MBB: Duke 78, Temple 61

[Bob Green]

Discuss the game here.

[dukebluelemur]

We missed you Kyle, welcome back!

[moonpie23]

is it still considered a rope-a-dope if you don't INTEND to to that from the beginning? cause we sure have rope-a-doped some teams lately...

[loldevilz]

First: Great game by Kyle.


On a darker note: what has happened to Miles Plumlee. You would have no idea that he has the +/- per minute considering the way he's played. And its not like the other Bigs are playing particularly outstanding.

[superdave]

It was great to see Kyle grind through his frustrating stretch of games and see some shots go down today. He worked really hard on O and played stellar D again.

We had good balance, getting contributions from pretty much everyone. I'm still hoping to see Andre inch back into the rotation more. I bet busting his butt on D in practice will get him there, because he's got one sweet jumper.

Temple used a lot of penetrate and dish and did a good job of finding cutters. They are a solid team and Dunphy obviously prepped them well. Just not enough horses. Good scheme for our bigs to see before March.

[Fuqua's Finest]

So when Temple undoubtedly falls out the rankings, Duke still would not have beat any Top 25 teams...What a joke these pundits are!

[Bluedevil114]

Kyle Singler is back!! Great game as he drove then he drove and then he dunked!!

Good to see Andre two for two from three point land in about 5-6 minutes of play tonight. I hope he can get out of the doghouse soon.

[superdave]

First: Great game by Kyle.


On a darker note: what has happened to Miles Plumlee. You would have no idea that he has the +/- per minute considering the way he's played. And its not like the other Bigs are playing particularly outstanding.

Mason and Ryan are both scoring, rebounding and defending pretty well. We've also played small more the past few weeks. Someone's minutes have to give. Miles is a veteran - he is ready whenever called upon. I think the last few games have shown the starting 5 to be playing together as a unit more and more. Tinkering over? Perhaps.

[dukelifer]

Discuss the game here.

I am getting to the point where I am only going to watch the second half of games. This team just plays much better after the break- faster and more focused. Good game by Singler trying to go to one of his strengths- playing inside. Thornton played really well and gave Duke a lift in the first half. A nice win- but Temple is not the same team with all the injuries. Not much to take away except Duke won and continues to control their Destiny. Probably the toughest game of the year coming up with VT. They need this win desperately and it will be an all out battle.

[Saratoga2]

Kyle got the majority of his 28 points very close to the basket and from the foul line. Temple couldn't control him. He has greatly reduced his 3 point shooting attempts, probably since he was in a slump from that distance.

I thought Nolan was forcing his offense a little more tonight than needed. Spin moves to jump shots over bigs are not preferred shots when there is time on the clock and capable scorers open. Still he got 15 and he is vital to the team success.

The winning formula was fulfilled again tonight, with Singler/ Smith getting 40 or more and the other guards getting more than 15 and the bigs getting around 15, all while holding the other team to the 60's.

It was good to see Andre make the most of his two shot attempts for 6 points. Maybe his confidence will grow and he will get more time. During the ACC tournament we will need all the players to contribute.

Kelly continues to play well as does Mason. We did have some issues rebounding at times with the Temple team being quick to jump and very intense. If Kelly gets back to hitting 3's it would be a great weapon. He was off again tonight that way.

I liked Thornton's game tonight. He is a very effective player, and if asked to do more, it looks like he could score into the double figures.

On a bad note, we started the game kind of weakly and Bobby Knight was lamenting our defense in the first half, saying we would need to tighten things up and take away the penetration. We did a better job in the second half, but why aren't we able to get off to a good start? Seems to happen in all the recent games.

[Bob Green]

This team just plays much better after the break- faster and more focused.

It appears the staff and players are making great adjustments. It seems we just slug it out the first 12 minutes of the game and then tinker with our offense and defense in order to dominate the opponent.

[Daniel tosh]

On a darker note: what has happened to Miles Plumlee. You would have no idea that he has the +/- per minute considering the way he's played. And its not like the other Bigs are playing particularly outstanding.

I think Miles problem is that he's thinking too much,instead of just playing basketball.

[cspan37421]

Q for end of in-game thread: All-Americas is correct, even though it a) sounds awkward, which leads to b) most people saying "All-Americans"

Kyle did great down low, but his jump shot is still off, sadly. It's as if he shoots without fully deciding on his aim, or forming his stroke to match his aim - he's missing short, long, left, right, etc. Even that ball fake to lose his defender and get an easy layup - it almost rattled out - you can see that he hopped back up to get the tip-in just in case it was necessary. I did like how, when questioned after a poor offensive game awhile back, he pointed out that he was guarding the other team's best player, implying that it wears on you (I think it was UNC and Barnes). It may well be the case that Kyle's apparent offensive struggles relate to getting the toughest defensive assignment every night, and he's doing really well at it. Last year, LT handled this usually thankless job - did he not? And LT was not a big scorer - though I have no doubt he could score.

Good win for us. I agree that it would be nice to come out of the gate really strong.

[cspan37421]

Good to see Andre two for two from three point land in about 5-6 minutes of play tonight. I hope he can get out of the doghouse soon.

I'm sure it starts with defensive effort. We have had multi-year starters who were nearly liabilities on offense, but whose defense got them the job. Because offense is by nature streaky, any real or perceived lack of defensive effort will lose you a job at Duke, though (but not if you play for D'Antoni).

[MCFinARL]

I'm sure it starts with defensive effort. We have had multi-year starters who were nearly liabilities on offense, but whose defense got them the job. Because offense is by nature streaky, any real or perceived lack of defensive effort will lose you a job at Duke, though (but not if you play for D'Antoni).

That sounds right--I thought Andre looked more focused and better in every aspect of his playing time tonight, though. Don't know if the defense was perfect but the effort was there, and he moved a lot more effectively without the ball on offense as well. My fingers are crossed since I am a big Andre fan.

[-bdbd]

Overall a terrific team game tonight. Remember that Temple is a very good defensive squad, so we weren't going to score boatloads of easy buckets. We looked good and we seem to be playing with confidence and cohesiveness (and strong D) at just the right time.

Really, really good game for Kyle. RMK was raving about him all night -- not just for the scoring, but rebounds, off-ball movement, screens, D, etc. He was the whole deal, and seems to be "back."

