MBB: Duke vs. Virginia Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[Bob Green]

We are 23 hours from tip-off so it is time to discuss the Virginia game. The first game after a loss is always interesting. Will Coach Krzyzewski shake things up a bit? Virginia is #11 in the ACC in 3PT FG Defense but Duke is coming off a woeful (11-35) 3PT shooting performance so will Duke look to score more inside the arc? Or, will the team attack Virginia's weakness and bomb away from behind the arc? The thing I want to see is better ball movement resulting in open shots after an extra pass (or two!).

[OldPhiKap]

We are 23 hours from tip-off so it is time to discuss the Virginia game. The first game after a loss is always interesting. Will Coach Krzyzewski shake things up a bit? Virginia is #11 in the ACC in 3PT FG Defense but Duke is coming off a woeful (11-35) 3PT shooting performance so will Duke look to score more inside the arc? Or, will the team attack Virginia's weakness and bomb away from behind the arc? The thing I want to see is better ball movement resulting in open shots after an extra pass (or two!).

I assume we will start with a concerted effort to work it inside. I imagine there has been a lot of discussion and practice on this issue since returning from Tallahassee.

After that, a few kick-outs and bangers from outside to get us up and running.

There aren't too many back-to-back losses (or even bad performances) in the last 20 years, and even fewer in a home game.

[4decadedukie]

For some this is not a "big deal," but I just got two seats to tomorrow's UVa game, and in the floor-level, non-Crustie section, which is as terrific as it is unusual. I drive to Durham from the DC area EARLY Saturday and my brother, who has never been to Cameron but whose son will receive his Fuqua MBA this May, will drive from Hilton Head. This is an unexpected, joyous dividend for us. I look forward to Duke pounding the Cavaliers and to showing my brother the unique, wonderful Cameron environment.

[HateCarolina]

For some this is not a "big deal," but I just got two seats to tomorrow's UVa game, and in the floor-level, non-Crustie section, which is as terrific as it is unusual. I drive to Durham from the DC area EARLY Saturday and my brother, who has never been to Cameron but whose son will receive his Fuqua MBA this May, will drive from Hilton Head. This is an unexpected, joyous dividend for us. I look forward to Duke pounding the Cavaliers and to showing my brother the unique, wonderful Cameron environment.

Have a blast man!! We'll be rooting hard for your brother to have an extra good time up there and hope you have a good one as well. I don't envy that drive from Petersburg to Durham on 85, but would walk it barefoot if it meant watching the boys live.

[MartyClark]

I assume we will start with a concerted effort to work it inside. I imagine there has been a lot of discussion and practice on this issue since returning from Tallahassee.

After that, a few kick-outs and bangers from outside to get us up and running.

There aren't too many back-to-back losses (or even bad performances) in the last 20 years, and even fewer in a home game.

I will be interested to see whether you are correct in your prediction that we will make a concerted effort to work it inside. You may well be right but I wonder if that is strategy plays to our weakness rather than our strength. Clearly an effective inside game makes our outside game much better. I don't have a great deal of confidence that working the post is a good strategy. I just don't think either Plumlee is good offensively when they receive the ball in the low post with their back to the basket.

Don't view this as a negative post, Mason has been doing a good job rebounding but neither Plumlee has very good offensive skills in the half court, low post game.

[DukieInBrasil]

I will be interested to see whether you are correct in your prediction that we will make a concerted effort to work it inside. You may well be right but I wonder if that is strategy plays to our weakness rather than our strength. Clearly an effective inside game makes our outside game much better. I don't have a great deal of confidence that working the post is a good strategy. I just don't think either Plumlee is good offensively when they receive the ball in the low post with their back to the basket.

Don't view this as a negative post, Mason has been doing a good job rebounding but neither Plumlee has very good offensive skills in the half court, low post game.
While I share your lack of enthusiasm for running the offense thru the Plumlees, working it inside doesn't necessarily mean that their goal is to shoot it. Both Mason and Ryan are excellent passers so they may receive a pass in the lane and pass out to an open 3 or to a cutter in the box. Occasionally the MPs have really nice back and forth feeds for nice assists. They looked pretty horrid on O, but that was due to FSU's defense, which UVa won't have. Some of those backdoor cuts that UNC was using vs. VT would do wonders for the MPs confidence.

[left_hook_lacey]

We are 23 hours from tip-off so it is time to discuss the Virginia game. The first game after a loss is always interesting. Will Coach Krzyzewski shake things up a bit? Virginia is #11 in the ACC in 3PT FG Defense but Duke is coming off a woeful (11-35) 3PT shooting performance so will Duke look to score more inside the arc? Or, will the team attack Virginia's weakness and bomb away from behind the arc? The thing I want to see is better ball movement resulting in open shots after an extra pass (or two!).

I think VA has two glaring problems if they want to even have a punchers chance to win this game. They are very thin, especially on the front court, and the game is @ Cameron. If this game was in C-Ville, I would give them a slim chance to possibly pull of the upset, but its not. Good guys win by at least 18 if.....

we take our time and let the offense work, VA will wear down very quickly if we make them play D. We should be able to get 2nd chance points, especially in the second half when VA should be getting tired and what bigs it does have should be getting in foul trouble and/or having stamina issues.

This should start out as a slow, methodical game that sees a slight early lead for us, but quickly balloons into double digits and stays there.

I'd like to see both Plumlees and Hairston/Kelly in there together to totally dominate VA on the boards early which should crush its confidence early. Of course, if we're hitting outside shots, we won't need 2nd chance pionts, but I think we can get 2nd chance points at will in this game.

[SMO]

We are 23 hours from tip-off so it is time to discuss the Virginia game. The first game after a loss is always interesting. Will Coach Krzyzewski shake things up a bit? Virginia is #11 in the ACC in 3PT FG Defense but Duke is coming off a woeful (11-35) 3PT shooting performance so will Duke look to score more inside the arc? Or, will the team attack Virginia's weakness and bomb away from behind the arc? The thing I want to see is better ball movement resulting in open shots after an extra pass (or two!).

What's my prediction for Virginia you ask? PAIN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1TxiVhrkZA

[Ultrarunner]

We are 23 hours from tip-off so it is time to discuss the Virginia game. The first game after a loss is always interesting. Will Coach Krzyzewski shake things up a bit? Virginia is #11 in the ACC in 3PT FG Defense but Duke is coming off a woeful (11-35) 3PT shooting performance so will Duke look to score more inside the arc? Or, will the team attack Virginia's weakness and bomb away from behind the arc? The thing I want to see is better ball movement resulting in open shots after an extra pass (or two!).

I would guess that we'll see an effort to feed the post with Miles, Mason and Ryan given the go ahead to score, secondary option to pass to an open wing. I'm also expecting them to rebound with authority and look to score the same way off the rebound. Not so much as running the offense through the post but an effort to get the post players comfortable and producing. Virginia has a little bit of height but none of it is very skilled at this point, so it should make for a good game to work on post play.

