and got out running. Our defense has got to be better. Coach K said not more than 2-3 weeks ago that this team has better recognition of team defense than any other team he's coached in 7 years. Uhhh, you sure about that?

[jimrowe0]

14.3% for 3 point field goals. Poor defensive performance with BC scoring a lot of points in the paint. We need to dictate the tempo better and get better looks.

[moonpie23]

this is about the worst they've played all season.....let's see what the 2nd half brings. someone needs to step up and take the team on their back....


they are all struggling


the crazies need to rev it up some.....

[OldSchool]

Two plays (among others) I really liked so far:

1. At the 17:00 minute mark, Mason takes his man off the dribble to the hoop, but goes up too softly and misses the layup.

If Mason can find enough space to operate, I think he is capable of putting the ball on the floor to get by most of the big guys who guard him.

2. At the 6:00 minute mark, Kyle drives by his man, and then Miles' man rotates over on help defense. Instead of forcing the shot, Kyle makes a nifty interior pass around the defender to an open Miles, who doesn't expect the ball and misses the pass and what could have been a dunk.

This is the kind of play Kyle can do very effectively at the 3 position - drive his man, attract the help defender and then find the open big with a sharp interior pass.

[RoyalBlue08]

I don't know how they are going to play in the second half, but I would be shocked if they don't come out fired up and ready to get after it.

[devildownunder]

very encouraging to see Nolan start strong in the 2nd half of a tight game. If we're going to be really good, he has to be really great.

[SCMatt33]

Anybody record the halftime speech?

[OldPhiKap]

Anybody record the halftime speech?

I bet Bobby Knight could recite it in his sleep.

[FerryFor50]

Southern's kind of a jerkface, isn't he?

[AlaskanAssassin]

Gerald in the building!

[Vincetaylor]

I am now convinced that if this team wants to got to the elite 8 or farther, we will need to see more minutes out of the Plumlees and a lot less out of Thomas and Zoubek by the end of the season. This can only happen if the Plumlees improve on defense. The problem with Zoubek and Thomas isn't their defense(which is great), it's how bad they are on offense. It's basically 3 on 5 on offense with them in the game. That won't take us very far. I see the likelihood of the Plumlees improving on defense greater than the likelihood of Thomas and/or Zoubek improving on offense.

[FerryFor50]

I am now convinced that if this team wants to got to the elite 8 or farther, we will need to see more minutes out of the Plumlees and a lot less out of Thomas and Zoubek by the end of the season. This can only happen if the Plumlees improve on defense. The problem with Zoubek and Thomas isn't their defense(which is great), it's how bad they are on offense. It's basically 3 on 5 on offense with them in the game. That won't take us very far. I see the likelihood of the Plumlees improving on defense greater than the likelihood of Thomas and/or Zoubek improving on offense.

What are you talking about? What have you seen from Z or Thomas tonight that makes you think they need to sit? And what have you seen from Mason tonight that makes you think he needs to get those minutes? (I'll admit Miles has been playing great)

What Duke needs to advance is to see good minutes from ALL their bigs.

[SCMatt33]

I am now convinced that if this team wants to got to the elite 8 or farther, we will need to see more minutes out of the Plumlees and a lot less out of Thomas and Zoubek by the end of the season. This can only happen if the Plumlees improve on defense. The problem with Zoubek and Thomas isn't their defense(which is great), it's how bad they are on offense. It's basically 3 on 5 on offense with them in the game. That won't take us very far. I see the likelihood of the Plumlees improving on defense greater than the likelihood of Thomas and/or Zoubek improving on offense.

I think that you will need significant contributions from all four to go deep. I'd like to see Mason getting around 25 min/game at the end with Zoubek getting 15. Z still has the experience and knows better than anyone where to put himself on the floor. With Miles and Lance, I'd like Miles to get more minutes against pure big guys a la Booker or a Cole Aldrich type, but I still like Lance against more "athletic" competion (see Brakins and Favors). Lance is a lot more versatile on the defensive end than either of the Plumlees will ever be.

[FerryFor50]

Z is playing outta his mind tonight!

I don't think I've ever seen him with this much energy.

[SCMatt33]

...Though I'm considering taking everything back about Z right now. He's asserting himself well.

[FerryFor50]

And z draws the charge!!! :d

[OldPhiKap]

Z's giving it his all. Great job, big guy!

Guess it's time to start pulling for Trevor Booker in the next game . . . .