We've become so spoiled with Nolan lately that when he has a "mere mortal" game, well, it seems disappointing. A couple shots didn't fall that could have, and he got hung up on a couple ill-advised passes against a good preessure-D team. But still solid.

Mason just seems to be blossoming with confidence. He appears to be peaking at the right time and will play an important role if we are to make a run. Good to see him looking to score. That's important if defenses need to worry about him scoring inside.

Seth has become a real steady influence. His fast break pass out to the right wing for three was sharp, and adds a dimension defenses will need to respect, along with his great shooting. RMK was highlighting it.

Now let's focus on VPI, as that could be a barn burner at their place Saturday night. They are a time in big-time need of a big-time win. Watch out! Come out focused and intense, or else.


P.S. Wasn't RMK just a joy to listen to??! So smart, and aware of all the little things. It was very educational for him to point out so many subtle, off-the-ball impacting plays --- so often what K-coached teams do so well, but which go ignored by a play-by-play guy trying to get the names right or a color guy babbling on about the Yankees or shgouting about bath soap or whatever... :rolleyes:

[Saratoga2]

I think Miles problem is that he's thinking too much,instead of just playing basketball.

Tonight Miles picked up a couple of fouls in record time by reaching. He looks out of sync. Clearly we need him to play better, since Mason and Ryan will need help at times.

[cspan37421]

P.S. Wasn't RMK just a joy to listen to??! So smart, and aware of all the little things. It was very educational for him to point out so many subtle, off-the-ball impacting plays --- so often what K-coached teams do so well, but which go ignored by a play-by-play guy trying to get the names right or a color guy babbling on about the Yankees or shgouting about bath soap or whatever... :rolleyes:

RMK is a PTP-er, baby! The General! I gotta tell you, when I was traveling in ....

Although he was far better than most, I wasn't so sure about the comment he made about Kelly charging on a layup. That looked like a classic flop to me, good no-call. But the angle I had from TV was not adequate to be definitive. Still, RMK had no better view, did he? You needed a floor camera positioned in the corner to tell for sure.

But yes, I love his ability to say that even a missed shot was a good shot, if it was an open shot from a good shooter. Most commentators decide whether a shot was wise or foolish with 20/20 hindsight; in other words, they bring nothing to the analysis.

[Dr. Tina]

I learn so much more when Bobby Knight is calling a game. I'm bummed that we have not had him work more of our games this season. He's a pleasure to listen to.

BTW, does Rece Davis have it written somewhere in his contract that he gets to call at least 1 Duke game a season? Usually, I only see him back at ESPN Headquarters, and the only other game I can recall him being in the booth for was a Duke game.

[BleedsP287]

Wasn't RMK just a joy to listen to??! So smart, and aware of all the little things. It was very educational for him to point out so many subtle, off-the-ball impacting plays --- so often what K-coached teams do so well, but which go ignored by a play-by-play guy trying to get the names right or a color guy babbling on about the Yankees or shgouting about bath soap or whatever... :rolleyes:

I have to second this. Coach Knight provides the best color commentary going these days. Very educational. I love that he actually talks about the game, the last play, what went well or not, and why. Not just a bunch of babble about crap that has little to do with the game. I'd like to see that style emulated more. First class all the way.

[cptnflash]

This game means nothing, which is a good thing because we didn't play very well. We'll find out this Saturday and the following Saturday how good this team really is. Back to back Saturday road games featured on EPSN Gameday, the first against a talented yet desperate team that is basically playing a tournament elimination game, and the second against a rival that hates us and will probably have a chance to claim at least a share of the ACC regular season crown, if not win it outright. Those are the kind of games that really matter. Can't wait.

[Newton_14]

Tonight Miles picked up a couple of fouls in record time by reaching. He looks out of sync. Clearly we need him to play better, since Mason and Ryan will need help at times.

Miles was one of the victims of the horrible ref'ing tonight. His first foul call came on an offensive rebound where he grabbed it over a much smaller Temple player and they called him for over the back. Horrible call. The 2nd one was a ticky-tack foul defending in the post. Neither foul should have been called. That started a stretch where there were fouls called seemingly every 15 seconds. Both teams got to 7 team fouls in record time.

K was ripping the ref's during that time. The ref's totally killed the flow of the game during that stretch. It took awhile for both teams to adjust to how it was being called. In addition to Miles, the Temple point guard, shooting guard, and both Tyler and Nolan were all impacted by some really ticky tack calls. It was bad both ways..

[camion]

Another solid win and good overall performance by the team. Temple is a well coached team, but they just didn't have anything to that could really threaten us tonight. We put them away early and the game was relatively unexciting. I liked it.

Kyle went inside early and often with great effect. I don't remember him even looking hard at a 3 tonight. He had an advantage inside and he went to it repeatedly as RMK noted.

I concur that Knight is the best college bball analyst you could ask for right now. I always feel I know things about the game I would have missed without his commentary.

[SMO]

Kyle got the majority of his 28 points very close to the basket and from the foul line. Temple couldn't control him. He has greatly reduced his 3 point shooting attempts, probably since he was in a slump from that distance.

I think 2 reasons for this tonight were that Temple didn't have guys capable of controlling Singler, as you allude to, and that the refs called fouls when they bumped him on drives. Very few defenders can handle Singler on the drive so most either put two hands on him or bump him with the body, either of which should be called. Hopefully he can continue to get to the basket and/or the line.

[SMO]

This game means nothing, which is a good thing because we didn't play very well.

In what ways do you think Duke didn't play very well? I haven't read Coach K's comments yet, but did he feel the same way?

[juise]

In what ways do you think Duke didn't play very well? I haven't read Coach K's comments yet, but did he feel the same way?

I'm about 90% sure that Coach K won't agree about Duke not playing well and about 99.9999% sure that this game means nothing. It did nothing for the conference race, but it definitely was an important game to win. Temple is the kind of team Duke will see in the 2nd/3rd round of the tournament. Obviously, the tournament isn't played in Cameron, but I still think this game is good tournament prep. Duke faced an unfamiliar opponent who was well-coached and motivated. Duke may not have hit their offensive efficiency numbers, but it still put in a solid performance and got a comfortable win.