I also think that we'll see a lot more of Thornton - we should (!) have the lead for most of the game and can get him more game experience. He may end up being a critical part of the puzzle in a couple of months similar to Elliot Williams - though he's not knocking a starter out of the rotation.

[mapei]

I'm in Durham and looking forward to my 4th (?) game ever in Cameron tomorrow. Psyched!

I don't see us "working it inside." That's just not Duke's game - we'll fire a pass inside for a shot if it's open, but we don't run the offense through the post much for redistribution as a deliberate strategy. Unless I'm way off. The bigs will play cleanup but the perimeter guys will run the show. And thrash the living snot out of U-VA, I hope. :)

[jipops]

I expect us to primarily bomb away from 3 again, just with a higher percentage than last time out. If we can get some transition going then Miles and Mason may find some success.

[Saratoga2]

I would guess that we'll see an effort to feed the post with Miles, Mason and Ryan given the go ahead to score, secondary option to pass to an open wing. I'm also expecting them to rebound with authority and look to score the same way off the rebound. Not so much as running the offense through the post but an effort to get the post players comfortable and producing. Virginia has a little bit of height but none of it is very skilled at this point, so it should make for a good game to work on post play.

I also think that we'll see a lot more of Thornton - we should (!) have the lead for most of the game and can get him more game experience. He may end up being a critical part of the puzzle in a couple of months similar to Elliot Williams - though he's not knocking a starter out of the rotation.

I still lack confidence that either of the Plumlees can catch a ball and make a move to the basket. Some folks have it and some folks don't. It remains to be seen if they do, but so far it is hard to have confidence in them. Remember Casey Sanders were a very good athlete but could never seem to catch the ball and finish.

As far as being strong with the ball, Tyler seems to have that quality. He is so young and lacks experience, but it is still worth a try to see him play a greater role in distribution of the ball and possibly with the scoring as well. Kyrie was not only strong with the ball but he was quick as well. Neither Seth or Andre seem to have that quality, although they are adequate with the ball unless facing really quick and long defenders.

I noticed in the Maryland game that Andre got a wide open look from 3 in the second half but passed it up, preferring to try to dribble toward the hoop. He wound up traveling on that possession. I think the events of the first half led to his indecision. I think the coaches had hammered into the players heads that they shouldn't be taking quick threes after the poor shooting of the first half. The point of this paragraph is that players are being given instructions by the coaches based on in game situations, and some of their natural aggressiveness and sense leaves them as they are following instructions. Coach K is generally good about letting them play. If the coaches force a certain in game mentality, such as you must go inside, it will lead to a lot of turnovers and indecision.

[Bob Green]

We need our interior players to step up their game against the Wahoos!

Mason Plumlee leads Duke in rebounds and is tied for fifth in the ACC at 8 per game (128 total rebounds). He had 14 against FSU with four being offensive. The main improvement we need to see is Mason being stronger with the ball and converting those offensive rebounds into points. I like everyone else desire to see more interior scoring.

Turning to blocked shots, once again Mason Plumlee leads Duke and is tenth in the ACC at 1.6 per game (26 total blocked shots).

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2010-2011/confldrs.html

As long as Mason Plumlee continues to rebound and block shots he will see lots of playing time such as the 32 minutes he logged against FSU, 18 minutes against Maryland, and 25 minutes against Miami. That's 25 minutes per game in conference action.

Virginia is not a strong rebounding team as they are ranked #10 in the ACC in rebounding margin at +0.1. Duke is #6 at +3.1. Virginia does not have an individual player ranked in the Top 20 in rebounding. Of course, the raw rebounding numbers are skewed by tempo as Virginia plays a deliberate style, which results in less shots taken and less rebounds available.

So what's my point? In today's game, Mason Plumlee needs to have another strong game on the glass. Rebounding is an area we should be able to dominate the Cavaliers so it is something to keep an eye on during the game.

Turning to Miles Plumlee, he is averaging 18 minutes per game in ACC action after seeing only six minutes against Florida State. Miles' numbers are 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game so he needs to dig deep inside himself and up his game. I believe Miles is our best interior defender as he is adept at rotating and cutting off the weakside baseline; however, he can't play defense while sitting on the bench so he obviously was doing something wrong in the limited action against FSU. He played 25 minutes against Maryland and 23 minutes against Miami so it would be nice to see him on the court against Virginia for 20+ minutes.

Ryan Kelly is 1-13 on 3-point attempts over the past five games. I would prefer to see Kelly shoot less from the perimeter and function as a high post distributor. Kelly is a talented passer and a guy who can feed the ball into the interior to Mason and Miles or hit an open shooter on the wing. Duke needs to make the extra pass to achieve better offensive flow and Kelly is a guy who can make that happen, but he can't make it happen by jacking up 3-pointers.

I'm not sure how much court time Josh Hairston will see today. Coming off a loss, Coach Krzyzewski may decide to shake things up or he may decide to stick with a tight rotation. Hairston brings high energy onto the court so if he gets an opportunity today he needs to take advantage by crashing the offensive glass. Hairston has demonstrated some offensive skills at times this year now he needs to demonstrate the ability to compete against ACC competition.

[cptnflash]

At home, against a vastly inferior team missing its best player, coming off our first loss of the season. This should be a wipeout. Anything less than a 20 point win will be a disappointment in my book.

[DukeDevilDeb]

I still lack confidence that either of the Plumlees can catch a ball and make a move to the basket. Some folks have it and some folks don't. It remains to be seen if they do, but so far it is hard to have confidence in them. Remember Casey Sanders were a very good athlete but could never seem to catch the ball and finish.

As far as being strong with the ball, Tyler seems to have that quality. He is so young and lacks experience, but it is still worth a try to see him play a greater role in distribution of the ball and possibly with the scoring as well. Kyrie was not only strong with the ball but he was quick as well. Neither Seth or Andre seem to have that quality, although they are adequate with the ball unless facing really quick and long defenders.

I noticed in the Maryland game that Andre got a wide open look from 3 in the second half but passed it up, preferring to try to dribble toward the hoop. He wound up traveling on that possession. I think the events of the first half led to his indecision. I think the coaches had hammered into the players heads that they shouldn't be taking quick threes after the poor shooting of the first half. The point of this paragraph is that players are being given instructions by the coaches based on in game situations, and some of their natural aggressiveness and sense leaves them as they are following instructions. Coach K is generally good about letting them play. If the coaches force a certain in game mentality, such as you must go inside, it will lead to a lot of turnovers and indecision.

Several posters have said that the idea of trying to go inside is a mistake because we have such good guards and such poor offensive post players. It is true that Miles and Mason are not in contention for scoring leader in the ACC, but going inside doesn't necessarily mean we are looking for them to score.

We are most successful shooting the 3 when a guard drives the ball into the lane and passes it to an open person on the perimeter, or when we pass inside, then have a relocation pass to a shooter. Last year, we did exceedingly well in our last 10 games when passes went to Zoubek who rarely looked to shoot. Instead, he had great vision in the offensive court and would pass it to an open shooter. He did the same thing with offensive rebounds. In fact, I truly believe that Zoubek's passing from the lane was a major reason we won the NC last year. It wasn't offense per se from the big man; it was assists.

