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

[Bob Green]

It is Senior Night for Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry as Duke hosts VPI at 7 pm.

[millerecu]

Todd Zafirovski!

[Bob Green]

Duke opened as a 21 point favorite with the over/under set at 151 so Vegas is looking for a score in the neighborhood of 86-65.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Duke opened as a 21 point favorite with the over/under set at 151 so Vegas is looking for a score in the neighborhood of 86-65.

Wow, Vegas is really expecting a lot out of us. I would love for that to be true.

I expect an immense outpouring of emotion for all these guys. I'm really glad that Kelly will get his just due. I expect him to garner the greatest applause our of appreciation for his years of service and his astonishing performance against Miami. The Duke kids had better bring it in full for all these guys.

I will be looking for a pronounced effort on defense that shows the difference Kelly makes in freeing up Mason to go after blocks and rebounds. Also, I'd like to see more "inside/out" play, thanks to Kelly making VaTech play further out on the arc.

I'd love a big statement game in our last "tune up" before all the big boys come down the pipes. Let's start laying our claim for a top seed by reminding the rest of the ACC who intends to run the table in Greensboro.

Go Duke!

[mo.st.dukie]

Wow, Vegas is really expecting a lot out of us. I would love for that to be true.


We just beat them 2 weeks ago by 32 points in Blacksburg without Ryan Kelly. May not be that big of a margin this time but 21 sounds pretty fair.

[cptnflash]

Easy win, if this game was played 1000 times under the same set of circumstances in various parallel universes (universi?), I think we'd win all 1000. The outcome should never be in doubt, but something tells me we won't cover. And as I've said previously, I'll be ignoring this game completely from a "what does it mean for the future" standpoint. The main point of this game is to take a step back and appreciate the magnificent contributions to Duke basketball from our four seniors - Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, and Todd Zafirovsky. Well done, gentlemen. It has been a privilege to watch you play during the past four years, and each of you is a credit to the uniform you wear. We were lucky to have you.

Also, as a fan of college basketball, I'll be enjoying one last opportunity to watch Erick Green (I doubt I will watch the VT/Wake matchup on Sunday, and I don't expect the Hokies to still be alive when we join the ACC tournament next Friday). As I said in the previous pre-game thread, if Virginia Tech was a halfway decent team, Erick would be getting serious NPOY consideration, because his offensive numbers are ridiculous. Nearly 90% minutes, 30+% usage, and 120+ ORtg is truly rarified air, particularly when you're the only person on the team that is worth guarding. As a four-year senior who has gotten better every year he's been in college, Erick is another example of everything that is great about college basketball, just like our seniors. So once again, a hat tip to you, Erick Green, for a job well done.

[dukelifer]

Easy win, if this game was played 1000 times under the same set of circumstances in various parallel universes (universi?), I think we'd win all 1000. The outcome should never be in doubt, but something tells me we won't cover. And as I've said previously, I'll be ignoring this game completely from a "what does it mean for the future" standpoint. The main point of this game is to take a step back and appreciate the magnificent contributions to Duke basketball from our four seniors - Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, and Todd Zafirovsky. Well done, gentlemen. It has been a privilege to watch you play during the past four years, and each of you is a credit to the uniform you wear. We were lucky to have you.

Also, as a fan of college basketball, I'll be enjoying one last opportunity to watch Erick Green (I doubt I will watch the VT/Wake matchup on Sunday, and I don't expect the Hokies to still be alive when we join the ACC tournament next Friday). As I said in the previous pre-game thread, if Virginia Tech was a halfway decent team, Erick would be getting serious NPOY consideration, because his offensive numbers are ridiculous. Nearly 90% minutes, 30+% usage, and 120+ ORtg is truly rarified air, particularly when you're the only person on the team that is worth guarding. As a four-year senior who has gotten better every year he's been in college, Erick is another example of everything that is great about college basketball, just like our seniors. So once again, a hat tip to you, Erick Green, for a job well done.
This game could be closer than folks think. Tech is catching Duke after a big emotional win on a big emotional night for the seniors. Anything is possible. Cook needs to be a playmaker tonight and Rasheed needs to be aggressive . Duke should win but emotion can do strange things in a basketball game.

[roywhite]

This game could be closer than folks think. Tech is catching Duke after a big emotional win on a big emotional night for the seniors. Anything is possible. Cook needs to be a playmaker tonight and Rasheed needs to be aggressive . Duke should win but emotion can do strange things in a basketball game.

Yes, Senior Night and the big win over Miami makes for a mix of emotions, esp. for Ryan, Mason, and Seth.

Rather be playing VaTech than a more dangerous team like the Heels.

Jump out early and put this one away. Finish up Tuesday at a reasonable time, no travel, Weds. off, and get ready to go to Chapel Hill.

[Steve68]

Duke opened as a 21 point favorite with the over/under set at 151 so Vegas is looking for a score in the neighborhood of 86-65.

3rd game in 6 days - hard to believe they can cover a spread like that.

[UrinalCake]

We just beat them 2 weeks ago by 32 points in Blacksburg without Ryan Kelly. May not be that big of a margin this time but 21 sounds pretty fair.

We also shot 95% from three (or so it seemed) in that game, which we can't expect to happen again. I'm thinking more like a 15-point margin, but won't be at all surprised if it's closer.

[davekay1971]

Lots to see and enjoy in this game!

