MBB: Duke 91, UNC-A 55 - Post-Game thread

[-jk]

Nice win. Nice depth. Better FTs.

-jk

[NashvilleDevil]

Every time Jabari shoots I think it's going in. Such a fun player to watch.

[OldPhiKap]

This team will be close to unstoppable if we work out box outs and rebounding.

[niveklaen]

I love Semi's play tonight - I hope he turns this into a regular spot in the rotation - keeps Hood from having to slide over to the 4 so much

[NSDukeFan]

Every time Jabari shoots I think it's going in. Such a fun player to watch.

That could be because most of the time that he shoots, it IS going in. He is so fun to watch. Hood isn't so bad either and I am enjoying the way the team is moving the ball around offensively. And when Andre is going off, look out. If Dre gets crowded this year, he looks much more likely to put it on the floor and create something. Fun team to watch.

[matt1]

We played fine, but what was with all of the empty seats/bleachers?

We still missed too many free throws, but other than that, everything was good.

[timmy c]

Great rebounding. 42-28. Nice to see the team continue to improve.

[mbd1mbd1]

We played fine, but what was with all of the empty seats/bleachers?


I *think* the PNIT is not a free game for students.

[Henderson]

We still missed too many free throws, but other than that, everything was good.

73% from the line. If we do that every game, we'll be fine.

And speaking of everything being good, Jabari Parker. He'd be a stud in the NBA today, and he's got a long year (at least) to develop. Scary. Just freaking scary.

P.S. Semi.

[Furniture]

Last years team was really good but boy did we struggle sometimes against this type of team. This team is killing it!

[the_grad_student]

I *think* the PNIT is not a free game for students.

Not quite - the gameday staff gave 200 seats in the undergrad section (both north and south ends) to the two teams playing the later game and their fans. Attendance was free as usual for students, but there was just low turnout.

[Henderson]

After the game, Coach K expressed his disappointment in the student turnout.

[dbowen]

After the game, Coach K expressed his disappointment in the student turnout.

As I did myself as well...........I'm 1500 miles away in New Mexico and would killllllllllllll to attend a FREE Duke Basketball game!
I cant believe my eyes when there are empty bleacher seats at Duke games????
I'm tired of hearing the "We had to study for tests" excuse, so what gives Duke undergrads?

[MCFinARL]

After the game, Coach K expressed his disappointment in the student turnout.

Not sure Monday is the best night for a game against an opponent that isn't a big draw on its own. When my kids were at Duke (last decade) Monday was one of the few nights that seemed to be dedicated to studying.

Still, it did look very sparse. Hopefully it will pick up a bit tomorrow.

[dukelifer]

After the game, Coach K expressed his disappointment in the student turnout.

Exams this week.

[matt1]

73% from the line. If we do that every game, we'll be fine.

And speaking of everything being good, Jabari Parker. He'd be a stud in the NBA today, and he's got a long year (at least) to develop. Scary. Just freaking scary.

P.S. Semi.

OK, I thought it was less than that just watching the game, but, I agree that 73% is fine.

[subzero02]

No excuse for empty seats... This team is so entertaining... I was streaming periodically at work... Caught Jabari's dunk on the fast break... Shaazaaaammmm!!!

[uh_no]

Not sure Monday is the best night for a game against an opponent that isn't a big draw on its own. When my kids were at Duke (last decade) Monday was one of the few nights that seemed to be dedicated to studying.

Still, it did look very sparse. Hopefully it will pick up a bit tomorrow.

spot on.....

there is often a ton of class work due just before thanksgiving
it was a monday night game against a cupcake


the people on here calling out the students need to get off the high horse....especially after the students packed the student section in WW the past two weeks....

take your pick...would you rather an empty WW and packed for UNCA in cameron, or the other way around?

students don't have infinite time to give.

[Saratoga2]

Easy win allowed us to expriment and give new players PT. Five players with 10 or more and Semi got some burn. Good for him and good for the team.

What more can be saidd about Jabari? Great talent and he will only get better if he can stay healthy.

[roywhite]

Duke 91 -- UNC-Asheville 55 (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=209314828)

Good shooting from 3-pt continues. Andre's shot looks great.