This is exactly what the Plumlees need to do. Both of them are great on dunks but nothing on shots when they are more than 3 feet from the basket. But in some sense, they don't need to be. Driving or passing into the lane causes the defense to sag, freeing up the shooters on the perimeter. And I think we have excellent shooters in Andre, Seth, Kyle, Nolan, Ryan... but a hand in the face is always going to make their task more difficult.

You said the following: "I noticed in the Maryland game that Andre got a wide open look from 3 in the second half but passed it up". Andre has been told that he needs to work on his mid-range game as well. He is a fantastic 3 point shooter, but he needs to make the 10 and 12 foot shots as well. If you shoot from nowhere except behind the three point line, you've made it easy for the defense. By having multiple shooting areas in which he's comfortable, Andre will become even that more effective.

My prediction: INSIDE, INSIDE, INSIDE at the beginning of the game. Go Devils!

[moonpie23]

i'm not really looking for a wipeout, i'm looking for some signs of improvement in the areas many of us have pointed out....


go duke !!

[Bob Green]

This is exactly what the Plumlees need to do. Both of them are great on dunks but nothing on shots when they are more than 3 feet from the basket.

My prediction: INSIDE, INSIDE, INSIDE at the beginning of the game. Go Devils!

I don't disagree with your prediction and I agree we need more ball movement to include passing it inside and then back outside, but I must disagree with your assessment of Miles Plumlee's ability to shoot the basketball. Miles has shown a nice jump hook from 5-8 feet several times and also has the ability to knockdown his face up jumper out to 15 feet. He doesn't take the shot very often but he can shoot the ball. His FG% on the year is 50 percent (36 of 72).

[camion]

It's at home.
It's against a hobbled Virginia.
It's after a loss.

All of that bodes ill for the U of Va.

There are questions about what changes will be made for this game, but no question about the outcome IMO.

[ncexnyc]

i'm not really looking for a wipeout, i'm looking for some signs of improvement in the areas many of us have pointed out....


go duke !!

I agree, beating up on a team missing it's best player and has two other kids playing on one leg isn't much of a challenge, especially if we do it in the same fashion we beat up the cupcakes prior to ACC play.

We need to see some tweaks in our play that will carry over against tougher opponents.

[Devilsfan]

I think the most important part of this game should be recruiting. I think the radio announcer for the China broadcast should say something like, Ni Hau Chinese High Schoolers! If your 7"2"+, an A student and have a a game similar to Yao Ming there's a scholly waiting for you in Durham, N.C. Just kidding, sort of.

[riverside6]

while you're waiting for the game to start, you can use our Game Sim and simulate the Duke/Virginia game here (http://www.scacchoops.com/GameSimulator.asp?HomeTeam=DU&HomeYear=2011&AwayTeam=VA&AwayYear=2011&ExcludePlayers=Kyrie%20Irving^Mike%20Scott).

After around 15 sims, we get an average score of Duke winning 68-54.

[dalmatians98]

while you're waiting for the game to start, you can use our Game Sim and simulate the Duke/Virginia game here (http://www.scacchoops.com/GameSimulator.asp?HomeTeam=DU&HomeYear=2011&AwayTeam=VA&AwayYear=2011&ExcludePlayers=Kyrie%20Irving^Mike%20Scott).

After around 15 sims, we get an average score of Duke winning 68-54.

No offense, but I used your game sim prior to the FSU game. I think I'll leave it alone for now. ;)

Go Duke!

[riverside6]

starters are posted for the game...

Duke: Smith, Dawkins, Singler, Kelly, and Mason Plumlee
Virginia: Evans, Harrell, Farrakhan, Sherrill, Sene

live tempo-based stats for Duke/VA (http://www.scacchoops.com/ViewHDGame.asp?hSchedule=7011)

[riverside6]

No offense, but I used your game sim prior to the FSU game. I think I'll leave it alone for now. ;)

Go Duke!

ha ha, I picked the wrong game time to post it in a game thread I guess :)

[Acymetric]

Seth has his wrist taped up, anyone know anything about that? Doesn't look serious or anything he's warming up and all that so no cause for alarm, just curious if anyone had heard what was up.

[dairedevil]

Vandy/ut is close...wish vandy could pull it out, but don't want it to go to ot

[HateCarolina]

Thank you Williams for stealing the inbounds pass.

[dairedevil]

perfect timing to the end of the sec game - yay! Although a missed 3 is not how i wanted this to start.

[_Gary]

Wow, still looking like the Wed night game. This is a horrible start to the game for Duke.

[dairedevil]

can't blame it all on the loss of Kyrie..we've missed wide open opportunities.

Nolan hits, maybe we'll get settled down.

[_Gary]

can't blame it all on the loss of Kyrie..

I can. The loss of Kyrie is a season changer. His ability to push the ball up quickly led to even more wide open shots from the others, and his ability to drive and dish did the same. So yeah, this is about losing an extremely important part of the team.

[DukieInBrasil]

I'm not convinced that Mason deserves to start, or at least that he brings better productivity from that position than Miles. He rebounds well, he even grabbed an Oboard early. But he is such a liability on offense. At least Miles can hit FTs at an acceptable rate.

[Gthoma2a]

I'd like to see Thornton play pg here and there in this one. It couldn't hurt to have an extra guy who has proven that he will give his all when he is out there, and it might make life easier for Nolan. We didn't have a break you down guard last year, but Jon gave great effort, and managed the game well. It would be interesting to see us try that mold for a bit and see where it takes us. If nothing else, it could be a second look to throw at teams. Still, I am happy that we look to be playing at our pace in this one (we will break out of the shooting slump eventually).

[rotogod00]

Nothing inside, offensively or defensively

[HateCarolina]

I am making a more concerted effort to watch Mason Plumlee in this game on both the defensive and offensive (when he does not have the ball) end. So far I have noted that he continues to grab a lot of rebounds, which is awesome, but then I see him lose his man Sene on a pick and roll. He also missed a chippy (cleaned up by Singler) and a dunk, but he was fouled on it so cannot give him too much grief.

Wow...nine rebounds already for Mason...that's Zoubekesque!!!

[DukieInBrasil]

I am amazed at how poorly Duke is playing. Uncertain, timid and just shooting brick after brick after brick.

[dairedevil]

I can. The loss of Kyrie is a season changer. His ability to push the ball up quickly led to even more wide open shots from the others, and his ability to drive and dish did the same. So yeah, this is about losing an extremely important part of the team.

I concede that a lot of the problems are based on not having Kyrie or another true point guard. Lovely Len Elmore just pointed out a missed opportunity when Kyle was wide open, had to cross the floor to get the ball, then missed the 3. But, I've seen him hit those shots a gazillion times. Why can't they go in now!