First of all, a chance to celebrate our seniors. Mason, Seth, and Ryan have all developed tremendously at Duke, and have all contributed significantly to this program. They have a chance over the next few weeks to win two championships, but, for tonight, we can simply appreciate everything they've done to date.

In terms of team development, it's the second game back with Ryan. All the emotional context of the rematch with Miami and Ryan's spectacular return are done, so now it's down to figuring out the best way to build as a team with him back in the lineup. Lots to do and not much time to do it!

I agree with an upthread post that one of the most important things is to refocus Quinn's role. He was asked to pick up scoring with Ryan out. We love his scoring, at times we've absolutely needed his scoring. But with Ryan back he can rebalance a little - still giving us scoring, but putting more emphasis on distributing as well. We saw Nolan struggle to get the right balance even in his senior year when Kyrie was point, then gone, then back. Small wonder that Quinn might have moved too far to the scoring side with Ryan out. But he's got tonight to try to get back to creating.

I'll also be interested to see how Mason reacts, whether he's more aggressive on defense since he doesn't have to leave in utter fear of the foul, and whether he gets better looks with Ryan stretching the court. There hasn't been much talk about Mason's role in limiting Reggie Johnson to 0 ponts...but I thought Mason looked a little more aggressive in defending Johnson. I'd like to see even more of that.

Finally, Seth and Sheed should get cleaner looks and more open driving lanes with Ryan back. Hopefully they can take advantage. I expect they will.

All in all, much to look forward to and watch for tonight!

[COYS]

I will be looking at how our defense adapts to having Ryan back. As both the nerd stats and the eye test have indicated, Duke is a far better defensive team with Ryan than without. We were in the top 10 of KenPom's defensive rankings before he got hurt (which, considering how poor Duke was defensively last season, was a big accomplishment). Since then, we've slipped quite a bit. Many on the board have complained about Rasheed, Quinn, and Seth allowing dribble penetration. While some of that is warranted, the Miami game was a prime example of the difference a big man can make by hedging correctly on ball screens. This has never been instinctual for Mason. There were a few times where Mason left way too much space between himself and the screener, allowing Larkin to go right down the middle. There were times when Mason didn't hedge at an angle that would cut off Larkin's path around him, giving our guard no time to recover. There were also times when Mason hedged well and cut off driving lanes. However, inconsistency was the name of the game for Mason.

Not so with Ryan. Ryan is MUCH better at hedging then Mason, Josh and Amile. He also takes some of the pressure off of Mason and the guards as he is a better help defender than Josh or Amile. Finally, he's a better one on one defender than any of our other forwards. There were stretches in the Miami game when our defense looked very, very good. Of course, there were also stretches when it looked particularly porous. The bottom line, however, is that Ryan was big boost to our D. Against a team with far fewer weapons than the talented Miami squad, I'd like to see our defense, now with arguably our best defender back in action, suffocate VaTech. If we can build on the bright spots of the Miami game when we were successfully hedging and recovering, the Hokies will have a hard time scoring. Absent dribble penetration, it's hard to crack the Duke defense. Our guys can stay glued to their defensive assignments, deny the passing lanes, and crowd the three point line. It will also make it easier to rebound if we aren't sending help defenders scrambling to cut off drives down the lane. We were looking like we could be an elite defensive team earlier in the year. Hopefully, now that Ryan is back, we can begin to move back in that direction.

[BigZ]

Will Todd start? Starting seniors on senior night is one thing Roy does that I like.

[Henderson]

I'll be really happy to see Todd get his start tonight with the fans standing and cheering genuinely in appreciation. Duke fans know that his contributions in practice have been huge. Damn, I'd love to see him score again.

Here's a nice profile of The Macedonian Master from earlier in the season: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/12/07/2529503/dukes-zafirovski-former-walk-on.html

If he gets enough minutes, he could easily double his career scoring production, which I believe is 5 (2 against Delaware and 3 against Cornell).

[Olympic Fan]

While I certainly expect to Duke to win tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if it is a MUCH tougher game than the 32-point win in Blacksburg.

This should be a fairly tired Duke team, playing its third game in six days. Add in that this is a classic trap game -- sandwiched between the intense Virginia-Miami doubeheader and Saturday's rivalry game with UNC -- and I would not be surprised to see the Devils play at less than their best.

And give Virginia Tech some credit -- the Hokies might be at the bottom of the ACC standings, but they've already come to Tobacco Road and taken both UNC and NC State into overtime.

Kikie I said, I think Duke is a lot better team and will win, but I'd be surprisedif it isn't ugly.

[ChillinDuke]

This game could be closer than folks think. Tech is catching Duke after a big emotional win on a big emotional night for the seniors. Anything is possible. Cook needs to be a playmaker tonight and Rasheed needs to be aggressive . Duke should win but emotion can do strange things in a basketball game.

Not trying to pick on you, Lifer. But I'm pretty sure you voiced similar concerns re: Va Tech before our trip to Blacksburg. And it was a rout. This will be a rout as well.

The caveat "anything is possible" is as universal and omnipresent as the concept of gravity.

By any and all reasonable metrics, we should beat Va Tech handily - just as we did on their court. And I look forward to it wholeheartedly.

Go Duke!

- Chillin

[dukebsbll14]

I'll be really happy to see Todd get his start tonight with the fans standing and cheering genuinely in appreciation. Duke fans know that his contributions in practice have been huge. Damn, I'd love to see him score again.

Here's a nice profile of The Macedonian Master from earlier in the season: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/12/07/2529503/dukes-zafirovski-former-walk-on.html

If he gets enough minutes, he could easily double his career scoring production, which I believe is 5 (2 against Delaware and 3 against Cornell).