Is a 3-pt shot a good one for Semi? I don't know his game well enough to judge, but he was open, went 2-2, and the shots looked pretty good. 10 points and 5 rebounds in 14 minutes....Semi begins to carve out a role and some playing time?

Jabari had his 21 points and 10 rebounds....in 19 minutes! 6 Turnovers, but I agree with Doris Burke that he is trying to get others involved and make plays for now, and that he can be more careful as the season goes on.

Don't know who else is good in their conference, but UNC-Asheville has some talent and could get to the NCAA Tournament; they settled down, and actually ended up with fewer turnovers (15) than Duke (16).

[Potato Head]

If they actually wanted the standing room seats taken they could have sold them for less than $71 a pop. Students don't have infinite time to give and I don't have infinite money!

[dukelifer]

spot on.....

there is often a ton of class work due just before thanksgiving
it was a monday night game against a cupcake


the people on here calling out the students need to get off the high horse....especially after the students packed the student section in WW the past two weeks....

take your pick...would you rather an empty WW and packed for UNCA in cameron, or the other way around?

students don't have infinite time to give.

And there is another game tomorrow. If there was a way to predict this- then I am sure others around Durham would fill the seats.

[uh_no]

And there is another game tomorrow. If there was a way to predict this- then I am sure others around Durham would fill the seats.

tickets were on sale on goduke for both games, though not in the student section...which is surprising seeing as the number of games they sold tix for last year in the bleachers

[LastRowFan]

I enjoyed the game within the game between Quinn Cook and UNC-A's leading scorer Rowsey.

The two had a bit of run in in the first half on an out of bounds play (Rowsey shoved Cook and they exchanged words).

Quinn completely shut Rowsey down, holding him to two points. And those two points came on a layup on a loose ball breakaway. Rodney Hood swatted the shot away; alas, for goal tending.

Nice to see the lock down defense from Quinn.

[Newton_14]

If they actually wanted the standing room seats taken they could have sold them for less than $71 a pop. Students don't have infinite time to give and I don't have infinite money!

That's the other part of the problem. Ticket prices have reached the extreme. I went Friday night and going again tomorrow night but shelling out that kind of cash 3 times in 5 days is not easy or reasonable...

[lotusland]

Marshall has been effective on defense by changing some shots. He still needs to get after it a lot more on the boards but I think he may give us some effective size for brief periods when we need it in conference and post season tournament play.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

This team will be close to unstoppable if we work out box outs and rebounding.

I would add avoiding foul trouble for Parker and Hood(I know, obvious answer). Against better teams, we'll need at least one of them out there at all times.

After Cook, Parker, and Hood, everyone else seems pretty interchangeable so far. Which I think shows just how deep we can be, if needed.

Dawkins outside shooting gives our offense a quick and explosive dynamic we can use in key situations. His 3's are like JJ's, emotionally worth much more.

Semi provides a more physical and defensive presence as well as rebounding help(I'm thinking B1G teams) in more physical games.

Rasheed and Hood having the ability to drive to the basket can provide multiple trips to the FT line.

Just a really cool team to watch.

[devildeac]

After the game, Coach K expressed his disappointment in the student turnout.

I listened to his post-game presser on the way home from work (:mad:) and I thought he said he was disappointed in the crowd (in general) and didn't hear him specifically mention the students.

[devildeac]

That's the other part of the problem. Ticket prices have reached the extreme. I went Friday night and going again tomorrow night but shelling out that kind of cash 3 times in 5 days is not easy or reasonable...

I'll echo this. Several years ago when Ozzie frequently offered me his extra ticket in section 13, I think they were $35 each and when another friend offered seats in section 14 or 15, they were $60 each, IIRC. Now, I think Oz's tix are $54 each and the mid-court ones are $81. Yikes!

[dukelifer]

That's the other part of the problem. Ticket prices have reached the extreme. I went Friday night and going again tomorrow night but shelling out that kind of cash 3 times in 5 days is not easy or reasonable...

That is way too much for a Nov college game. I suppose some will pay it - but watching it in HD is just fine. But there is a price that folks will not pay- regardless of how fun the team may be to watch.

[superdave]

Marshall has been effective on defense by changing some shots. He still needs to get after it a lot more on the boards but I think he may give us some effective size for brief periods when we need it in conference and post season tournament play.