[grossbus]

Where o' where has our shooting touch gone???

[dairedevil]

Where's Miles? Sick? Injured? Doghouse? I don't think I've seen him and Hairston got in before he does?

[Fuqua's Finest]

We have to be the worse passing team in the ACC. They even highlighted a play where Singler was wide open under the goal, but we settled for the 3 instead. My oh my, oh my. There is a recipe for beating us and at this rate every one will use it until we can adjust.

[_Gary]

Mason seems to be fine on the boards, but that's about it. I too am wondering what Coach K is seeing in starting him over Miles. For my money the older Plum has played a bit better, at least to my eyes. Mason's defense is pretty poor right now and his offense isn't any better. At least Miles has the little hook he brings out every so often.

This team as got to find an identity. That's the key right now.

[basket1544]

Anyone know what Miles did to lose all his playing time? I just don't understand why he continues to sit on the bench.

[Gthoma2a]

I wish we had Kyrie out there, if only for recruiting, but obviously not exclusively for that. We were so polished with him, and seeing Rivers reminded me that Shabazz is there for this one. It would have been nice to give him the best possible product to watch.

[DukieInBrasil]

does Mason continue to play? After that pass? what?

[ncexnyc]

As Dickie V would say, "It's Brick City Baaaby." So much for any tweaking of the offensive, just chucking 3 ball after 3 ball.

[rotogod00]

Just about unwatchable right now

[_Gary]

What's wrong with Mason. He didn't even elevate on that missed dunk attempt? He's really, really, really out of sorts! I can't believe we aren't seeing Miles at this point.

[HateCarolina]

I can. The loss of Kyrie is a season changer. His ability to push the ball up quickly led to even more wide open shots from the others, and his ability to drive and dish did the same. So yeah, this is about losing an extremely important part of the team.

I disagree to a point. I do certainly agree that the loss of Kyrie is a season changer. Kyrie is awesome and there is no doubt about that, but he is not the be all end all savior for the issues that we're showing. He could drive and dish to Mason, but that does not mean Mason would finish. He could also have an off shooting night, so even if he did not get injured and/or he comes back I still think there are some issues to be worked on and adjusted as far as our offense goes.

[TheRob8801]

Anyone know what Miles did to lose all his playing time? I just don't understand why he continues to sit on the bench.

He doesn't rebound as well as Mason and is a push at best on offense.

It's not surprising at all to me that he hasn't seen much time recently.

[devildownunder]

What's wrong with Mason. He didn't even elevate on that missed dunk attempt? He's really, really, really out of sorts! I can't believe we aren't seeing Miles at this point.

Was thinking something similar. Mason's had two dunk attempts already on which he was slow and didn't really get off the ground. He doesn't look right.

[ncexnyc]

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Maryland is up 11 on Nova.

[rotogod00]

Struggling is an understatement. 4-21 from the field

[Dukefan1.0]

Can we get someone to check if there is a lid on the basket?

[superdave]

Seth's pass to Ryan Kelly for the little bank shot was exactly 100% the best way Duke can get easy buckets for its big men. No dribble necessary. No catch and gather necessary. No move needed. Just catch and go up strong. UNC does this with Zeller a dozen times a game.

[rotogod00]

Seth's pass to Ryan Kelly for the little bank shot was exactly 100% the best way Duke can get easy buckets for its big men. No dribble necessary. No catch and gather necessary. No move needed. Just catch and go up strong. UNC does this with Zeller a dozen times a game.

But Zeller has that go-to hook. Our bigs don't know what to do with it when they get it.

[SMO]

Never would have guessed we'd see Nolan, Seth, Andre, and Kyle all go cold from 3 at the same time. Hopefully it's an abberation.

Mason...not much on offense so far : (

[60's Devil]

Cheer up...there's another Plumlee on the way!!

[_Gary]

I disagree to a point. I do certainly agree that the loss of Kyrie is a season changer. Kyrie is awesome and there is no doubt about that, but he is not the be all end all savior for the issues that we're showing.

While I understand your point, I'm still going to disagree. Had you asked me, just before Kyrie was injured, who we absolutely couldn't afford to lose this year I would have said Irving. I know our seniors are critical to the team and I love them both, but Kyrie has a skill set that no one else on this team can touch. And his skill set, especially as the quarterback of the team, was more important than even Kyle's or Nolan's. Again, just my opinion but right now I think I'm being proven correct based on what we've seen in the last 3 games.

[dairedevil]

Seth's pass to Ryan Kelly for the little bank shot was exactly 100% the best way Duke can get easy buckets for its big men. No dribble necessary. No catch and gather necessary. No move needed. Just catch and go up strong. UNC does this with Zeller a dozen times a game.

Ya gotta have someone to pass and someone who can catch it...the way we've looked the past 2 games, I wonder.

[TheRob8801]

But Zeller has that go-to hook. Our bigs don't know what to do with it when they get it.

Not much question of what to do on a pick-and-roll. It's a straightforward play that works more often than not. Ryan has done it to perfection in the past and in this game, so it's strange to me that we don't see it more often.

[DukeGirl4ever]

Glad to see Tyler's in the game...I would REALLY like to see him play the point for a good 10 total minutes. So far he ran it one possession and we got a decent shot (but not a make).

And then we're back to Nolan at point with Tyler in the game...UGH!

[Gthoma2a]

I really wish we would just try something new and see what happens. I don't know if they just know where we are going now or if we are just having a slump, but I have to think that a minor tweak couldn't hurt to try to find a spark that gets us hot again. We have the talent to have this, and yet something is just a little off.

[devildownunder]

I disagree to a point. I do certainly agree that the loss of Kyrie is a season changer. Kyrie is awesome and there is no doubt about that, but he is not the be all end all savior for the issues that we're showing. He could drive and dish to Mason, but that does not mean Mason would finish. He could also have an off shooting night, so even if he did not get injured and/or he comes back I still think there are some issues to be worked on and adjusted as far as our offense goes.

The beauty of having a guard like Kyrie is that you don't have to worry as much about your shooting touch because he's going to break down defenses and get layups and dunks for himself and his teammates. In our case, it also takes Nolan off the ball, which makes him much more effective. With Irving out, every player on the floor for Duke is taking tougher shots.

[dukebluelemur]

We're getting hosed by the stripes in our own building, that's lame.

Against FSU, everyone was complaining we never threw it in to the Plumlees. Well, we have been today, they've just been in horrible position and keep throwing it back out. We need more movement and more passing.

Edit, (Nice lob to Kelly there, we need more of that!)

[Vincetaylor]

Worst I have ever seen Duke play at home.

[HateCarolina]

While I understand your point, I'm still going to disagree. Had you asked me, just before Kyrie was injured, who we absolutely couldn't afford to lose this year I would have said Irving. I know our seniors are critical to the team and I love them both, but Kyrie has a skill set that no one else on this team can touch. And his skill set, especially as the quarterback of the team, was more important than even Kyle's or Nolan's. Again, just my opinion but right now I think I'm being proven correct based on what we've seen in the last 3 games.