I definitely don't think that the game was meaningless for Kyle. In fact, I'm optimistic that it will be a turning point for him find his consistent offense again.

[M B Walker]

This game means nothing, which is a good thing because we didn't play very well. We'll find out this Saturday and the following Saturday how good this team really is. Back to back Saturday road games featured on EPSN Gameday, the first against a talented yet desperate team that is basically playing a tournament elimination game, and the second against a rival that hates us and will probably have a chance to claim at least a share of the ACC regular season crown, if not win it outright. Those are the kind of games that really matter. Can't wait.

Beg to disagree. First, from Coach K's news after game news conference: "We executed really well at the end and beat a good team, so I’m pleased, very pleased, with the outcome, obviously.”

Doesn't sound like K thought we didn't play well.

Second, of the three games you mention -- Temple, Va Tech, and UNC -- the most important for Duke to win was this one. A loss to Temple at home would hurt Duke far more in the national/NCAA tournament picture than a loss on the road at Tech or UNC. And while the conference games are obviously important for the conference standings, losing them could still be redeemed by winning the ACC tournament. Losing to Temple would have almost certainly cost us a #1 seed in the NCAA's, losing to Tech or UNC won't necessary hurt as much.

So while I hope we win all three games -- winning the game with Temple was the most important of the three.

(And yes, I realize that the game at Chapel Hill is a rivalry game, which is precisely why losing it would be forgiven on the national scene.)

[jv001]

This game means nothing, which is a good thing because we didn't play very well. We'll find out this Saturday and the following Saturday how good this team really is. Back to back Saturday road games featured on EPSN Gameday, the first against a talented yet desperate team that is basically playing a tournament elimination game, and the second against a rival that hates us and will probably have a chance to claim at least a share of the ACC regular season crown, if not win it outright. Those are the kind of games that really matter. Can't wait.

I know that we have three very important games coming up, but we had to play this one tonight to get to those other 3 games. And I enjoyed it, because it was a win for the Blue Devils. I thought we played pretty well. It was great to see Kyle get it going again, Andre make a couple of 3s, Tyler play good smart bb and Curry played well. Sure Nolan did not score 28pts, but he played well and Temple was short handed, but so were we(Kyrie). I love how this team is competing every game. So I'll just enjoy this one as I wait for Saturday and VT. Go Duke!

[uh_no]

Miles was one of the victims of the horrible ref'ing tonight. His first foul call came on an offensive rebound where he grabbed it over a much smaller Temple player and they called him for over the back. Horrible call. The 2nd one was a ticky-tack foul defending in the post.

While there were a lot of ticky tack calls in the game, both of those were pretty blatant....the over the back happened right in front of me, and while you could have called a jump ball, he was certainly causing contact on the back of the smaller guy. the other call was a reach...you could see it from across the floor, and the reaction among the crazies was 'gdi miles...' not 'oh what a bs call'

[Newton_14]

While there were a lot of ticky tack calls in the game, both of those were pretty blatant....the over the back happened right in front of me, and while you could have called a jump ball, he was certainly causing contact on the back of the smaller guy. the other call was a reach...you could see it from across the floor, and the reaction among the crazies was 'gdi miles...' not 'oh what a bs call'

We can agree to disagree. I had a good seat as well. The first one was the worst call imo. The 2nd one was still ticky tack to me. There is just no reason to call that. Play on. There is much more banging in the post that goes uncalled, to make a call like that. The reaction from the crusties around me was "man that was weak". So the crusties saw it differently!:)

[hurley1]

I have to second this. Coach Knight provides the best color commentary going these days. Very educational. I love that he actually talks about the game, the last play, what went well or not, and why. Not just a bunch of babble about crap that has little to do with the game. I'd like to see that style emulated more. First class all the way.

there are very few out there who sees all that bobby knight sees.....don't expect anyone to be as good as him.......

[uh_no]

The 2nd one was still ticky tack to me.

maybe so, but they were calling all those fouls at that point in the game, and miles can't put himself in a position to get called for those

[-jk]

Beg to disagree. First, from Coach K's news after game news conference: "We executed really well at the end and beat a good team, so I’m pleased, very pleased, with the outcome, obviously.”

Doesn't sound like K thought we didn't play well.

Second, of the three games you mention -- Temple, Va Tech, and UNC -- the most important for Duke to win was this one. A loss to Temple at home would hurt Duke far more in the national/NCAA tournament picture than a loss on the road at Tech or UNC. And while the conference games are obviously important for the conference standings, losing them could still be redeemed by winning the ACC tournament. Losing to Temple would have almost certainly cost us a #1 seed in the NCAA's, losing to Tech or UNC won't necessary hurt as much.

So while I hope we win all three games -- winning the game with Temple was the most important of the three.

(And yes, I realize that the game at Chapel Hill is a rivalry game, which is precisely why losing it would be forgiven on the national scene.)

Each of the remaining scheduled games have unique challenges. VaTech - well, I just want to get out without an injury. They'll be ready, able, and physical. Clemson will be senior night with all the usual baggage. UNC - well...

We have our work cut out.

-jk

[Kedsy]

First of all, obviously Kyle was in top form tonight, but what struck me was this: we've been talking all year about the advantage he has when guarded by a smaller player, but this is the first game I can remember where he seemed to really take that seriously. From the first time he touched the ball until his emphatic dunklamation point at the end, Kyle was taking his smaller defender inside and abusing him. He looked like an All American tonight, no question.


And its not like the other Bigs are playing particularly outstanding.

Sorry, but "outstanding" is exactly the word I would use to describe Ryan's and Mason's play, especially tonight. I thought Ryan was great. Drawing that charge on Temple's first possession, rebounding well, and just making a lot of good, heady plays. And tonight I said to myself over and over that Mason has become an amazing defensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding is improving, too. I'd like Miles to see some more minutes, but I really like where our bigs are at the moment.


P.S. Wasn't RMK just a joy to listen to??! So smart, and aware of all the little things. It was very educational for him to point out so many subtle, off-the-ball impacting plays --- so often what K-coached teams do so well, but which go ignored by a play-by-play guy trying to get the names right or a color guy babbling on about the Yankees or shgouting about bath soap or whatever... :rolleyes:

Knight was a treat to listen to, but I thought Rece Davis was also a level above what we're used to in the play-by-play slot. He spent a lot of time asking RMK questions, which I thought was a great way to call the game.