Marshall has looked good the past two games at altering shots. He has trouble corralling rebounds though. Hopefully he can get enough playing time the next month for the game to slow down some for him. We will need his size at some key time this season.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

That is way too much for a Nov college game. I suppose some will pay it - but watching it in HD is just fine. But there is a price that folks will not pay- regardless of how fun the team may be to watch.

Tickets for the Elon vs. Duke game new year's eve are as low as $25.

Comparing the Greensboro Coliseum to CIS is like comparing a Buick Roadmaster station wagon to a Corvette convertable but still it's a bargain IMO.

[Troublemaker]

Coach K has been using these gimme games to try out different llneup combinations, most notably one non-rotation player getting in there with the starters. Last game it was an early check-in for Marshall, tonight it was Semi.

Semi played well. Shot well. Rebounded well. Was energetic, diving to tip loose balls. I like him. Stretch 4s and 5s have always intrigued me.

I've said before I thought there'd be "rotational mobility" this season where non-rotation guys can become rotation guys and vice versa. I thought with respect to "bigs", it might be Marshall that moves in. But it could be Semi. I'd to see him get the same minutes tomorrow and see where we're at after that.

Overall the team played well. Much sharper than the FAU game, aside from some unselfish turnovers, i.e. Jabari trying too hard to beat the zone by forcing the second penetrating pass to the backline. If Jabari's already received the first penetration pass and he's in the paint, he should mostly shoot.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

spot on.....

there is often a ton of class work due just before thanksgiving
it was a monday night game against a cupcake


the people on here calling out the students need to get off the high horse....especially after the students packed the student section in WW the past two weeks....

take your pick...would you rather an empty WW and packed for UNCA in cameron, or the other way around?

students don't have infinite time to give.

Exactly. Besides, there's even yet another game tomorrow night. Students have to set priorities. The folks that were there were just great. I was disappointed in K's reaction. Maybe HE's the one who's a little spoiled this time. Shaming people who typically come but couldn't this weeknight isn't appropriate or effective.
Love, Ima

[kAzE]

Is a 3-pt shot a good one for Semi? I don't know his game well enough to judge, but he was open, went 2-2, and the shots looked pretty good. 10 points and 5 rebounds in 14 minutes....Semi begins to carve out a role and some playing time?


Semi is a legit shooter. He just hasn't shown it up until now. I've been saying this guy needs to be in the rotation since before CTC. He's the most athletic, strongest guy on the team, he can shoot, and he certainly has the potential to become a great defender. The kid averaged 32 in high school, including a 57 point game. It was against pretty mediocre competition, but the guy is an offensive threat, there's no question. I don't know if Coach K is willing to give more of Hairston's minutes to him, but he certainly deserves it, in my opinion.

[Des Esseintes]

Overall the team played well. Much sharper than the FAU game, aside from some unselfish turnovers, i.e. Jabari trying too hard to beat the zone by forcing the second penetrating pass to the backline. If Jabari's already received the first penetration pass and he's in the paint, he should mostly shoot.

Yeah, they didn't value ball well at times this game, particularly Jabari. But man, I cannot recall a kid coming and being this *decisive* with the ball. The speed at which he makes the choice to unleash a laser-pass is astonishing. Can't tell if he's from outer space or just an alternate reality in which everyone is better than they are in ours.

[g-money]

This is probably going way, way overboard based on Andre's garbage time performance against a subpar opponent, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him playing in the NBA someday. He's the best pure shooter in the country, and he's got the size (6'5") to play two guard in the Association. Lateral quickness would be a concern, but the requisite athleticism is there overall.

Call me crazy. You're probably right - ha! - but I am bullish.

Beyond this, it's great to see Andre playing hard and finding joy in the game again. That's what sports is all about!

[oldnavy]

spot on.....

there is often a ton of class work due just before thanksgiving
it was a monday night game against a cupcake


the people on here calling out the students need to get off the high horse....especially after the students packed the student section in WW the past two weeks....

take your pick...would you rather an empty WW and packed for UNCA in cameron, or the other way around?

students don't have infinite time to give.

Plus Coach K had specifically mentioned how great they had been in the games before.... I wouldn't worry about the students this year, they will be rocking the CIS.

[DukeHLM'13]

And there is another game tomorrow. If there was a way to predict this- then I am sure others around Durham would fill the seats.

