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nyr484
02-02-2010, 12:34 PM
Logged onto GoDuke.com to check game times for this week and noticed we have GT Thursday night at home followed by BC on Saturday afternoon (2pm) in Boston. I know a lot has been said about scheduling and rest between games, but this one seems a bit absurd. It's about 40 hours between the games, and they have to travel to Boston in that time.

BC is fairly weak this year compared to the past few years (and compared to the rest of the league). But, still, going all the way up to Boston on short rest to play them in their personal Super Bowl... I'm officially putting us on upset alert. This doesn't even take into account the probability that the team might be distracted by the UNC game next Wednesday (let's hope the team is just focusing on GT for now...)

On an unrelated note, isn't it odd that GoDuke has not updated the score yet for the Gtown game?

roywhite
02-02-2010, 12:41 PM
When Duke gets to the NCAA tournament, Coach K will be able to tell them truthfully that they've already had some tough turn-arounds. The NCAA might require Duke to play the first game Thursday night and then come back for the second round early on a Saturday afternoon. That's what the Tech/BC sequence is, and throw in the travel to Boston.

Just my guess, but I think Duke will be ready to play Saturday afternoon; the NC State and G-town games were bitter pills.

dukeENG2003
02-02-2010, 12:54 PM
BC is a 12-10 team that is one of the worst in the conference. People on these boards (and in the media) don't give our team enough credit. We are a good basketball team. BC is not a very good basketball team. Have a little confidence in your team, shees. I'm tried of reading threads about "Why we're going to lose to ____"

We will be favored in every game remaining on our schedule. Sure, we may not win all 10, but the fact is, we are the best team in this conference. Whats up with all the negativity?

allenmurray
02-02-2010, 12:56 PM
Logged onto GoDuke.com to check game times for this week and noticed we have GT Thursday night at home followed by BC on Saturday afternoon (2pm) in Boston. I know a lot has been said about scheduling and rest between games, but this one seems a bit absurd. It's about 40 hours between the games, and they have to travel to Boston in that time.

BC is fairly weak this year compared to the past few years (and compared to the rest of the league). But, still, going all the way up to Boston on short rest to play them in their personal Super Bowl... I'm officially putting us on upset alert. This doesn't even take into account the probability that the team might be distracted by the UNC game next Wednesday (let's hope the team is just focusing on GT for now...)


I don't think they are going to walk. Seriously, they will be going in a chartered lane - a trip of about 90 minutes. That is not particularly taxing to a 19 or 20 year old. If they lose I really odn't htink it will be because of a 90 minute plane flight.

gumbomoop
02-02-2010, 01:10 PM
I recall someone on some post a couple of weeks ago doing a chart of how frequently Duke plays an opponent who will have more off-days than Duke; but this Sat at BC takes the cake on that point: when they meet in Boston Sat aft, Duke's most recent game will have been Thurs eve, while BC's most recent will have been one week earlier.

This additional "unbalanced" scheduling is dismaying. It strikes me that in some sense the schedule gods decided this year to try several "clever" experiments, including having team X play teams Y and Z twice before playing either of their H/A games v. teams A and B. Thus [again this particular oddity was noted in a long-ago post], Duke plays GaT, Clemson, and BC H/A before facing either Md or UNC for those H/A series.

Back to BC: although all teams play 2 games in 3 days in NCAAT, said tournarounds [a quick turnaround in a tourney] do not involve a travel day.

I shall hope for an emotional/psychological high from a win over GaT to sustain the Devils come Sat in Boston.

Olympic Fan
02-02-2010, 01:23 PM
I agree -- the problem is not so much the short turnaround, but the fact that while Duke has two games in 41 hours, BC has an entire week to prepare for Duke.

You have a quick turnaround in the NCAA Tournament, but it's fair because both teams have the same turnaround (at least within a few hours).

I agree that the Boston College test will be much tougher because of the schedule. That's not negativity -- Duke should still be favored. But it's a much tougher test because of the schedule. That's a fact.

If it's any consolation, Duke will have one day extra to prepare for next week's UNC game. Duke plays 2 p.m. Saturday in Boston ... UNC plays 2 p.m. Sunday in College Park.

That gives Duke three days to prepare for the Heels ... and UNC just two days to prepare for Duke on Wednesday night.

CDu
02-02-2010, 01:24 PM
I don't think they are going to walk. Seriously, they will be going in a chartered lane - a trip of about 90 minutes. That is not particularly taxing to a 19 or 20 year old. If they lose I really odn't htink it will be because of a 90 minute plane flight.