This game means nothing, which is a good thing because we didn't play very well. We'll find out this Saturday and the following Saturday how good this team really is.

Oh, brother.

[Kedsy]

I agree with whoever said Andre looked pretty good tonight in limited minutes. I share the hopes of those who are calling for him to get more minutes and get back to where he was earlier in the year.

[Kedsy]

One other thing: the most important basket of the night was Seth Curry's three to end the first half. Totally demoralized Temple; the game was over from that point on.

[Mcluhan]

Didn't see the game but on the highlights Temple's defense looked terrible. Was it generally like that?

I like that nolan/kyle 40 + curry/thornton/dawkins 15 + MP1/MP2/Kelly 15 formula.

Also, I'm still not sure how our bigs would fare against a Big East team. Villanova in the Elite 8 two years ago was a matter of us not having played a team that big and strong all year.

[gam7]

Villanova in the Elite 8 two years ago was a matter of us not having played a team that big and strong all year.

I would not describe that Villanova team as big and strong. They did not have a true center and no significant contributor taller than 6'9". They beat us primarily because they were fast, quick, applied suffocating pressure and ran circles around us with their guards and wings.

[Greg_Newton]

We played well, but honestly, Temple looked pretty bad to me. I'm not entirely sure that that team, as it was tonight, would even be a top-half ACC team. But it looks good on a resume, at least.

Seth continues to look like a completely different player. Who knew how quick he was? It's like he just decided to start moving fast, all the time. He's so much fun to watch as an on-ball defender. It's also made me much more hopefully for next year - him and AR should do just fine as a starting backcourt.

Also, don't look now, but Mason and Ryan have quietly been making some enormous strides. They're not putting up big points or anything, but they've really been controlling the paint and snatching up everything in their area lately. I don't take too much from one game against an undersized opponent, but it's been happening consistently lately. Good stuff.

[Olympic Fan]

Solid, solid win over an NCAA at-large quality team. Good for Duke's resume and very good for the ACC's shaky reputation. I waxs talking to an expert Monday who said that if Duke won, it might be enough to push the ACC past the Mountain West and up to the No. 4 ranked RPI conference ... we'll see in the morning.

Great to see Kyle play so well, although it's funny. He scored 28 points, but he still didn't hit any shots (any jumpers, I mean ... plus he only attempted one 3).

Strong first-half contribution by Tyler off the bench ... he didn't have much chance to do anything in the second before he was on the bench with four fouls.

One of the best developments was Andre's play. He didn't see much action, but what he did see was positive -- he stepped up and nailed a 3 in each half. After his last few dismal outings, it was good to see something positive. He can build on this.

Now, only Miles is in a funk. Everybody else who played was solid. Hopefully, Miles can regain his bounce at Va Tech ...

[dukebluelemur]

The winning formula was fulfilled again tonight, with Singler/ Smith getting 40 or more and the other guards getting more than 15 and the bigs getting around 15, all while holding the other team to the 60's.


Wait, so we tend to win when we score more than 70 and hold the other team in the 60s? Someone should tell Coach K!

[Saratoga2]

Miles was one of the victims of the horrible ref'ing tonight. His first foul call came on an offensive rebound where he grabbed it over a much smaller Temple player and they called him for over the back. Horrible call. The 2nd one was a ticky-tack foul defending in the post. Neither foul should have been called. That started a stretch where there were fouls called seemingly every 15 seconds. Both teams got to 7 team fouls in record time.

K was ripping the ref's during that time. The ref's totally killed the flow of the game during that stretch. It took awhile for both teams to adjust to how it was being called. In addition to Miles, the Temple point guard, shooting guard, and both Tyler and Nolan were all impacted by some really ticky tack calls. It was bad both ways..

The first call was definitely over the back, whether he was taller than the opponent or not. The second was a reaching in foul. The way the game was being called, he should have been careful as it got him a seat on the bench and he played very few minutes in all.

Tyler has been playing a very aggressive defensive style and is getting called more often that he deserves. He is a valuable player for his defense, his ball handling and for his offense, which is efficient. He needs to avoid giving the refs an excuse for calling so many fouls. Three in 11 minutes is too many.

[Saratoga2]

Wait, so we tend to win when we score more than 70 and hold the other team in the 60s? Someone should tell Coach K!

The majority of the games follow that line since Kyrie went out. Notice that I also gave a breakdown of how the 70+ points come from. What did you add?

[oldnavy]

Miles was one of the victims of the horrible ref'ing tonight. His first foul call came on an offensive rebound where he grabbed it over a much smaller Temple player and they called him for over the back. Horrible call. The 2nd one was a ticky-tack foul defending in the post. Neither foul should have been called. That started a stretch where there were fouls called seemingly every 15 seconds. Both teams got to 7 team fouls in record time.

K was ripping the ref's during that time. The ref's totally killed the flow of the game during that stretch. It took awhile for both teams to adjust to how it was being called. In addition to Miles, the Temple point guard, shooting guard, and both Tyler and Nolan were all impacted by some really ticky tack calls. It was bad both ways..

Outstanding summation of what happened. The refs were calling the game WAY too tight on both ends. This had as much to do with the slow start of the game as anything, and it took Miles right out of it before he could get any type of flow going. I hate watching games that are over called.

[oldnavy]

The first call was definitely over the back, whether he was taller than the opponent or not. The second was a reaching in foul. The way the game was being called, he should have been careful as it got him a seat on the bench and he played very few minutes in all.

Tyler has been playing a very aggressive defensive style and is getting called more often that he deserves. He is a valuable player for his defense, his ball handling and for his offense, which is efficient. He needs to avoid giving the refs an excuse for calling so many fouls. Three in 11 minutes is too many.

I have to disagree with the over the back call. You actually can go over the back of a player as long as you do not create contact. I watched the play a couple of times and Miles just reached over the top of the player. It did not appear to me that he used contact from behind to gain an advantage (i.e., push the guy), he just used his height to reach over him... anyway the problem is that the refs are going to make that call about 90% of the time anyway, so Miles and the others have to understand and try to avoid what appears to be an over the back foul....

[wilson]

Villanova in the Elite 8 two years ago was a matter of us not having played a team that big and strong all year.