There actually is a lot of effort put in to trying to predict what student attendance will look like for each game. Goes back to looking at past games at similar times of the year against opponents of a similar caliber, the day of the week, and some other stuff. And for the most part it actually works out pretty well, but unfortunately there's always the few games a year where it doesn't.

And it goes both ways, sometimes too many seats get sold and students get turned away. I'm pretty sure that everyone wishes that 1500 students showed up to every single game and this was a non-issue, but its just not going to happen and that means we will end up with a couple games where attendance just isn't what was expected, see the empty seats last night.

[dukelifer]

There actually is a lot of effort put in to trying to predict what student attendance will look like for each game. Goes back to looking at past games at similar times of the year against opponents of a similar caliber, the day of the week, and some other stuff. And for the most part it actually works out pretty well, but unfortunately there's always the few games a year where it doesn't.

And it goes both ways, sometimes too many seats get sold and students get turned away. I'm pretty sure that everyone wishes that 1500 students showed up to every single game and this was a non-issue, but its just not going to happen and that means we will end up with a couple games where attendance just isn't what was expected, see the empty seats last night.
Good to know that this is being looked at rigorously. The problem with Nov is that Thanksgiving can come at different times of the month which affects the timing of the last set of midterms. This years break is 6 days separated from last years.

[kAzE]

Just watched the game again, and I came away convinced that Ojeleye needs to be part of the rotation. 3 plays in specific, all in the 2nd half:

Semi receives the ball in post from Cook, goes hard at the rim, takes a huge body hit from a 6'11 guy who weighs 240, is barely fazed, and converts the and-1. The center just bounced off him like a flea, that's what it looks like when Lebron goes in the paint.

Semi grabs a contested rebound when he's behind Jabari Parker, Parker had the position, but he jumps OVER him from behind and grabs the ball at the height of his jump. That's impressive.

Then, a few possessions later, he dives on the floor to poke the ball out of the opposing point guard's hands to ignite the fast break that results in Parker's reverse alley-oop dunk.

Ojeleye proved me to he's worth another long look in a meaningful game. He diving all over the place, ended up on the floor several times, got some nice rebounds, and played some really great defense. Not to mention, he's 67% from 3 on the season. Not bad. I feel like I'm on an island here, is anybody gonna back me up?

[OldPhiKap]

Just watched the game again, and I came away convinced that Ojeleye needs to be part of the rotation. 3 plays in specific, all in the 2nd half:

Semi receives the ball in post from Cook, goes hard at the rim, takes a huge body hit from a 6'11 guy who weighs 240, is barely fazed, and converts the and-1. The center just bounced off him like a flea.

Semi grabs a contested rebound when he's behind Jabari Parker, Parker had the position, but he jumps OVER him from behind and grabs the ball at the height of his jump. That's impressive.

Then, a few possessions later, he dives on the floor to poke the ball out of the opposing point guard's hands to ignite the fast break that results in Parker's reverse alley-oop dunk.

Ojeleye proved me to he's worth another long look in a meaningful game. I feel like I'm on an island here, is anybody gonna back me up?

Semi definitely has game, and I agree he may get some time against bigger teams. I did not realize that he had a good outside shot, but he looked like money last night.

There is a lot of versatility on the team this year. K will have the box of 64 crayons to use this year, not just the basic dozen.

[MChambers]

Just watched the game again, and I came away convinced that Ojeleye needs to be part of the rotation. 3 plays in specific, all in the 2nd half:

Semi receives the ball in post from Cook, goes hard at the rim, takes a huge body hit from a 6'11 guy who weighs 240, is barely fazed, and converts the and-1. The center just bounced off him like a flea, that's what it looks like when Lebron goes in the paint.

Semi grabs a contested rebound when he's behind Jabari Parker, Parker had the position, but he jumps OVER him from behind and grabs the ball at the height of his jump. That's impressive.

Then, a few possessions later, he dives on the floor to poke the ball out of the opposing point guard's hands to ignite the fast break that results in Parker's reverse alley-oop dunk.

Ojeleye proved me to he's worth another long look in a meaningful game. He diving all over the place, ended up on the floor several times, got some nice rebounds, and played some really great defense. Not to mention, he's 67% from 3 on the season. Not bad. I feel like I'm on an island here, is anybody gonna back me up?
It appears that perhaps Coach K agrees with you. (I do too, but that's far less important.)