I was in the building for his first points and it was awesome. I believe that Todd is going to graduate school at Duke and will be here for one more year.

[PallasAthena]

I've been to many senior nights, but can't remember what time they begin the senior recognition. A 7 PM game start means leaving Raleigh no later than 5:30. Traffic is insane. Will senior stuff be at 7 or earlier?

Thanks for your help.

GO DUKE!!!

Still floating about six inches off the ground after Saturday night. :D

[Henderson]

I believe that Todd is going to graduate school at Duke and will be here for one more year.

Hmm. Not sure about that. He's listed as a senior, and I believe this is his fourth year of eligibility, though he didn't play at all his first year.

Or did you just mean he'll be on campus next year?

[moonpie23]

i think they will be working on "attention to details" tonight........

[Albert]

3rd game in 6 days - hard to believe they can cover a spread like that.

Well, I guess you could argue that 9PM on Thursday [Virginia] Through 7PM on Tuesday [Va. Tech] is slightly less than 5 days. I think our lads get off to a slow start but then put on a show.

[Kedsy]

Hmm. Not sure about that. He's listed as a senior, and I believe this is his fourth year of eligibility, though he didn't play at all his first year.

Or did you just mean he'll be on campus next year?

Since he didn't play freshman year and players have five years to use their four years of eligibility, I'm pretty sure Todd will be eligible to be on the team next year (it's like he redshirted his freshman year). I don't know that he'll get a scholarship or anything, though.

I also don't know if they're planning for him to go through the senior night festivities as a senior. I suppose that probably depends on whether he intends to play next year or not.

[Frobisher]

i think they will be working on "attention to details" tonight........

...VTech will be obliging enough to press on a handful of inbounds plays late (regardless of the score) so we can get that straightened out in real time game action. I'd also like to see us sink all the FTs; there will be a timer in March when we need them for the win.

I remember when Calipari's Memphis team was intentionally fouled in the last couple of minutes of 2008 title game. They were atrocious at the line; previously, he said they would make them when they counted. They missed like four in a row and lost. (Not trying to draw any parallels here, just sayin'; we make our FTs, hold on to the ball, and we beat Miami by a dozen).

[ArtVandelay]

I'll be interested to see how Ryan looks and moves tonight. I was a bit nervous about the staff pushing him too hard in his first game back against Miami. I guess you have to trust the training staff here, and obviously you couldn't take Ryan out the way he was playing, but it's a bit of a concern, I think. Hopefully Ryan's foot responds well to the relatively short turn-around time.

[Henderson]

Since he didn't play freshman year and players have five years to use their four years of eligibility, I'm pretty sure Todd will be eligible to be on the team next year (it's like he redshirted his freshman year). I don't know that he'll get a scholarship or anything, though.

I also don't know if they're planning for him to go through the senior night festivities as a senior. I suppose that probably depends on whether he intends to play next year or not.

I'll defer to you on the rule, because frankly I don't know what it is. But Todd started his "freshman" season ('09-'10) as purely a practice player who wore street clothes on the benched. But halfway through the season, he was made a member of the team. And although he didn't play, he wore a uniform on the bench. That made him eligible to play, unlike a redshirt, who (I think) is ineligible and may not wear a uniform on the bench. Plus, if he still had four years of eligibility after the '09-'10 season, wouldn't he have been a "freshman" the next year, the way MP3 and Murph are this year? Instead '10-'11 was listed as his sophomore year, '11-12 his junior year, and this year as his senior year.

But I have to admit I'm doing a lot of guessing about rules I don't know much about here.

[Dev11]

I'll defer to you on the rule, because frankly I don't know what it is. But Todd started his "freshman" season ('09-'10) as purely a practice player who wore street clothes on the benched. But halfway through the season, he was made a member of the team. And although he didn't play, he wore a uniform on the bench. That made him eligible to play, unlike a redshirt, who (I think) is ineligible and may not wear a uniform on the bench. Plus, if he still had four years of eligibility after the '09-'10 season, wouldn't he have been a "freshman" the next year, the way MP3 and Murph are this year? Instead '10-'11 was listed as his sophomore year, '11-12 his junior year, and this year as his senior year.

But I have to admit I'm doing a lot of guessing about rules I don't know much about here.

If he didn't play, he didn't lose any eligibility, even if he was wearing a silly penguin suit on the bench. He has another year if he wants it and if Duke wants him back out there.

[Rich]

I will be looking at how our defense adapts to having Ryan back. As both the nerd stats and the eye test have indicated, Duke is a far better defensive team with Ryan than without. We were in the top 10 of KenPom's defensive rankings before he got hurt (which, considering how poor Duke was defensively last season, was a big accomplishment). Since then, we've slipped quite a bit. Many on the board have complained about Rasheed, Quinn, and Seth allowing dribble penetration. While some of that is warranted, the Miami game was a prime example of the difference a big man can make by hedging correctly on ball screens. This has never been instinctual for Mason. There were a few times where Mason left way too much space between himself and the screener, allowing Larkin to go right down the middle. There were times when Mason didn't hedge at an angle that would cut off Larkin's path around him, giving our guard no time to recover. There were also times when Mason hedged well and cut off driving lanes. However, inconsistency was the name of the game for Mason.