I would not describe that Villanova team as big and strong. They did not have a true center and no significant contributor taller than 6'9". They beat us primarily because they were fast, quick, applied suffocating pressure and ran circles around us with their guards and wings.I agree with gam7, and would add the additional quibble that that game was in the Sweet 16, not the Elite 8.

[bass-piscator]

Great game by Kyle, and the team.

I think someone should give Ryan a cup so that someone will toss him a coin when he is behind the line with no one within 10 feet of him. Yes, he missed 3 tonight but he's the same guy that made 18 straight shots this season. Nolan, are you listening?

[NovaScotian]

two things -
the front page should say "duke storms temple" not "duke surges past temple"

rece davis is the best play by play guy, streets ahead of tim brando and mike patrick (although maybe not gus johnson). it was really a pleasure to hear him this game.

[KyDevilinIL]

rece davis is the best play by play guy, streets ahead of tim brando and mike patrick (although maybe not gus johnson). it was really a pleasure to hear him this game.

I've always liked Rece Davis. Professional and seems to work hard. There's still real talent at ESPN, no matter how much the network pushes its village idiots on the viewers.

Enjoyed the game. I like how things are looking. Kyle was awesome, Nolan "merely" solid by Nolan standards, everyone else contributed. No one was really awful. Love what we're seeing from Mason. Whether the points are there consistently or not, Mason's definitely grown – and is continuing to grow – this season. He's still awkward when he's got to make a post move, but he's going after those boards.

[AsiaMinor]

I'm sure it starts with defensive effort. We have had multi-year starters who were nearly liabilities on offense, but whose defense got them the job. Because offense is by nature streaky, any real or perceived lack of defensive effort will lose you a job at Duke, though (but not if you play for D'Antoni).

I was so happy to see him sink those 3's. Whatever has happened to keep him from the game I hope is over. Asking those of you who actually played: isn't it monumentally difficult to come in cold and shoot, then fear to be taken out if you miss or have one mistake? Seems to me the starting guys make mistakes but are not taken out so soon. Coach K knows best but I have special affection for Andre and hope he learns mental toughness - we need him.

[MChambers]

Really, really good game for Kyle. RMK was raving about him all night -- not just for the scoring, but rebounds, off-ball movement, screens, D, etc. He was the whole deal, and seems to be "back."

P.S. Wasn't RMK just a joy to listen to??! So smart, and aware of all the little things. It was very educational for him to point out so many subtle, off-the-ball impacting plays --- so often what K-coached teams do so well, but which go ignored by a play-by-play guy trying to get the names right or a color guy babbling on about the Yankees or shgouting about bath soap or whatever... :rolleyes:
It was cool to hear Knight rave about Tyler's defense. Said something like "that's as good of a weak-side defensive help play as we've seen all year long."

[Matches]

I was so happy to see him sink those 3's. Whatever has happened to keep him from the game I hope is over. Asking those of you who actually played: isn't it monumentally difficult to come in cold and shoot, then fear to be taken out if you miss or have one mistake? Seems to me the starting guys make mistakes but are not taken out so soon. Coach K knows best but I have special affection for Andre and hope he learns mental toughness - we need him.

Andre doesn't get yanked when he misses shots. He gets yanked when he misses defensive assignments. It is hard for a shooter to get in rhythm only playing spot minutes, though Dre did just fine last night.

Andre's minutes will go up when his defense improves. Last night was a good first step - I thought he defended well during his time on the court. He needs to build on that against VaTech.

[PADukeMom]

Okay guys 1 or 2 bad calls do not make or break a game. Bad calls happen every game deal with it by yelling at the TV, throwing the remote text my son to complain. get back on D & get back into the game. Let K get on the refs because that is what he is paid to do.

Good game against an ranked understaffed team but it is the type of team we will be facing Sweet 16/Eliete 8 time so I'll take it.

Who said Kyle's back & Final 4 last week? Hey I said we cut nets in Indy after the G-Town last year.

The thing is last years' team lacked, for a better word, defination. The defination came around 11:30 Monday April 5th. Other teams had defination came end of Januray beginning of February. We always had that clutch, go-to-guy & that player defined the team. Last year we didn't have that player. It was a team effort.

Talent-wise Kentucky was the best out there but I said it right before the NCAA's started, I would take Jon Schyer over John Wall.

This year's team, while having the go-to-guy in Nolan, this team lost it's prized point guard & preseason NPOY was MIA in the scoring department for alot of games. The thing I keep seeing is they are playing as a team & not Nolan & friends.

[Bob Green]

How many free throws has Tyler Thornton hit in a row? I believe it is 14. He has made 24 of 29 this season and last missed against Wake Forest.

Temple: 2/2
Georgia Tech: 4/4
Miami: 6/6
St. John's: 1/1
Wake Forest: 1/2

[superdave]

two things -
the front page should say "duke storms temple" not "duke surges past temple"

rece davis is the best play by play guy, streets ahead of tim brando and mike patrick (although maybe not gus johnson). it was really a pleasure to hear him this game.

How about "Duke clears Temple" to give it some messianic flavor?

[superdave]

Andre doesn't get yanked when he misses shots. He gets yanked when he misses defensive assignments. It is hard for a shooter to get in rhythm only playing spot minutes, though Dre did just fine last night.

Andre's minutes will go up when his defense improves. Last night was a good first step - I thought he defended well during his time on the court. He needs to build on that against VaTech.

I still thought Andre jogged around some last night - he needs a sense of urgency. Watch the difference between his game speed and Tyler's. Andre was really hustling on D the first couple months of the season. That's what will keep his minutes high.

Also, teams dont sag off him a whole lot anymore. So he needs to work the shot fake. He has shown off a nice floater and I know he's got some sneaky leaping ability. He needs to take the next step as a player offensively and drive more or pump fake and look for the mid range jumper some.

[superdave]

Now, only Miles is in a funk. Everybody else who played was solid. Hopefully, Miles can regain his bounce at Va Tech ...

Is Miles in a funk or just limited by circumstance? His two quick fouls combined with our use of Kyle at the 4 cut deeply into Miles' minutes vs. Temple. I think Coach K really likes how the starting 5 is playing right now too. So Miles' minutes are falling because it's hard to pull Mason and Ryan out and Kyle is getting some run at the 4 based on matchups.