“All the guys these last few games have had good minutes. Semi [Ojeleye] is going to be a very good player. He played very well tonight. He had a couple of very nice two-handed rebounds.”

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=209315479

[aimo]

Going to be even sparser tonight, I'm betting, b/c it starts at 6pm and those of us with regular hour jobs have a hard enough time getting to the 7pm games. Coach K seems to always be clueless about that. I figured exams were playing a part in the low student turnout. They were there in full force on Friday, but the ticketholding crowd was smaller. Probably due to back-to-back Friday night games. And regarding the ticket prices, our EXHIBITION tickets were over $40 each. Seriously?

[aimo]

Oh, and will someone explain to me the technical against Jabari? Was there even a foul initially called? Or did they just review and say oh, that was a flagrant foul?

[Ggallagher]

Just watched the game again, and I came away convinced that Ojeleye needs to be part of the rotation. 3 plays in specific, all in the 2nd half:

Semi receives the ball in post from Cook, goes hard at the rim, takes a huge body hit from a 6'11 guy who weighs 240, is barely fazed, and converts the and-1. The center just bounced off him like a flea, that's what it looks like when Lebron goes in the paint.


I noticed that same play when it happened, and it was really startling. I saw the reaction of the player that ran into Semi, but I'd be hard pressed to say that Semi was even "barely fazed". It looked like the UNCA player ran into a brick wall and bounced off - and if Semi reacted to do anything more than watch the guy bounce backwards, I missed it.

Anyone that watches a replay of the game should pay close attention to that play. It said a lot about Semi's strength.

[Ggallagher]

Oh, and will someone explain to me the technical against Jabari? Was there even a foul initially called? Or did they just review and say oh, that was a flagrant foul?

The play was reviewed at GREAT length and replayed quite a few times as the refs watched the video. After several minutes, they assessed a flagrant one foul.

I thought the call was questionable and during the time the play was being reviewed, the announcers mentioned several times that they felt the UNCA player's motion was in "anticipation" of Jabari's move and NOT a reaction to contact. They thought he flopped.
The motion of Jabari's elbow potentially could have injured the defender, but it was clearly a natural motion as he turned to shoot - and the defender just flopped back as he saw Jabari's play developing.
Or that's the way I saw it.

[OldPhiKap]

Oh, and will someone explain to me the technical against Jabari? Was there even a foul initially called? Or did they just review and say oh, that was a flagrant foul?


The play was reviewed at GREAT length and replayed quite a few times as the refs watched the video. After several minutes, they assessed a flagrant one foul.

I thought the call was questionable and during the time the play was being reviewed, the announcers mentioned several times that they felt the UNCA player's motion was in "anticipation" of Jabari's move and NOT a reaction to contact. They thought he flopped.
The motion of Jabari's elbow potentially could have injured the defender, but it was clearly a natural motion as he turned to shoot - and the defender just flopped back as he saw Jabari's play developing.
Or that's the way I saw it.

Exactly. The new(ish) rule is that you cannot swing with your elbows. It did not look like Jabari did that, but the refs called it tight. The game was pretty chippy at times, and perhaps they just felt that it was better to tighten up than let the game get more physical.

I did not see any contact, and certainly nothing Jabari did that was intended to harm.

I am not sure what the rebounder there is supposed to do -- if you bring the ball down, it gets stripped. If you keep your elbows and arms up, you run the risk of a call like this.

[ChillinDuke]

Can we talk about Hood's dunk?

That was disgusting. A wreckless attempt at the destruction of our equipment. And perhaps humanity as a whole.

That has to be one of my favorite dunks of the year when all is said and done. Especially with how fired up he was after.

- Chillin

[BD80]

Oh, and will someone explain to me the technical against Jabari? Was there even a foul initially called? Or did they just review and say oh, that was a flagrant foul?


The play was reviewed at GREAT length and replayed quite a few times as the refs watched the video. After several minutes, they assessed a flagrant one foul.

I thought the call was questionable and during the time the play was being reviewed, the announcers mentioned several times that they felt the UNCA player's motion was in "anticipation" of Jabari's move and NOT a reaction to contact. They thought he flopped.
The motion of Jabari's elbow potentially could have injured the defender, but it was clearly a natural motion as he turned to shoot - and the defender just flopped back as he saw Jabari's play developing.
Or that's the way I saw it.