Not so with Ryan. Ryan is MUCH better at hedging then Mason, Josh and Amile. He also takes some of the pressure off of Mason and the guards as he is a better help defender than Josh or Amile. Finally, he's a better one on one defender than any of our other forwards. There were stretches in the Miami game when our defense looked very, very good. Of course, there were also stretches when it looked particularly porous. The bottom line, however, is that Ryan was big boost to our D. Against a team with far fewer weapons than the talented Miami squad, I'd like to see our defense, now with arguably our best defender back in action, suffocate VaTech. If we can build on the bright spots of the Miami game when we were successfully hedging and recovering, the Hokies will have a hard time scoring. Absent dribble penetration, it's hard to crack the Duke defense. Our guys can stay glued to their defensive assignments, deny the passing lanes, and crowd the three point line. It will also make it easier to rebound if we aren't sending help defenders scrambling to cut off drives down the lane. We were looking like we could be an elite defensive team earlier in the year. Hopefully, now that Ryan is back, we can begin to move back in that direction.

I would LOVE a tutorial with photos or video regarding the right and wrong way to hedge on a high ball screen. While I understand the concepts of the guard having to go over or under the screen and the big man temporarily stopping penetration so the guard can get into defensive position, I would like to understand the nuances better.

[CDu]

I'll defer to you on the rule, because frankly I don't know what it is. But Todd started his "freshman" season ('09-'10) as purely a practice player who wore street clothes on the benched. But halfway through the season, he was made a member of the team. And although he didn't play, he wore a uniform on the bench. That made him eligible to play, unlike a redshirt, who (I think) is ineligible and may not wear a uniform on the bench. Plus, if he still had four years of eligibility after the '09-'10 season, wouldn't he have been a "freshman" the next year, the way MP3 and Murph are this year? Instead '10-'11 was listed as his sophomore year, '11-12 his junior year, and this year as his senior year.

But I have to admit I'm doing a lot of guessing about rules I don't know much about here.

Marshall dressed for every game last year, and Murphy dressed for nearly every game (I can't remember if he was in street clothes briefly after his concussion). Both redshirted. There is no rule that redshirts can't dress for the game (in fact, one can play in a few games and still redshirt). A redshirt can be burned at any time in the season if necessary.

Since Zafirovski didn't play in '09-10, he didn't use any eligibility. Thus, it is up to Duke and Todd as to whether or not he plays next year.

[BigZ]

Guys like Battier, JJ and Singler seemed like they played for fifteen years in Durham. It is hard to believe these three guys are playing their last games in CIS. Seems like they just started.

[dukebsbll14]

Hmm. Not sure about that. He's listed as a senior, and I believe this is his fourth year of eligibility, though he didn't play at all his first year.

Or did you just mean he'll be on campus next year?

I read it in something Jim Sumner wrote a couple months ago, now can't find the thing. Not sure if it's official but he does have the opportunity to do so.

I met Todd during personal checks my sophomore year. Nice guy. We were chatting for a little bit and he asked me if I came to all the games and I said I did, even the ones over break. He responds, "Man, sometimes I don't want to come to those." I didn't say it, but I kind of wanted to say, "But that's when you get all your playing time!"

Anyways, thanks for the memories, Class of 2013!

[gwlaw99]

I will be looking at how our defense adapts to having Ryan back. As both the nerd stats and the eye test have indicated, Duke is a far better defensive team with Ryan than without. We were in the top 10 of KenPom's defensive rankings before he got hurt (which, considering how poor Duke was defensively last season, was a big accomplishment). Since then, we've slipped quite a bit. Many on the board have complained about Rasheed, Quinn, and Seth allowing dribble penetration. While some of that is warranted, the Miami game was a prime example of the difference a big man can make by hedging correctly on ball screens. This has never been instinctual for Mason. There were a few times where Mason left way too much space between himself and the screener, allowing Larkin to go right down the middle. There were times when Mason didn't hedge at an angle that would cut off Larkin's path around him, giving our guard no time to recover. There were also times when Mason hedged well and cut off driving lanes. However, inconsistency was the name of the game for Mason.

Not so with Ryan. Ryan is MUCH better at hedging then Mason, Josh and Amile. He also takes some of the pressure off of Mason and the guards as he is a better help defender than Josh or Amile. Finally, he's a better one on one defender than any of our other forwards. There were stretches in the Miami game when our defense looked very, very good. Of course, there were also stretches when it looked particularly porous. The bottom line, however, is that Ryan was big boost to our D. Against a team with far fewer weapons than the talented Miami squad, I'd like to see our defense, now with arguably our best defender back in action, suffocate VaTech. If we can build on the bright spots of the Miami game when we were successfully hedging and recovering, the Hokies will have a hard time scoring. Absent dribble penetration, it's hard to crack the Duke defense. Our guys can stay glued to their defensive assignments, deny the passing lanes, and crowd the three point line. It will also make it easier to rebound if we aren't sending help defenders scrambling to cut off drives down the lane. We were looking like we could be an elite defensive team earlier in the year. Hopefully, now that Ryan is back, we can begin to move back in that direction.

This is so true. The difference was obvious watching the Miami game.

[dukelifer]

Not trying to pick on you, Lifer. But I'm pretty sure you voiced similar concerns re: Va Tech before our trip to Blacksburg. And it was a rout. This will be a rout as well.

The caveat "anything is possible" is as universal and omnipresent as the concept of gravity.

By any and all reasonable metrics, we should beat Va Tech handily - just as we did on their court. And I look forward to it wholeheartedly.

Go Duke!