Miles has played really well defensively since the State game in January and was the defensive MVP of the Unc game. He's ready when called upon and he's a veteran now. I fully trust he's going to contribute a lot down the stretch.

[hq2]

Looking at this game, and recent games overall, it looks to me like we've finally pretty much got the combination we need for the NCAAs (note that it was about this time last year that Zoubs starting making a difference)

1. Starting 5 - Kyle, Nolan, Seth, Mason, Ryan. They all have their roles well defined now. Seth and Ryan are stepping up, playing good D, and Seth is shooting well.

2. Inside play - Mason gives us some turnaround jumpers, Kyle drives, Kelly tosses in a bucket here and there. Enough to be effective. And, now Mason is really asserting himself on the boards - 13 last night, which is Zoubs-like numbers. Enough to complement the guards.

3. Scoring - Nolan and Kyle, with the rest by committee, depending on the game. Seems to work pretty well, and keeps the other team off balance. And, Kyle can lay off the threes till further notice; plenty of other guys to do that. He's playing the
way a 6-8 guy who wants his jersey hung ought to play.

4. Bench - Tyler gives good ballhandling and D, Andre gives shooting, Miles gives minutes plus rebounding and occasional scoring, Josh a few minutes here and there. Not great, but enough to spell the regulars. All we need.

O.K., I think we've about worked things out about as well as we're gonna. We're just about ready for the NCAAs, and peaking at the right time. Our chance to win it all is as good (if not better) than anyone's.

[superdave]

Looking at this game, and recent games overall, it looks to me like we've finally pretty much got the combination we need for the NCAAs (note that it was about this time last year that Zoubs starting making a difference)

1. Starting 5 - Kyle, Nolan, Seth, Mason, Ryan. They all have their roles well defined now. Seth and Ryan are stepping up, playing good D, and Seth is shooting well.

4. Bench - Tyler gives good ballhandling and D, Andre gives shooting, Miles gives minutes plus rebounding and occasional scoring, Josh a few minutes here and there. Not great, but enough to spell the regulars. All we need.

O.K., I think we've about worked things out about as well as we're gonna. We're just about ready for the NCAAs, and peaking at the right time. Our chance to win it all is as good (if not better) than anyone's.

I'll be interested in seeing the +/- charting for the starters this game. They played a lot together as a group. The rotation is definitely getting written in ink here lately.

[jv001]

I still thought Andre jogged around some last night - he needs a sense of urgency. Watch the difference between his game speed and Tyler's. Andre was really hustling on D the first couple months of the season. That's what will keep his minutes high.
Also, teams dont sag off him a whole lot anymore. So he needs to work the shot fake. He has shown off a nice floater and I know he's got some sneaky leaping ability. He needs to take the next step as a player offensively and drive more or pump fake and look for the mid range jumper some.

It was good to see Andre hit those 3s last night, but I agree with you his minutes will increase when he plays consistent defense. It does seem that Andre just floats around on the court, not displaying any quickness. Kyle is 6'8" and shows much more quickness than Andre. I think it's a mental thing with Andre. He does not move very well without the ball and seems to wait on the perimeter for an outlet pass for his jumper. That may lead to his lack of quickness. Just watch Nolan, Seth, Tyler and Kyle move without the ball. There's a big difference. However, I expect Andre to make some big plays down the stretch. Go Duke!

[cspan37421]

The thing is last years' team lacked, for a better word, defination. The defination came around 11:30 Monday April 5th. Other teams had defination came end of Januray beginning of February. We always had that clutch, go-to-guy & that player defined the team. Last year we didn't have that player. It was a team effort.


Sarah Palin, patron saint of neologisms, is that you? :)

Just kidding. Glad to have you as a Duke fan.

I agree with your comment that it's better if our team isn't "Nolan & Friends" - we're far better as a multi-threat team, making the other team's defensive assignments a game of whack-a-mole. But it does appear (with perfect hindsight) that Dunphy's team decided that whoever was going to beat them, it wouldn't be Nolan. Given Nolan's importance to the team of late, it's a reasonable strategy.

[epoulsen]

Did anyone else think that maybe Temple made the extra pass one too many times when on offense? It was like no one wanted to take the shot or no one thought their shot was good enough. I know most coaches like to see that extra pass in there but at some point someone has to take the initiative and realize they are in the best position to score, regardless of how many passes have been made. I'm not complaining because while I might say one too many passes, one could also argue stiffling defense resulting in players working the ball around. Thoughts?

[IrishDevil]

Great to see Kyle play so well, although it's funny. He scored 28 points, but he still didn't hit any shots (any jumpers, I mean ... plus he only attempted one 3).

I agree that it was nice to see Kyle go back to the diverse game we've enjoyed from him in the past, but it would be remiss not to mention that Kyle did hit at least one jumper, that oh-so-sweet fadeaway bank shot off the spin. :cool:

[cspan37421]

I still thought Andre jogged around some last night - he needs a sense of urgency. Watch the difference between his game speed and Tyler's. Andre was really hustling on D the first couple months of the season. That's what will keep his minutes high.


Tyler did a great job getting back on defense for what looked to be a fast break. He got right in front of his man by the 3 pt line, who had to (chose to?) pass, and Temple ended up turning it over. Looked like it would have been a momentum shifter, but his hustle on D made a difference in that sequence particularly (and the whole game).

I agree with your observations on Andre. One moment, intense on D, another moment, did not appear to be. Sweet stroke, though. He might make a good Knick someday.

[Matches]

I agree with your observations on Andre. One moment, intense on D, another moment, did not appear to be. Sweet stroke, though. He might make a good Knick someday.

To be fair to Dre, though, some of his minutes were at garbage time, and the flow of the game is strange at the end. Obviously we want hustle all the time, but when we're in the portion of the game where we're deliberately trying to take the air out of the ball, some standing around is inevitable. Even when we're on defense in those situations, the schemes are different than they are normally.

I was watching Dre specifically when he was in the game on defense, and he looked to me like he was in the right place most of the time. Contrast that with the last few games, where he'd get lost pretty frequently.