They allowed the bucket - via Marshall's dunk - that resulted from Jabari's pass after he pivoted toward the basket with the ball up and elbows out. He was also rising from a bent over position, protecting the ball he had just secured via offensive rebound.

The issue was whether he contacted the opposing player with his elbow, drawing an automatic flagrant one. The announcers weren't saying the opponent flopped, but that he was understandably reflexively avoiding Jabari's elbow.

[Troublemaker]

Marshall was also good in his stints. Want to throw him some love, too, as we go gaga over Semi. MP3 offered the rim protection we might've expected from him. The 1 shotblock in the box score probably doesn't do it justice. He had another one taken away after an iffy blocking call against Rodney and he altered a couple other shots.

This is random, but I liked the play-by-play guy from last night. The morning after, I can't remember any specific comments he made, but I recall my impression throughout the game was that he was smart and well-prepared.

[OldPhiKap]

Can we talk about Hood's dunk?



Not around children or polite company. Nasty.

[flyingdutchdevil]

...he's missing 30% of hit shots, including 33% of his shots from downtown. That is a lot of points left on the table! Sheesh...

Our other players aren't much better:

Jabari is missing 40%
Andre is missing 37%
Tyler is missing 37%
Jefferson is missing 25%
Semi is missing 20%

Get it together, team!

---------------

On a similar side note, when is the last time that a Duke team has shot anywhere near this good? I know it's virtually impossible to sustain over a season, but how about a 3-4 game snapshot?

Every time Jabari, Hood, or Andre shoots the ball, I have no doubt it will go in. Our offense is ridiculous. And the O from our team is freshman, sophomores, a junior, and a senior (no offense to Thornton or Hairston, but their value to the team isn't point production). I am baffled.

[BD80]

...he's missing 30% of hit shots, including 33% of his shots from downtown. That is a lot of points left on the table! Sheesh...

Our other players aren't much better:

Jabari is missing 40%
Andre is missing 37%
Tyler is missing 37%
Jefferson is missing 25%
Semi is missing 20%

Get it together, team!

...

And we're not getting very many offensive rebounds either!

[Ggallagher]

They allowed the bucket - via Marshall's dunk - that resulted from Jabari's pass after he pivoted toward the basket with the ball up and elbows out. He was also rising from a bent over position, protecting the ball he had just secured via offensive rebound.

The issue was whether he contacted the opposing player with his elbow, drawing an automatic flagrant one. The announcers weren't saying the opponent flopped, but that he was understandably reflexively avoiding Jabari's elbow.

Thanks - your explanation is more accurate than mine. The announcers did not use the word "flop". They did say they believed there was no contact. I think Jabari's move was a natural action at that time, and the defender likely knew exactly where Jabari was going - and got out of the way just in time.

[devildeac]

Exactly. Besides, there's even yet another game tomorrow night. Students have to set priorities. The folks that were there were just great. I was disappointed in K's reaction. Maybe HE's the one who's a little spoiled this time. Shaming people who typically come but couldn't this weeknight isn't appropriate or effective.
Love, Ima

Two words: football school:rolleyes:;).

[alteran]

spot on.....

there is often a ton of class work due just before thanksgiving
it was a monday night game against a cupcake


the people on here calling out the students need to get off the high horse....especially after the students packed the student section in WW the past two weeks....

take your pick...would you rather an empty WW and packed for UNCA in cameron, or the other way around?

students don't have infinite time to give.

The post is so right in almost every particular.

Let me say first off, I really dislike the negativity-- frequently directed at students-- for low attendance. Particularly posts that start with "I live in a yurt on the Mongolian steppes, but if I were in Durham I'd slither in a Duke blue speedo over broken glass covered in salt and pay $350 dollars for an obstructed-view seat to watch Duke play against some random dudes from the Y."

Look, I know you mean it, but for those of us that are actually here, saying you-would-if-you-could-but-you-can't-so-you-don't doesn't mix with "x stinks because they don't go enough."