But what would having Kyrie play do to help us shoot threes better? We're missing basically wide open shots. Please don't get me wrong I would think happy thoughts for Roy Williams if I thought we could get Kyrie back sooner, but our shooting is just completely off.

[_Gary]

Bottom line: if the last game was an aberration then Duke should have come out and been blowing a very poor Virginia team (without their best player, mind you) off the court.

[rotogod00]

Wait, was that points in the paint I saw

[TheRob8801]

Bottom line: if the last game was an aberration then Duke should have come out and been blowing a very poor Virginia team (without their best player, mind you) off the court.

Hopefully we get a different outcome, but the apologists who were preaching "FSU just played better" need to recognize what's going on with this team. Sheesh.

[SMO]

Bottom line: if the last game was an aberration then Duke should have come out and been blowing a very poor Virginia team (without their best player, mind you) off the court.

You're right. The 3pt shooting stats for the team must have been fraudulent.

[ncexnyc]

Awesome performance, 13 points with approximately 6 minutes left in the 1st half.

[HateCarolina]

Not much question of what to do on a pick-and-roll. It's a straightforward play that works more often than not. Ryan has done it to perfection in the past and in this game, so it's strange to me that we don't see it more often.

I agree 100% and was thinking same thing...who would have thought Ryan Kelly would become our main scorer in the paint.

[dairedevil]

Wait, was that points in the paint I saw

By Virginia?

[_Gary]

But what would having Kyrie play do to help us shoot threes better? We're missing basically wide open shots. Please don't get me wrong I would think happy thoughts for Roy Williams if I thought we could get Kyrie back sooner, but our shooting is just completely off.

My thought on that is two-fold. Number one, with Kyrie out both Nolan and Kyle have been playing the full 40 and might be just a tad tired. It doesn't take much to throw off your shot. But even more importantly, I think the entire team is tight because they realize there's not much room for error. And that might be throwing off their shots. With Kyrie we were not only getting 3's from the half-court offense, but also off the fast break offense. We don't have that any more so it stands to reason the percentage on our 3's is going to shrink some.

[SMO]

This is amazingly bad. I mean, 2006-2007 bad but with twice the talent.

[DukieInBrasil]

I seem to remember a thread discussing who would finish 2nd in the ACC, assuming of course Duke would be 1st. Are we sure that Duke is gonna finish 1st in the ACC anymore?

[_Gary]

I seem to remember a thread discussing who would finish 2nd in the ACC, assuming of course Duke would be 1st. Are we sure that Duke is gonna finish 1st in the ACC anymore?

At this point - absolutely not!

[rotogod00]

MOTM anyone?

[SupaDave]

MOTM anyone?

Game's not over. Please...

[ChicagoCrazy84]

MOTM anyone?

Mustapha Farrakhan!!

[FireOgilvie]

I think our whole problem is that we have decided to start playing a half-court game and have completely stopped pushing the ball in transition. Our first several games after Kyrie went out, we were pushing the ball much more frequently, but that has now stopped completely (and coincided with our pathetic ACC showings). Our bigs are ill-suited for a half-court game, especially Mason, who has almost zero offensive game outside of alley-oops. I would really love to see us start pushing the ball again, which puts the other team on their heels and plays into all of our strengths. Nolan is absolutely capable of running that offense.

[TheRob8801]

You're right. The 3pt shooting stats for the team must have been fraudulent.

When the offense has no options inside, even the weakest defensive teams can focus on the perimeter.

When that happens the shots Duke takes become more difficult and more closely defended.

When the team is shooting poorly from 3 AND every shot taken is defended closely Duke makes less 3's.

When Duke makes less 3's the other team has every opportunity to score more points.

When the other team scores more points Duke has to make 3's to catch up.

It's not just a matter of shooting poorly. Duke has shot poorly from 3 this year with Kyrie in the game, it just so happened that the team was able to manufacture points elsewhere so not only were the 3's not a killer, they were also able to get more open looks to get back into rhythm.

[wgl1228]

Duke just has no confidence. They are rattled from Wed. and not playing with any energy.

[HateCarolina]

What the heck is going on with Nolan...we've had two turnovers where he has been involved and there was not a UVA player around. Okay he must have heard me and decided to score to make up for it.

[rotogod00]

Awful TO. 4 now from Smith

[TheRob8801]

This team also plays really poorly on defense, that doesn't help.

[Dukefan1.0]

Kyle's effort goes for nothing becaue of sloppy d

[dairedevil]

Nolan's hit the last 2 shots - does losing the ball out of bounds have the same effect as a bogus charge call? Maybe he needs to get mad to play well - even if it's at himself.

[TheRob8801]

Duke just has no confidence. They are rattled from Wed. and not playing with any energy.

Has nothing to do with Wednesday. Has something to do with the team. Elmore mentioned earlier that there is a large part of this game that is mental and this team doesn't have that outside of Kyle and Nolan and even they don't have it all the time.

[Gthoma2a]

Oh man. If I had to try to talk to the team, I would sound like Will Ferrell in Old School. We have to keep our composure! My heart is in my throat during recent games (for different reasons than earlier in the season). It is just tough seeing this happen to us.

[bluebuck]

wouldn't want to be in that locker room right now

[DukieInBrasil]

I have never seen Duke play a big man that is playing as poorly as Mason is playing now. He failed to roll on a pick n roll, the easiest play in basketball, where his only responsibility is to roll. This led to a turnover of course as TT passed it to him thinking that he was going to do what they had practiced doing.

[SMO]

When the offense has no options inside, even the weakest defensive teams can focus on the perimeter.

When that happens the shots Duke takes become more difficult and more closely defended.

When the team is shooting poorly from 3 AND every shot taken is defended closely Duke makes less 3's.

When Duke makes less 3's the other team has every opportunity to score more points.

When the other team scores more points Duke has to make 3's to catch up.

It's not just a matter of shooting poorly. Duke has shot poorly from 3 this year with Kyrie in the game, it just so happened that the team was able to manufacture points elsewhere so not only were the 3's not a killer, they were also able to get more open looks to get back into rhythm.

I'm convinced. It's not an abberation. Duke will play this way the rest of the year despite what the statistics (based on a larger sample of games) suggest. You've made a compelling case. They will lose the game. I'm turning it off.

Are you going to watch the rest?

[ChicagoCrazy84]

wouldn't want to be in that locker room right now

I would...as a coach.

[dukeblue1206]

Other than Nolan and Kyle no one is playing aggressive except for Ryan Kelly. It might not always look pretty but at least he is being aggressive. Mason is hitting the glass well but what was up with that wide open lane and came up short on the dunk? He hates contact. Gotta learn to play the real game and not just a summer league style game.

[jammsb]

Does Coach K ever look pissed off. He should be!

[Gthoma2a]

I'm convinced. It's not an abberation. Duke will play this way the rest of the year despite what the statistics (based on a larger sample of games) suggest. You've made a compelling case. They will lose the game. I'm turning it off.