[Kedsy]

Is Miles in a funk or just limited by circumstance? His two quick fouls combined with our use of Kyle at the 4 cut deeply into Miles' minutes vs. Temple. I think Coach K really likes how the starting 5 is playing right now too. So Miles' minutes are falling because it's hard to pull Mason and Ryan out and Kyle is getting some run at the 4 based on matchups.

Kyle only played 8 minutes at the 4 against Temple, his lowest total there since the Wake Forest game (9 games ago). I don't think that was what limited Miles's minutes last night.


And, now Mason is really asserting himself on the boards - 13 last night, which is Zoubs-like numbers. Enough to complement the guards.

You imply Mason's rebounding is a new thing. Mason has averaged 10.3 rebounds per game in ACC play this season. He has 12 games with 10+ rebounds and 17 games with 8+ rebounds over the full season so far. With the exception of a brief lull when his minutes went down in December, Mason has been putting up "Zoubs-like numbers" pretty much all season.

[Saratoga2]

Kyle went to the basket more against Temple, but the inside might not be available against UNC for instance. They have a big and active back line. I would be pleased if Kyle just takes what is available to him on a game by game basis. This team has now got enough players making offensive contributions where neither Kyle or Nolan really need to force their offense to win games.

I think Kyle's play against Temple was a great example of a superior player understanding what was available to him and taking full advantage of it.

[Neals384]

Looking at this game, and recent games overall, it looks to me like we've finally pretty much got the combination we need for the NCAAs (note that it was about this time last year that Zoubs starting making a difference)

1. Starting 5 - Kyle, Nolan, Seth, Mason, Ryan. They all have their roles well defined now. Seth and Ryan are stepping up, playing good D, and Seth is shooting well.

2. Inside play - Mason gives us some turnaround jumpers, Kyle drives, Kelly tosses in a bucket here and there. Enough to be effective. And, now Mason is really asserting himself on the boards - 13 last night, which is Zoubs-like numbers. Enough to complement the guards.

3. Scoring - Nolan and Kyle, with the rest by committee, depending on the game. Seems to work pretty well, and keeps the other team off balance. And, Kyle can lay off the threes till further notice; plenty of other guys to do that. He's playing the
way a 6-8 guy who wants his jersey hung ought to play.

4. Bench - Tyler gives good ballhandling and D, Andre gives shooting, Miles gives minutes plus rebounding and occasional scoring, Josh a few minutes here and there. Not great, but enough to spell the regulars. All we need.

O.K., I think we've about worked things out about as well as we're gonna. We're just about ready for the NCAAs, and peaking at the right time. Our chance to win it all is as good (if not better) than anyone's.

Certainly the team played well last night; 17 point wins against ranked opponents (even short-handed ones) don't come easy. But I disagree that all the pieces are in place for the NCAAs. Mason, Ryan and even Miles are a "big" reason for Duke's success this season, but there are still a couple things that will cause trouble against elite competition.

In the first half, Temple exploited a weakness in Duke's D - the tendency for Mason to go too far out on the hedge. Temple would draw Mason away with a pick, and he would be way too slow to get back into the paint. They got several easy buckets that way. Against Tech, Mason picked up a blocking foul 25 feet from the basket and ended up fouling out. We need him on the court and in the paint!

Others have commented on Miles' two quick fouls. The first was a result of going aggressively for a rebound, a "good" foul. The second was one of those silly reach-in fouls that, even if not called, accomplish nothing. We need his D but not unneccesary fouls.

I know, I'm being awfully hard on the Plums. But one silly foul is the difference between being in the game and being on the bench. I love their game and want to see them on the court!

Go Duke!

[Billy Dat]

-Was anyone else cracking up at the clip of Wojo tearing the team a new one during a first half timeout? Obviously, the game had gotten off to a bad start with the quick whistles, but Temple was really outscrapping us on the boards. Cut to Wojo doing his best Coach K "my head is about to explode" tirade in the huddle. A chip off the old block. I am guessing that K enjoyed that one tremendously.

-I think the key for Kyle was catching on the move and then taking it to the hole. He is much leff effective starting his drive from triple threat out on the wing, he is just not quick enough with that first step. We set him up on those banana cuts and it put him in much better position to finish. He was great all around, and it was good to see him pick up the slack with Nolan not having a spectacular offensive night.

-I, too, can get into the "with Dre" thoughts/debates, but let's face it, right now, we're talking about the 4th guard on our depth chart and someone playing 7, 9, 26, 13 and 15 MPG the past 5 games. He lost guard #2 job to Seth and lost/is losing guard #3 job to Tyler. Do we all think he's got much greater potential than Tyler or even Seth?...many of us probably do (I do)...but the season is getting a little long in the tooth for him to step up. We've got 3 huge games left in the regular season. Barring some kind of unexpected emergence, I think he's going to be in the same spot he was in for the stretch run last year, available to nail some huge 3s in big spots but not part of the core fabric of the squad. I hope I am wrong.

-I co-sgn all of the positive comments about Mason and Ryan. I am waiting for some really smart and observant beat or national writer to pick up on their quietly effective emergence. Their lack of recognition reminds me of where we were at this time last year, and where I like to be...highly ranked but no one really talking about us because they don't really think we are balanced/strong enough, especially inside, to win the title.

-Kudos to Temple, they played really hard and executed well. They were very aggressive on the boards. I know our motion relies heavily on dribble drive and finding seams, and it has really worked so I am not asking to change it, but sometimes I am jealous of offenses, like Temple's last night, where the kind of motion ball screening we do is paired largely with quick pass-centered ball movement resulting in open shots. How many times did they hit their big at the foul line or elbow of the lane, and that big spun and either had a wide open 15 footer, hit another player on the wing, or hit someone open on the baseline. I love that kind of passing game. Our offense is designed to get 3s, so we don't have those players stationed 15-20 feet out, inside the 3 point arc, but it's a pretty brand of offense. I guess it helps when you've got a big like Allen who can really pass.

[watzone]

It was great to see Kyle grind through his frustrating stretch of games and see some shots go down today. He worked really hard on O and played stellar D again.

We had good balance, getting contributions from pretty much everyone. I'm still hoping to see Andre inch back into the rotation more. I bet busting his butt on D in practice will get him there, because he's got one sweet jumper.