- Chillin
Always happy to be wrong when it comes to unexpected routs. To be frank- I was surprised by the rout in Blacksburg. Tech had just played a very good game against State and had time to prepare. Duke was coming off a loss and was traveling again to a place where Curry ha struggled. Duke got great performances from Rasheed, Josh and to some degree Alex. So I will very happy to go to bed with normal blood pressure tonight.

[subzero02]

We are favored by 19.5 against the hokie pokies...

[Zephyrius]

The Chronicle seems to be reporting that Todd will be coming back for a 5th season for sure: http://sports.chronicleblogs.com/2013/03/05/is-todd-zafirovski-coming-back-next-year/

[jimsumner]

My understanding is that TZ will not be introduced with the seniors tonight and hopes to play next season.

And he most emphatically has a year of eligibilty remaining.

You may recall that Duke held out Jordan Davidson for an entire season so he could come back as a fifth-year senior. There are benefits to having guys around who know the system, know the program, know the protocols. Even if they don't play much.

[Olympic Fan]

Marshall dressed for every game last year, and Murphy dressed for nearly every game (I can't remember if he was in street clothes briefly after his concussion). Both redshirted. There is no rule that redshirts can't dress for the game (in fact, one can play in a few games and still redshirt). A redshirt can be burned at any time in the season if necessary.

Since Zafirovski didn't play in '09-10, he didn't use any eligibility. Thus, it is up to Duke and Todd as to whether or not he plays next year.

You are right that it doesn't matter a bit whether you sit on the bench in uniform or in street clothes -- you only lose your eligibility if you actually play in a game.

But your other statement (which I bolded) is a common misconception. If you play one second of a real game, you cannot redshirt. What you're thinking of is a medical hardship. A kid can play quite a few games (it used to be 1/4th of the season, now it varies) during the first half of the season and if he is then sidelined with an injury, he can get that year back. It works very much like a redshirt, but is not the same. Some schools (especially in football) abuse this rule -- playing kids a few games then claiming a back injury or a sore knee. But if he plays at all, he has to apply for a hardship uear (which is usually generously granted by the NCAA).

In Todd's case, the rerdshirt rules do apply, since he didn't play in 2009-2010. He has another year of eligibility remaining if he an Duke want to use it.

[CDu]

You are right that it doesn't matter a bit whether you sit on the bench in uniform or in street clothes -- you only lose your eligibility if you actually play in a game.

But your other statement (which I bolded) is a common misconception. If you play one second of a real game, you cannot redshirt. What you're thinking of is a medical hardship. A kid can play quite a few games (it used to be 1/4th of the season, now it varies) during the first half of the season and if he is then sidelined with an injury, he can get that year back. It works very much like a redshirt, but is not the same. Some schools (especially in football) abuse this rule -- playing kids a few games then claiming a back injury or a sore knee. But if he plays at all, he has to apply for a hardship uear (which is usually generously granted by the NCAA).

In Todd's case, the rerdshirt rules do apply, since he didn't play in 2009-2010. He has another year of eligibility remaining if he an Duke want to use it.

Yeah, I realized that shortly after I posted. You're right. For medical hardships, you can play a handful of games. For regular redshirts, you can't. But in either case, you can be dressed in whatever attire you want at game time.

[CDu]

Anyone with recommendations for watching the game online? I'm in San Diego and my hotel doesn't have ESPNU. And I'm a DirecTV and TWC double, so I don't have access via ESPN3.

Any recommendations?

[TNDukeFan]

Anyone with recommendations for watching the game online? I'm in San Diego and my hotel doesn't have ESPNU. And I'm a DirecTV and TWC double, so I don't have access via ESPN3.

Any recommendations?

http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/172961/1/watch-virginia-tech-vs-3-duke.html

it's lacrosse right now, but the game is next.

[CDu]

http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/172961/1/watch-virginia-tech-vs-3-duke.html

it's lacrosse right now, but the game is next.

Any advice on how to work around the popups?

Edit: I think I'm set. Figured it out.

[DukieInBrasil]

http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/172961/1/watch-virginia-tech-vs-3-duke.html

it's lacrosse right now, but the game is next.

is it showing on the acc.com channel? I can't find the URL.

[HateCarolina]

Is anyone else's screen jumpy? It seems like the screen transitions are slow and then sped up every few seconds.

[riverside6]

Live tempo-based stats for Virginia Tech/Duke here...

http://www.scacchoops.com/ViewHDGame.asp?hSchedule=14642

[TNDukeFan]

Any advice on how to work around the popups?

Go with link 1 and click where it says 'close'. I have adblock installed, so I may not be getting what you are.

[HateCarolina]

Is anyone else's screen jumpy? It seems like the screen transitions are slow and then sped up every few seconds.

I'm referring to ESPNU HD.

[dukelifer]

Va Tech is looking solid.

[Durham Thunder]

I'm not worried about this game.

By the looks of it, neither are our players.

[Chris Randolph]

Seth in a mini slump. I'm sure the prescription for it is the Dean Dome

[dukelifer]

I'm not worried about this game.

By the looks of it, neither are our players.

Easy to have this game get away from Duke. They need to start scoring.

[slower]

Wow. The level of ineptitude without Ryan in there is somewhat disturbing.

[Chris Randolph]

If we don't turn VT over then its gonna be a 40 minute battle

[Chris Randolph]

Another team working us over with the 1-5 pick n roll. Apparently the play is unguardable

[dukelifer]

Green is really good. He can go off. Need to pressure them.