Are you going to watch the rest?

While I agree with your message (the one you make with the sarcasm), I want to see us start playing like the team who earned those statistics again... desperately!

[sandinmyshoes]

I still have confidence that UVA will begin to lose their legs by the middle of the second half. I am bummed that we might have to depend on that.

I still think we win this game, but all those "who is the second best team" type of threads seem silly to me right now. As fans, we settled back all too quickly into a sense of entitlement. And, right now, the team seems to be playing that way. I'm betting that Coach K is doing a little de-entitlementing in the locker room right now.

[_Gary]

The second half of this game is clearly the most important we will play up to this point in the season. It may very well define the rest of this year for Duke. They either come out and play with passion and better execution and win this game or play the same uninspired bb and lose another game they shouldn't. If that happens we are talking potential meltdown.

[moonpie23]

what has happened to EVERYONE's shooting?


this is such an about face from the first half of the season...

[jv001]

I have never seen Duke play a big man that is playing as poorly as Mason is playing now. He failed to roll on a pick n roll, the easiest play in basketball, where his only responsibility is to roll. This led to a turnover of course as TT passed it to him thinking that he was going to do what they had practiced doing.

Mason seems to be sulking. Just look at his lack of emotion on the bench. He never gets into the game for his team mates. I had not noticed his lack of foot speed until the last two games. Makes me wonder if he's sick or injured. Announcers said he had 9 rebounds in like 12 mins but we are not taking advantage of them. We have really cooled off on the 3s. Andre is also going through a terrible time. Since he was called an NBA player he's played badly on defense and offense. Go Duke!

[CLW]

Awful 1st half and we still have ZERO low post presence. Perhaps we will not develop one this year. Most of the 3s were good looks but when the shots aren't falling a team needs a back to the basket scorer. Right now the Plumlees and Kelly don't provide that and it is going to kill the team when we have off shooting games.

[HateCarolina]

While I agree with your message (the one you make with the sarcasm), I want to see us start playing like the team who earned those statistics again... desperately!

Honestly our 3 point shooting almost has to get better...we shot under 9% in the first half, so that's at least something to hopefully look forward to. Or it could just be that I am an eternal optimist....

[Acymetric]

wouldn't want to be in that locker room right now

Maintenance will be repainting it afterwards i imagine.

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

I didn't think we played that bad (except Mason) for most of the half...

We, are, once again, just throwing up bricks. As all of us know, we can lose anytime, to anybody if we go 1 for 13 (or whatever we just went) from 3. That's just how it goes...

The thing that was more distressing was how easy UVA started getting to the basket late in the first half. They are spreading us out and driving and we can't keep up. That has to change.

The 3's are going to start falling eventually, I say just keep chucking. If we can't make them, we are going to lose. Pretty simple.

I would like to see the defense pick it up though.

[jv001]

The second half of this game is clearly the most important we will play up to this point in the season. It may very well define the rest of this year for Duke. They either come out and play with passion and better execution and win this game or play the same uninspired bb and lose another game they shouldn't. If that happens we are talking potential meltdown.

Hope if we have a meltdown it's not like unc's last year. No way, our Coach is better than theirs. Go Duke!

[rotogod00]

I have never seen Duke play a big man that is playing as poorly as Mason is playing now. He failed to roll on a pick n roll, the easiest play in basketball, where his only responsibility is to roll. This led to a turnover of course as TT passed it to him thinking that he was going to do what they had practiced doing.

At least all that talk of him bolting to the NBA has subsided

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

My greatest disappointment right now is level of effort. It is just so poor. No team energy at all. Even Nolan, why the heck isn't he pushing the ball up court when he can. It's as if we are fearful of pushing the ball and would instead prefer to jog down court and let the defense get set. No aggression. Just 6 FTs for us so far. This is just so out of character.

I imagine they are getting a lecture right now on court communication as well. Mason didn't roll after the high pick. Kelly was very slow to do it earlier in the game. And it just looks to me like guys don't know where to be on the court. Getting in each other's way. No spacing. It almost looks like a pick-up game out there. Something's gotta change.

[sagegrouse]

At the half he has ten rebounds and no points. Would you rather he have ten points and no rebounds?

sagegrouse

[CLW]

I agree in the disappointment with Mason's play. However, Miles is clearly in K's "dog house". Maybe I'm missing something, but from what I can see/observe he's our "best" big especially on the defensive end. Anyone know what the issue(s) is/are?

[jv001]

I didn't think we played that bad (except Mason) for most of the half...

We, are, once again, just throwing up bricks. As all of us know, we can lose anytime, to anybody if we go 1 for 13 (or whatever we just went) from 3. That's just how it goes...

The thing that was more distressing was how easy UVA started getting to the basket late in the first half. They are spreading us out and driving and we can't keep up. That has to change.
The 3's are going to start falling eventually, I say just keep chucking. If we can't make them, we are going to lose. Pretty simple.

I would like to see the defense pick it up though.

Yes lack of good defense is very distrubing. VA had their way with our guards in dribble penetration. Then our rotation was terrible as well. Hope we pick up the intensity in the
2nd half. Go Duke!

[devildownunder]

I think our whole problem is that we have decided to start playing a half-court game and have completely stopped pushing the ball in transition. Our first several games after Kyrie went out, we were pushing the ball much more frequently, but that has now stopped completely (and coincided with our pathetic ACC showings). Our bigs are ill-suited for a half-court game, especially Mason, who has almost zero offensive game outside of alley-oops. I would really love to see us start pushing the ball again, which puts the other team on their heels and plays into all of our strengths. Nolan is absolutely capable of running that offense.

When has Nolan done that?

[Gthoma2a]

Honestly our 3 point shooting almost has to get better...we shot under 9% in the first half, so that's at least something to hopefully look forward to. Or it could just be that I am an eternal optimist....

I am the same way. I will never give up on the team. I get frustrated. I get mad, and I say things I only half mean, but I never really give up on a Duke team. I will need something to calm my nerves, though.

[HateCarolina]

I agree in the disappointment with Mason's play. However, Miles is clearly in K's "dog house". Maybe I'm missing something, but from what I can see/observe he's our "best" big especially on the defensive end. Anyone know what the issue(s) is/are?

I'm curious as well although he did play for a few minutes. Not too much of an impact when he was in, but I would like to see him play a few defensive half court sets to see how he does in defending the paint.

[wsb3]

OK. Big decision but I think I am going to move from the living room to the bedroom to watch. It can't hurt right?

[grossbus]

At the half he has ten rebounds and no points. Would you rather he have ten points and no rebounds?

sagegrouse

10 points would look good right now. :)

[HateCarolina]

I am the same way. I will never give up on the team. I get frustrated. I get mad, and I say things I only half mean, but I never really give up on a Duke team. I will need something to calm my nerves, though.

Lots of beer? It's five o'clock somewhere.