Temple used a lot of penetrate and dish and did a good job of finding cutters. They are a solid team and Dunphy obviously prepped them well. Just not enough horses. Good scheme for our bigs to see before March.

Agreed. Kyle reached deep after seeing Temple defend his teammates well early on. Here are a few comments from Kyle via vid - http://bluedevilnation.net/2011/02/kyle-singler-post-game-comments-duke-v-temple/

[ncexnyc]

Another day after game review. I find it odd that Coach K's take on the game differs from Kyle's. While K praises the effort, Kyle seems to feel the team still hasn't played a full 40 minutes of solid ball.

Kyle had a very good game. Just two long jumpers attempted and a high percentage of shots made. He made good use of the match-up advantage he enjoyed last night.

Nolan had a sub-par game. Temple did a good job of letting him get to the rim and he seemed to force things on several ocassions, as was pointed out by RMK.

Seth had a solid game on both ends of the floor. He's really stepped into the role as Nolan backcourt running mate.

Tyler played very well again. It's ironic how many people on this board consider him an after thought when talking about all the talent we've got coming in the next few years. I'm sorry, but this kid already does what any kid who wants to get on the court for Duke has to do and that's play stellar defense. He's solid with the ball, has been excellent at the charity stripe, and he's get that tear drop floater down pat. If his outside shot improves over the off season I don't see why he won't be considered for MAJOR minutes going forward.

Kelly continues to do all the right things. He missed some open 3's, but it happens. Hopefully he's got another streak left, say around March 5th.

Miles continues to be his own worst enemy. He does a great job on defense pinning an opponent along the sidelines and then bails the kid out by reaching in for a dumb foul. Seems like we saw things like that from Lance. He just needs to calm down.

Mason had some awesome highlight dunks and some UGLY post moves. At this point in time I've learned to take the good with the bad. He's still snatching double digit rebounds and is a threat to block shots so all is good.

Nice to see some positives from Dre yesterday. Hopefully he can build on that going forward.

While it may not have been a thing of beauty, it's another notch in the W column. Hopefully Kyle will get his full 40 minute game this weekend against VPI.

[Kedsy]

-I, too, can get into the "with Dre" thoughts/debates, but let's face it, right now, we're talking about the 4th guard on our depth chart and someone playing 7, 9, 26, 13 and 15 MPG the past 5 games. He lost guard #2 job to Seth and lost/is losing guard #3 job to Tyler. Do we all think he's got much greater potential than Tyler or even Seth?...many of us probably do (I do)...but the season is getting a little long in the tooth for him to step up. We've got 3 huge games left in the regular season. Barring some kind of unexpected emergence, I think he's going to be in the same spot he was in for the stretch run last year, available to nail some huge 3s in big spots but not part of the core fabric of the squad. I hope I am wrong.

I just had a thought about Andre's struggles. Obviously if his minutes are down it's harder to get shots, but his shots per minute are down, too. I'm thinking it may have to do with the difference between Kyrie and Nolan. With Kyrie at the helm, Andre was the most offensively efficient player in the nation. In the first game after Kyrie went down, Nolan was looking to distribute rather than score (2 pts, 10 assists) and Andre went off for 28 points. But when Nolan is driving, his kick outs tend to be to the corners, and while Andre sometimes sets up in the corner, he seems to prefer the wing area, where it's difficult for Nolan to hit him.

I agree it may be late in the year for Andre to change his pattern of where he sets up for his shot (although not necessarily), but if Kyrie comes back we may very well see an "emergence" from Andre.

[TaiAdmiral]

Sorry it's a little late, but here's highlights from last night's win over Temple. It was good to see Dre make the most out of his limited playing time, but he's still got some work to do on the defensive end.

http://www.crazie-talk.com/2011/02/24/section-17-owls-caged/

[superdave]

I just had a thought about Andre's struggles. Obviously if his minutes are down it's harder to get shots, but his shots per minute are down, too. I'm thinking it may have to do with the difference between Kyrie and Nolan. With Kyrie at the helm, Andre was the most offensively efficient player in the nation. In the first game after Kyrie went down, Nolan was looking to distribute rather than score (2 pts, 10 assists) and Andre went off for 28 points. But when Nolan is driving, his kick outs tend to be to the corners, and while Andre sometimes sets up in the corner, he seems to prefer the wing area, where it's difficult for Nolan to hit him.

I agree it may be late in the year for Andre to change his pattern of where he sets up for his shot (although not necessarily), but if Kyrie comes back we may very well see an "emergence" from Andre.

Ryan cleared out of the lane on a Nolan drive last night by back-pedaling to the corner. I'm sure his eyes were getting big thinking he had a 3 coming. Nolan shot though (or got fouled).

But yeah, Andre does get his looks from the wing. There have been a few games where plays were run for Andre so he could get a 3 attempt coming off several screens. But that's been a few weeks. His best shots have come on drive and kicks. Kyrie probably kicked more on those plays than Nolan does. I'd say as of now, Andre's best chances for an open 3 would be when Mason gets the ball in the post and looks oposite or when we get an offensive rebound and kick it out a to a shooter.

[MCFinARL]

It was good to see Andre hit those 3s last night, but I agree with you his minutes will increase when he plays consistent defense. It does seem that Andre just floats around on the court, not displaying any quickness. Kyle is 6'8" and shows much more quickness than Andre. I think it's a mental thing with Andre. He does not move very well without the ball and seems to wait on the perimeter for an outlet pass for his jumper. That may lead to his lack of quickness. Just watch Nolan, Seth, Tyler and Kyle move without the ball. There's a big difference. However, I expect Andre to make some big plays down the stretch. Go Duke!

I actually thought Andre moved a lot better without the ball last night than in the previous game or two. He would stop in his "spot" briefly to be ready for a pass and/or try to draw a defender from someone else, but he never got stuck there. If things continue to trend the way they seem to be going--with many more minutes for the starting five and spot relief minutes for everyone else--more playing time may be a challenge for Andre to come by. But he made good use of what he got last night and hopefully that will give him something to build on--which would be good for him and for the team.

[Kfanarmy]

Villanova in the Elite 8 two years ago was a matter of us not having played a team that big and strong all year.

Really, as I recall that game was all about being out-quicked by guards. They did get a lot of interior scoring but it had very little to do with what was generally not a big team, IIRC.