[Durham Thunder]

We're really lucky to have this game. Playing an opponent we can beat, and are comfortable beating, at home on SR night will prevent a hangover loss.

[Chris Randolph]

Ryan is so smooth. VT shooting real well and protecting the ball. Like to see Mason get some more touches on the left block

[DukeDevil]

Man...Erick Green's game is just beautiful to watch.

[Kimist]

TWC has recently moved ESPNU to their "digital tier" (I watched many games last fall) which now costs $12/month extra.

And although ESPN3.com is carrying the game, it is also blacked out (local area) on my computer.

NOT a happy camper....

k

[Chris Randolph]

Len Elmore brutal as usual. Said VT's lone win at Cameron was because the refs officiated a good game. Idiot

[dukelifer]

Always happy to be wrong when it comes to unexpected routs. To be frank- I was surprised by the rout in Blacksburg. Tech had just played a very good game against State and had time to prepare. Duke was coming off a loss and was traveling again to a place where Curry ha struggled. Duke got great performances from Rasheed, Josh and to some degree Alex. So I will very happy to go to bed with normal blood pressure tonight.

Not helping the blood pressure tonight

[Durham Thunder]

Rasheed Sulaimon is still making day-1 rookie mistakes.

[BigZ]

I have no clue what has happened to Mason.

[duke96]

Wow. Amazing how much better we are in all facets of the game with Ryan back. If mason rejoins the team, we will really be a threat.

[CDu]

I have no clue what has happened to Mason.

Teams finally figured out that they could crowd the lane and double him, and he hasn't been as effective since. The return of Kelly should eventually pay dividends for Mason, because teams will eventually realize that they have to guard Kelly.

[Chris Randolph]

Sheed and Mason slumping a bit. Gotta wonder if mason is putting too much pressure on himself. Curry is fine despite my earlier post haha

[FerryFor50]

Teams finally figured out that they could crowd the lane and double him, and he hasn't been as effective since. The return of Kelly should eventually pay dividends for Mason, because teams will eventually realize that they have to guard Kelly.

So far, VT hasn't gotten the "guard Kelly" memo...

[dukelifer]

I have no clue what has happened to Mason.

Mason is worn out. You never know what is going on with players with regard to injuries. Doesn't he have a hand injury?

[g-money]

I'm not sure I understand the logic behind pressuring VTech out to half court. Sooner or later Coach has gotta come to grips with the fact that our guards just aren't quick enough to stay up on guys 35 feet from the basket. Not only do we get beat off the dribble frequently, it also forces us to go over screens way out beyond the shooting range of the ballhandler. Either way the result is a game of 5 on 4 - and frequently a layup.

[dukelifer]

Wow that was not a good play. Team is about to get yelled at at half time

[FerryFor50]

Sheed and Mason slumping a bit. Gotta wonder if mason is putting too much pressure on himself. Curry is fine despite my earlier post haha

I think several players will slump a bit while they get used to having Kelly back. Remember, his replacements didn't do the same things Kelly does, including the volume of shots.

[Durham Thunder]

what just happened

[CDu]

We really seem to hate rebounding.

[DukeDevil]

I love Rasheed...but on that 4 offensive rebound play by tech, when they showed the replay from the basket...he could have pulled up a lawnchair the way he was just standing around watching.

[dukelifer]

what just happened

Could not get the rebound. Well, no rout tonight.

[FerryFor50]

Could not get the rebound. Well, no rout tonight.

My 402-0 prediction is in serious jeopardy.

[Chris Randolph]

Embarrassing defense. Coach K wasn't stubborn in 2010 when he backed off the ball pressure, we all know how we did that season. Why he is being stubborn with this team I have no clue. Thornton is supposedly a real good defender and guards go right by him. Back off the pressure some please

[wgl1228]

Our D is such that if we have an off night shooting its impossible to win. We cannot keep playing d like this and win a title.

[Phoenix22]

I know it is senior night, but someone should tell Rasheed that it is ok for freshman to play as well. HE does seem to like to wait til the second half though...Drive Rasheed Drive!!!

[Saratoga2]

With Josh, Tyler and Rasheed in the game the load has to fall on Ryan and Seth. With Quinn in we have another scorer. How is Mason playing? I can't get ESPNU.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

With Josh, Tyler and Rasheed in the game the load has to fall on Ryan and Seth. With Quinn in we have another scorer. How is Mason playing? I can't get ESPNU.

The same way he has for the last few weeks.

He needs to get involved with Kelly for some inside/outside ball movement. That's how he's most effective.

[TKG]

Our perimeter defense and inability to keep opposing guards out of the lane is a real concern for me. It doesn't seem to matter whether is Quinn, Sheed or Tyler. They look like statues on the defensive end.

[Chris Randolph]

Amile should play more

[moonpie23]

another slow start with lackadaisical play on defense........

coach should throw all their stuff outta their lockers and in the middle of the floor.....

[sporthenry]

I still think it is obvious that our penetration defense is a much bigger issue than our rebounding. Obviously, something has to be done. Since the UVA game (and probably before that) the MO has been established against us. Luckily for Duke, they'll get a few more opportunities to get it together since teams will continue to do it against them.

[dairedevil]

In-game threads can consist of a lot of folks griping and complaining... it's the equivalent of listening to my elderly mom venting her frustration while she watches the game. Well, some folks here may be a little more knowledgeable, and can certainly see better than she can. I do understand some of the complaints about the defense, but somebody must have done something right. Eric Green went almost 10 minutes without scoring - he had 10 in about the first 10 minutes, and didn't get another basket - or get fouled for a free throw - until the last half minute of the half.