[rotogod00]

OK. Big decision but I think I am going to move from the living room to the bedroom to watch. It can't hurt right?

not at all

[superdave]

Starting the 2nd half with Nolan playing off the ball. We are also picking up full court. Either bring it or sit on the bench, gentlemen!

[Gthoma2a]

At least all that talk of him bolting to the NBA has subsided

Him versus a big NBA center would get ugly. I wish we were still getting Tyler Adams next year. This light post presence is not working at the moment. I'd like to have a workhorse in the middle.

[rotogod00]

Him versus a big NBA center would get ugly. I wish we were still getting Tyler Adams next year. This light post presence is not working at the moment. I'd like to have a workhorse in the middle.

Come on down, Tony Parker

[HateCarolina]

Playing with a lot more fire to start the half...and then Nolan fouls on a three point shot. Hopefully we can keep attacking both offensively and defensively.

[rotogod00]

Awful pass

[dukeballboy88]

To Masons credit, he nevers get the ball in a good position to do anything with it. He starts out on the block and ends up 17ft from the basket. We will become better shooters if we start inside out just like Len Elmore said and ive ben saying it all along. Does any of our big men know what an up and under is?

[Lord Ash]

Very, very frustrating.

The defense has been shaky... letting their guards penetrate a lot.

Our bigs, even when they get it low, get immediately double-teamed and cannot pass over or around it or take advantage, instead having to dribble back out to the three point line to relieve pressure.

Our shooting is terrible. We continue to go through these ICE cold first halves, which I think has been happening for over half the season so far... just before Kyrie went out, we made up for it in the second... Kyle in particular has become, overall, a real "second half" player. It is terrible when a team gets into a pattern like that... I myself have been in patterns like that before, and it can start to feel like it is your identity, like you cannot break out of it. I hope that does not become the case.

Teams have adjusted fairly well to Nolan and his drives it seems... he will still get some, but he is having to fight for it.

Very, very different than I would expect at this time of year, ACC or not. Frustrated as heck by our lack of defensive intensity or awareness, and by our lack of shooting ability or big man passing-or-scoring on offense. Really, really disappointing.

[TheRob8801]

It seems like the gameplan is still exactly the same on offense and defense.

They're simply relying on the notion that the 3pt game will pick up. Oh well.

[rotogod00]

It seems like the gameplan is still exactly the same on offense and defense.

They're simply relying on the notion that the 3pt game will pick up. Oh well.

Duke basketball in a nutshell. Usually it works though

[TheRob8801]

Still getting screwed by the refs as well. Lovely.

[BigZ]

i know a lot of duke fans don't like mcroberts but the comparisons between him and mason should stop. for all mcroberts problems he was about ten times better than mason.

[rotogod00]

Still getting screwed by the refs as well. Lovely.

C'mon....we got one, too

[dukeballboy88]

See, that play there Mason starts out on the block with a post up and ends up 17ft from the basket. He got an and 1 with it but he could probly drop step and flush if he could get it closer.

[HateCarolina]

Still getting screwed by the refs as well. Lovely.

It is pretty horrendous. Touch fouls on one end and no goal tending call on the other...wonderful.

[TheRob8801]

Duke basketball in a nutshell. Usually it works though

Tell me about it. :(

[Gthoma2a]

I wish Shabazz wasn't there! This isn't our best game, and I am already sold on the program being No. 1 in my eyes.

[rotogod00]

I wish Shabazz wasn't there!

He may not be after this:(

[Acymetric]

Refs are seriously awful today...

[DukieInBrasil]

TT is not impressing me in this game. Starting him in the 2nd half instead of Kelly has not done anything for Duke.
Nolan is playing out of control, getting it stolen from him etc.

[TheRob8801]

i know a lot of duke fans don't like mcroberts but the comparisons between him and mason should stop. for all mcroberts problems he was about ten times better than mason.

...lol, you serious?

[HateCarolina]

Nolan is creating his own TO's.

Okay I have to rescind this comment as he has more than made up for these now.

[rotogod00]

Nolan is creating his own TO's.

We're not alone. Kansas down 9 at home.

Wasn't supposed to be a reply...sorry!

[BigZ]

...lol, you serious?

yes i am

[devildownunder]

Nolan is creating his own TO's.

But he's also the only one consistently getting quality shots.

[HateCarolina]

Curry seems to take pretty good shots, but they are just not falling for him. This stinks.

[TheRob8801]

Here's where the game takes shape.

IF Duke can manage to take advantage of the opportunities Virginia is giving them, then we can possibly get back in this game. We all saw how many opportunities FSU gave us and couldn't capitalize on but a fifth of them. Gotta convert TOs in to points and gotta make the best out of Oboards.

[Acymetric]

TT is not impressing me in this game. Nolan is playing out of control, getting it stolen from him etc.

Thornton is getting shafted by refs on defense...I think he's looked pretty good overall. Only guys playing better are Kyle and Nolan...maybe Mason although I think he's got inflated rebound numbers by getting a bunch of freebies and the rest of his play has been pretty poor.

[ncexnyc]

...lol, you serious?
I believe he is and if that's the case then I second what he said.

[Mcluhan]

Confirmation of what DBR's been saying for a while now. UVA's well coached.

[Gthoma2a]

You remember when they were talking about us being a team that could win some games in the NBA? I MISS THAT!!! We've got to find out a way to fix this.

[rotogod00]

Curry's got to go up with that and get to the line

[HateCarolina]

Have we decided that we will let Sherrell shoot open threes? I mean he missed two, but both were wide open.

[TheRob8801]

I believe he is and if that's the case then I second what he said.

Maybe I'm just looking at the top end.

A lot of Mason's struggles are because the offense isn't designed to get him the ball. Defensively Mason holds his own just as well if not better than JMac. If Mason was on the team JMac played with I think he'd have a much better time. Maybe it's just me, though.

[Dukefan1.0]

Maybe Smith can give our bigs lessons on how to play in the post

[rotogod00]

Great passing by Virginia

[TheRob8801]

A lot of Andre and Seth's shots have been about half an inch off in the last two games.

I don't remember seeing as many shots go halfway down and come back out as I have against FSU and VA.

[superdave]

Posting Noland running the offense through him is niiiiice. Like that wrinkle added. He commands two defenders so someone is open.

[HateCarolina]

Mason at least hit the chippie put back...oh yeah there was a foul on the play so it did not count. :p

[TheRob8801]

Seth had to be fouled 4 effin' times before the refs called one. Jeeze.

[rotogod00]

Like the penetration by Dawk

[HateCarolina]

Finally the lead is ours again.

[rotogod00]

Great to see Kyrie hopping around out there

[jammsb]

Now Duke is playing like Duke!!

[Son of Mojo]

NOLAN!!!!! Rock that rim!! And I swear he was fouled on it, too.........

[Gthoma2a]

Yyyyyyyeeesssss!!!!

[TheRob8801]

This is what makes being a Duke fan so tiresome.

Refs.