I agree that I don't think the travel won't be overly taxing. As you said, it's not that long a flight. I do however have the following concerns about the quick turnaround time (especially relative to BC's week off):

1) If we play an overly physical game against GT, we may be still banged up when we play BC and thus not a full strength.
2) We won't have much time to gameplan specifically for BC, whereas BC will have had a full week to gameplan specifically for us.

Now, I don't know how much that will affect us, because obviously we're a much better team overall. But I think those are relevant considerations.

nyr484
02-02-2010, 01:31 PM
BC is a 12-10 team that is one of the worst in the conference. People on these boards (and in the media) don't give our team enough credit. We are a good basketball team. BC is not a very good basketball team. Have a little confidence in your team, shees. I'm tried of reading threads about "Why we're going to lose to ____"

We will be favored in every game remaining on our schedule. Sure, we may not win all 10, but the fact is, we are the best team in this conference. Whats up with all the negativity?

I'm not being negative on the team and I'm aware that they will take a chartered flight (not walk). I'm just saying that this puts them in a tough spot. We *should* beat BC. And, if we want to win the ACC regular season, it's important that we do. My point is that BC is not a cupcake. Say, for example, playing on the road on short rest after a travel day is worth 5-10 fewer points to Duke. Well, all of a sudden it is a much closer game, with a much smaller margin for error. So, an upset is more likely and it's because of bad scheduling. Why play GT on Thursday rather than Wednesday? Doesn't seem fair.

I agree that this should be good prep for the 2 day turnarounds of the NCAA tournament, but that travel day in the middle is really tough. Any athlete will tell you that bus legs (plane legs?) can have an impact on the game. How many other times this season does the team travel on its only day off between games?

Rich
02-02-2010, 01:34 PM
While we beat BC by 20 in Cameron, if I recall correctly the score was tight going into halftime. There are no gimmees in the ACC this year.

arnie
02-02-2010, 01:48 PM
BC is a 12-10 team that is one of the worst in the conference. People on these boards (and in the media) don't give our team enough credit. We are a good basketball team. BC is not a very good basketball team. Have a little confidence in your team, shees. I'm tried of reading threads about "Why we're going to lose to ____"

We will be favored in every game remaining on our schedule. Sure, we may not win all 10, but the fact is, we are the best team in this conference. Whats up with all the negativity?

You call it negativity if some think Duke might only go 10-6 or 11-5 in ACC this year. I call it Pollyanna if you think it is a "fact" that we are the best team and will likely win 9 of our last 10. Anyway, I think all we're disagreeing on is "how good is Duke" this year. I don't have the highest expectations in March, but hope I'm wrong.

MChambers
02-02-2010, 01:51 PM
If we play an overly physical game against GT, we may be still banged up when we play BC and thus not a full strength.
I'd be shocked if the GT game isn't overly physical, based on Hewitt's teams over the years. I still think Muhammed's takedown of Daniel Ewing cost Duke a national championship in 2004. (Not that I'm bitter, mind you.)

roywhite
02-02-2010, 01:57 PM
I'd be shocked if the GT game isn't overly physical, based on Hewitt's teams over the years. I still think Muhammed's takedown of Daniel Ewing cost Duke a national championship in 2004. (Not that I'm bitter, mind you.)

After our recent loss in Atlanta, Coach K gave Hewitt a "drive-by" handshake. Looked none too pleased, and I interpreted that as displeasure with the GT style of play. There have been some indications of that in the past, also.

I think the Devils will be ready to play Thursday. First things first before we concern ourselves with the turnaround to Boston.

91_92_01_10_15
02-02-2010, 02:05 PM
After our recent loss in Atlanta, Coach K gave Hewitt a "drive-by" handshake. Looked none too pleased, and I interpreted that as displeasure with the GT style of play. There have been some indications of that in the past, also.

I think the Devils will be ready to play Thursday. First things first before we concern ourselves with the turnaround to Boston.

FWIW, I, too, was watching that handshake closely, as my perception is that there is no love lost between K and Hewitt, but I didn't see it as a "drive-by."

To me, it looked as if K gave his standard shake and hand on the chest of the other coach along with earnest congratulations.

Durhamrocks68
02-02-2010, 02:16 PM
They will come at us hard. For the last few years, I believe Hewitt, his staff and players have always felt that they could out-physical Duke, even though the results have mostly been Duke victories. Now that they've won in Atlanta, they will be confident and looking to impose their will on us. I expect our boys to meet the challenge, but I think it will be a taxing game. We'll be heading up to BC on a low tank. Luckily, they're not as strong as they've been in the last few years. Two W's would be huge for this team's confidence!