Was Kelly always this smart a player? Twice he didn't have a good shot, but managed to get his defender in the air & draw a foul. 4 pts from that. Boy, am I glad to see him back and playing so well.

[g-money]

I still think it is obvious that our penetration defense is a much bigger issue than our rebounding. Obviously, something has to be done. Since the UVA game (and probably before that) the MO has been established against us. Luckily for Duke, they'll get a few more opportunities to get it together since teams will continue to do it against them.

Yeah, that is the plus side - this isn't happening in a tournament game. Coach K will find a way to adjust, no doubt.

[dukelifer]

I still think it is obvious that our penetration defense is a much bigger issue than our rebounding. Obviously, something has to be done. Since the UVA game (and probably before that) the MO has been established against us. Luckily for Duke, they'll get a few more opportunities to get it together since teams will continue to do it against them.

They are only shooting 44%. Duke let them back in the game with some easy buckets. Should have been a double digit lead. Cannot let them stay close.

[SCMatt33]

Halftime Thoughts:

1) I'm not really sure why this team continues to pressure the ball on defense 35 feet from the hoop. You have two guys, Curry and Kelly, who are a step slower than normal because of injury (and they aren't speedsters to begin with). You have one guy, Plumlee, who appears to have a low gas tank, as evidenced by his inability twice to get out and hedge before the ball handler turned the corner towards the basket (and it led to two layups). Sulaimon seems to be having a bit of a hard time right now adjusting to the longer college season (evidenced by mental mistakes). Really, the defense that they are playing right now seems only to fit Quinn Cook. I'm not suggesting that they try and become UVA or anything, but tweaking the D to keep Plumlee more towards the paint and only let Quinn go more than a step or so past the 3 point line might help the team's energy and not let them get caught out of the play so often.

2) The offense, despite many good individual plays seems a little disjointed and still getting used to Kelly being back. There has been a lot of individual attempts at plays and a lot of guys getting caught in desperate situations (with the ball in the air and not taking a shot or dribbling wildly into multiple defenders). Right now, there's a lack of synergy with ball handlers knowing where to go for an outlet and teammates not helping aggressively.

3) I really liked the offensive game plan at the start of the game. What made this team great at the start of the year was that they got other teams in foul trouble by getting inside and was able to use the 3 as a secondary weapon. Heading into conference play, Duke's 3PA/FGA was significantly below the DI average. It has since crept up to about average. Against Miami, they relied on 47.8% 3 point shooting while taking 46% of their shots from beyond the arc to beat Miami by just one possession at home. That's not sustainable for a 6 game tourney run, so it was good to see the team try to get away from it.

[jcastranio]

... what we are doing on defense. We are guarding Green 40 feet out. Defend the 3. I get it. I do. I am just not sure they are a threat from 40 feet. It is not hard to rebound against us. We are all spread out and we never (never!) block out. I trust in K. I do. I just cannot figure out exactly what defense we are playing. Are the guys just not listening? Or is this defense actually the plan?

[ynotme32]

just my thoughts.....

1. Duke is coming off a HUGE win on Saturday
2. Duke is having to adjust to Kelly being back
3. Duke dominated VA Tech 2 weeks ago
4. Duke has a big game coming up with their biggest rival Saturday
5. It's Senior night

None of this even takes into consideration that VA. Tech isn't horrible. They have played teams close, including taking UNC to overtime not too long ago.

All this in my opinion adds up to a team not putting forth their best effort. Thinking they will lay their jerseys out on the floor and win. I don't think Coach K will allow this to happen in the second half. Duke wasn't ready to play it's just that simple. Thankfully they will have another half to correct that and put this one away.

[duke96]

who's the tall blonde guy playing aggressively on both ends of the court this half? i like that guy

[dukelifer]

who's the tall blonde guy playing aggressively on both ends of the court this half?

I think he has a younger and older brother who play or played for Duke

[SCMatt33]

who's the tall blonde guy playing aggressively on both ends of the court this half?

Who's the tall blonde guy that actually got to sit for a few minutes in the first half (even if it was because of foul trouble)?

[rhynelander]

Sure glad VT didn't see anything in Dell Curry's kids.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I think he has a younger and older brother who play or played for Duke

Melchionni?

[jcastranio]

who's the tall blonde guy playing aggressively on both ends of the court this half?

Maybe

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Sure glad VT didn't see anything in Dell Curry's kids.

Right? Jeez, can you imagine? With those guys, Seth would have had a REALLY hard time missing the tourney.

[CDu]

Early, in the second half, it looks like the coaches emphasized the following:

1. Bigs: get out there on the high screens.
2. Guards: give some space so that you don't get beaten off the dribble.

The result? A very nice start to the second half.

[Chris Randolph]

Last time Sheed was in a funk he exploded the next couple weeks. If he does that again, we will be real tough to beat

[jcastranio]

I swear I just saw a Duke player box out and get a rebound.

[dukelifer]

Sure glad VT didn't see anything in Dell Curry's kids.

Amazing that Seth was overlooked by the whole ACC. Just goes to show that guys can get better than they were in High School.

[SCMatt33]

What's up with Tyler the last two games. That last slip was a physical mistake, but he's had a lot of mental mistakes too, and I've never seen that from him.