[DukieInBrasil]

But he's also the only one consistently getting quality shots.
His most recent quality shot put duke in the lead by 3!!! Nasty...

[Ping Lin]

Three-quarters of the way into the game, Duke has *4* assists.

I'm not pleased.

[devildownunder]

Nice run. Attacking the basket and playing D. Keep it up fellas.

[rotogod00]

Three-quarters of the way into the game, Duke has *4* assists.

I'm not pleased.

5 now

[DukeGirl4ever]

It's about DANG TIME!

Defense looks inspired and we're attacking and opening things up!!!!

[HateCarolina]

I think my neighbors may call the police...after that Nolan dunk I just screamed at the top of my lungs. Now this is how we need to contine to play....with unbridled passion!!! :o

[TheRob8801]

This is the same run they made against FSU. It just so happens that Virginia's defense isn't nearly as good.

[magjayran]

Nolan just caused me to wake up my napping girlfriend. There may be a trip to the flower shop in my future.

[TheRob8801]

It's about DANG TIME!

Defense looks inspired and we're attacking and opening things up!!!!

That was the change they needed to make. For some reason somebody finally realized that it was going to be necessary to attack the basket and ALL 3 guards have stepped up and done that. It's allowed the bigs to get more rebounds and opened up the 3pt game a little bit more.

Why the hell has it taken so long to figure that out?

[DukieInBrasil]

Len quipped: (UVa) They're not backing down!
well it's easy to not back down when the D (Curry) is consistently letting his man beat him on D and then throwing up crazy shots in the lane.

[Acymetric]

That kinda looked like ALL BALL to me ref. Anyone watching tv that can confirm?

[FireOgilvie]

I thought Nolan's shot was a 3, but they only gave him two? Did I miss something?

[HateCarolina]

I thought Nolan's shot was a 3, but they only gave him two? Did I miss something?

They gave three after the shot, but maybe they checked the replay???

[Bluedog]

I thought Nolan's shot was a 3, but they only gave him two? Did I miss something?

It was definitely a two. His foot was clearly on the line.


They gave three after the shot, but maybe they checked the replay???

Nah, the ref clearly indicated a two when the shot went off. The scorer just gave a three accidentally.

[ice-9]

We remember McRoberts negatively because the team he led didn't win as much and because he didn't portray the best body language - but make no mistake he was an exceptional defender. He would have started on this team and that's no knock on our current bigs.

[magjayran]

That kinda looked like ALL BALL to me ref. Anyone watching tv that can confirm?

It was a good call.

[Gthoma2a]

I like the Chinese feed better! Great three from Dawkins!

[HateCarolina]

I think I like the Mandarin Chinese announcers better than many of the ESPN announcers.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

When I checked the ESPN box score, it said Kyrie Irving had 1 point on 1-1 FT's.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=310150150

Too bad that's probably inaccurate :(

[HateCarolina]

What can we say about that put back attempt...????

[rotogod00]

46% from the floor now. Nice turnaround.

[CLW]

I think I like the Mandarin Chinese announcers better than many of the ESPN announcers.

Agrees. I would take them over Elmore any day of the week!

[SMO]

Mike Patrick just mentioned Duke is shooting twice as well in the 2nd half. Clearly, this is an abberation as we know to expect 8% 3pt shooting regularly from this squad.

[ncexnyc]

Time to put the proverbial foot on UVa's throat and put them out of their misery.

[HateCarolina]

Mike Patrick just mentioned Duke is shooting twice as well in the 2nd half. Clearly, this is an abberation as we know to expect 8% 3pt shooting regularly from this squad.

I'm just glad to see you turned the game back on!! :p

[Dukefan1.0]

I think I shedded a tear looking at the beauty that is Andre Dawkin's shooting stroke

[Gthoma2a]

I think I shedded a tear looking at the beauty that is Andre Dawkin's shooting stroke

If he hits a couple more, then UVa will.

[dukelilsis]

1. Definitely prefer the Mandarin announcers espcially when you consider that I'd rather stick a plastic fork through my forehead than listen to Elmore and Patrick.

2. I'm glad our guys finally showed up for the game. I'm not sure who they allowed to wear their uniforms and take the floor against FSU and for the first 3/4s of this game but let's not do that again. We are finally remembering and playing by the golden rule of basketball: Good defense begets points on the offensive end.

[Bluedog]

I think the big difference is that we're now ATTACKING the rim. This gets us to the line or gives us nice inside-out for open three's (and we're hitting them of course which helps). In addition, we're forcing turnovers and pushing the ball on offense. I think even without Kyrie we're a better team when we try to make it into an up and down the court game. Transition buckets are really great for momentum, confidence, and to get the crowd into it. Forcing turnovers and aggressively attacking the basket are the keys in the mind with the reversal of play (and better shooting).

[wsb3]

1. Definitely prefer the Mandarin announcers espcially when you consider that I'd rather stick a plastic fork through my forehead than listen to Elmore and Patrick.

2. I'm glad our guys finally showed up for the game. I'm not sure who they allowed to wear their uniforms and take the floor against FSU and for the first 3/4s of this game but let's not do that again. We are finally remembering and playing by the golden rule of basketball: Good defense begets points on the offensive end.

They have played some lock down defense the last few minutes. Big plays by Andre..

[jammsb]

As bad as they were in the first half, that's how good they are playing now. They are finally showing some spunk. Why is Miles in the doghouse?

[ice-9]

I would like to see Singler take more shots - maybe plays just for him? it just doesn't feel like we are utilizing our All-America talent enough offensively.

[devildownunder]

I think the big difference is that we're now ATTACKING the rim. This gets us to the line or gives us nice inside-out for open three's (and we're hitting them of course which helps). In addition, we're forcing turnovers and pushing the ball on offense. I think even without Kyrie we're a better team when we try to make it into an up and down the court game. Transition buckets are really great for momentum, confidence, and to get the crowd into it. Forcing turnovers and aggressively attacking the basket are the keys in the mind with the reversal of play (and better shooting).

I think we should look to run off of turnovers but other than that, I really don't think we should be kicking it up to 78 rpm with this line-up.

[dairedevil]

Nice to see the inside pass to Mason - and he caught and converted! (Seriously, were they going to be guarding him closely after his horrible misses earlier?)

[YourLandlord]

Well hello austin rivers' friend.

[HateCarolina]

Did anyone see Josh's face after the Nolan dunk and foul?

[Gthoma2a]

I hope Shabazz notices Nolan's success within the offense (despite the game not being fun early).

[devildownunder]

Adios! Game over.

[dairedevil]

30 pts for Nolan, 11 for Kyle. Does Singler's offense suffer when Nolan's is so hot? Or is he just getting double-teamed all the time in this game?

[magjayran]

Hi Austin. That's a nice shirt. I've got one sort of like it. Really comfortable and my girlfriend likes it.

[HateCarolina]

The final score of this game will be very deceiving, but in a way I like it b/c I hope that its the last time we have to watch us play as bad as we did against FSU and the first half against UVA.