[duke96]

Len Elmore must have some kind of special lasik if he can identify, in a loong camera shot, a change in the ball's trajectory from grazing off someone's figure. Pretty impressive

[dukelifer]

Len Elmore must have some kind of special lasik if he can identify, in a loong camera shot, a change in the ball's trajectory from grazing off someone's figure. Pretty impressive

The same eyes that see every charge as a Duke flop.

[Les Grossman]

Someone needs to pull the plug on Elmore
His whining about fouls is completely annoying

[_Gary]

The same eyes that see every charge as a Duke flop.

Yep, he just can't help himself. His bias is so obvious it's ridiculous. I don't know the last time I've heard him do a Duke game and NOT gripe about calls.

[toughbuff1]

Elmore is really starting to bother me.

[dukelifer]

Yep, he just can't help himself. His bias is so obvious it's ridiculous. I don't know the last time I've heard him do a Duke game and NOT gripe about calls.

Only silver lining is that Duke usually wins the games that he calls.

[Les Grossman]

I'd trade Lenny straight up for UConn Donny!

[rsvman]

Anyone else catch Elmore's subtle dig in he first half? When they were talking about Virginia tech's only victory in Cameron, he said "it was one of the best officiated games I've ever seen."

What are you implying, Len?

[ynotme32]

Anyone else catch Elmore's subtle dig in he first half? When they were talking about Virginia tech's only victory in Cameron, he said "it was one of the best officiated games I've ever seen."

What are you implying, Len?

WOW....did not see that (can't watch the game here at work) but how in the world can he remember how a game was officiated? Amazing!

[Les Grossman]

Anyone else catch Elmore's subtle dig in he first half? When they were talking about Virginia tech's only victory in Cameron, he said "it was one of the best officiated games I've ever seen."

What are you implying, Len?

Lenny is a man with an agenda

[duke96]

Hello balanced, multifaceted team. Nice to see you! This second half has been pretty encouraging I would say.

[dukelifer]

Hello balanced, multifaceted team. Nice to see you! This second half has been pretty encouraging I would say.

Except that they did not get the memo that Green can score

[Les Grossman]

why did Josh follow his man all the way to the top of the key, leaving a superhighway for Green to run down?

[FerryFor50]

After a few falls by Kelly, I kinda want to see K go to Amile and Alex a bit with this lead... No need to risk injury due to fatigue.

[duke96]

Lenny is a man with an agenda

That Elmore Index is a work of genius, though.

[SCMatt33]

This team looks completely gassed with 6+ minutes left. Kelly looks tired. Seth looks tired. Mason only looks good because of the first half foul trouble. The biggest issue I see for this team here on out is balancing reps to get Kelly integrated again and rest to try and squeeze another month out of this group while only playing 7 guys (If he didn't see minutes tonight, I'd be shocked to see Jefferson play significant minutes again except against a 15 or 16 seed).

[ynotme32]

This team looks completely gassed with 6+ minutes left. Kelly looks tired. Seth looks tired. Mason only looks good because of the first half foul trouble. The biggest issue I see for this team here on out is balancing reps to get Kelly integrated again and rest to try and squeeze another month out of this group while only playing 7 guys (If he didn't see minutes tonight, I'd be shocked to see Jefferson play significant minutes again except against a 15 or 16 seed).

I'm not saying that Coach K would lose on purpose that would never happen, but I can see Duke losing in the ACC Tourney in order to get rest for the NCAA. I can see him playing more guys in the ACCT and letting his main men rest a lot more, and should they lose I don't think it's a big deal to him. 1 or 2 seed is just about the same come tourney time, and having to play Miami and UNC on back to back days would be tough (assuming UNC gets the 3 seed).

[rsvman]

That Elmore Index is a work of genius, though.

I don't know. I suspect you like it because it ended up placing our two guys first and second.

At first glance, though, I think it seriously overvalues wins. So Curry helps Plumlee and Plumlee helps Curry.

[duke96]

I don't know. I suspect you like it because it ended up placing our two guys first and second.

At first glance, though, I think it seriously overvalues wins. So Curry helps Plumlee and Plumlee helps Curry.

Apologies if my sarcasm was not sufficiently apparent.

[ynotme32]

Amazing the two leading assist guys for Duke, the two big men, Mason and Kelly both with 5.

also every starter has at least 5 boards but the Sheed.....

[rsvman]

OK.

My bad, then.

[sporthenry]

Anyone else catch Elmore's subtle dig in he first half? When they were talking about Virginia tech's only victory in Cameron, he said "it was one of the best officiated games I've ever seen."

What are you implying, Len?

Forgot about that one. The game where Va. Tech had 21 fouls to Duke's 16 and Duke shot 10 more FTs. So perhaps the refs aren't so bad all the time after all.

[Chris Randolph]

Kelly scared me with one of his falls in the 2nd half. Been moving a bit gingerly since. Fingers crossed

[SCMatt33]

I'm not saying that Coach K would lose on purpose that would never happen, but I can see Duke losing in the ACC Tourney in order to get rest for the NCAA. I can see him playing more guys in the ACCT and letting his main men rest a lot more, and should they lose I don't think it's a big deal to him. 1 or 2 seed is just about the same come tourney time, and having to play Miami and UNC on back to back days would be tough (assuming UNC gets the 3 seed).

Even the ACCT presents the same question. This team has looked very sloppy as a unit and needs as many games as possible (especially on a neutral court against a good team), and given that there will likely be four days of rest after that (assuming Philly), I can see them going full out next week.

[Les Grossman]

Looks like that White Raven nic has stuck