The last couple weeks, the students have been there for the football team. Big time. We've been complaining about the student football attendance all season, maybe I missed it when we gave them as much kudos for being there as we did negativity when they weren't there earlier, but shifting immediately into criticism for Cameron last night just seems overly negative. Does anyone think students respond to that kind of negativity? Would YOU respond to that kind of negativity? I know I don't.

Students really do have things to do other than pack seats for Duke, now more than ever.

That being said, empty seats are disappointing. I'd love it if we'd actually talk about solutions to the problem rather than point fingers,.

1) Tackle the "problem" with student attendance at gimmee games with better publicity. Look, I'm not disputing that more could have been there, maybe some publicity could help.

2) Make the games more convenient for students. Look, it's not the 1990s anymore. ALL THE GAMES ARE ON CABLE/ONLINE. We've got to make it easier for the games that don't, well, pack themselves. Maybe there could be shuttles from the apartment housing to Cameron-- maybe even some of the non-Duke-owned apartment housing.

3) Student government based incentives. Maybe students who attend lower-interest games could be given some modest preference for more important games. I know this may run afoul of tenting culture, but maybe there's some other way to make this work.

4) Should that not be sufficient and we end up selling seats to the general public, does $70 for standby, possibly obstructed, STANDING seats at Cameron for a sacrificial lamb make sense? Sorry, that's too much. I didn't go to Fuqua, but when I hear that, and see all those empty seats, I wonder if the market is over-charging.

5) Other ideas

Sorry for the rant. And, as always, GET OFF OF MY LAWN!

[oldnavy]

That's the other part of the problem. Ticket prices have reached the extreme. I went Friday night and going again tomorrow night but shelling out that kind of cash 3 times in 5 days is not easy or reasonable...

Dude, I heard you were the King of Creedmoor, that should just be pocket change for you!

Just kidding, tell all the folks at church including the Reverend I said Hey, and enjoy the games

[oldnavy]

Exactly. The new(ish) rule is that you cannot swing with your elbows. It did not look like Jabari did that, but the refs called it tight. The game was pretty chippy at times, and perhaps they just felt that it was better to tighten up than let the game get more physical.

I did not see any contact, and certainly nothing Jabari did that was intended to harm.

I am not sure what the rebounder there is supposed to do -- if you bring the ball down, it gets stripped. If you keep your elbows and arms up, you run the risk of a call like this.

Exactly. He made a basketball move and honestly I am not sure anyone can say for certain based on the replays I saw that contact was EVEN MADE. That should have been a play on... IMO.

Also, while discussing this, they actually missed the foul ON Jabari when he first got the ball... and no I do not think a foul was called initially, someone brought it to the officials attention.

[wilko]

Not around children or polite company. Nasty.

Hood is a man among boys out there. Game reminds me 2/3 Deng + 1/3 Dahntay.
Like a good whiskey smooth - with a spark

[wilko]

“All the guys these last few games have had good minutes. Semi is going to be a very good player. He played very well tonight. He had a couple of very nice two-handed rebounds.”

That tells me REBOUNDING and overall solid D are whats going to get him on the court. His O is gravy. We have scorers all over the floor; but a guy who can pull a board when we NEED a board..

Get that man in the game...

[_Gary]

That tells me REBOUNDING and overall solid D are whats going to get him on the court. His O is gravy. We have scorers all over the floor; but a guy who can pull a board when we NEED a board..

Get that man in the game...

This is the exact point my daughter and I were discussing as we were watching the game last night. Semi really impressed me with his rebounding. He went up and came down with the ball strong on the defensive boards, and this is what we desperately need. If he can provide that like he did last night on a regular basis, look for him to supplant Hairston as our first "big" off the bench.

[BD80]

Hood is a man among boys out there. Game reminds me 2/3 Deng + 1/3 Dahntay.
Like a good whiskey smooth - with a spark

Parker = 1/2 LeBron + 1/2 Grant Hill.

[NashvilleDevil]

Parker = 1/2 LeBron + 1/2 Grant Hill.

I'd say 1/2 Melo + 1/2 Grant

[Cameron]

Our defense against UNC-Asheville was night and day compared to our first set of games. Quinn's on-the-ball pressure was superb, really setting the tone for the rest of the team and in turn pushed our offense into another gear by initiating quality transition opportunities. That constant ball pressure and disruption of passing lanes is what will allow us to continue to score at such an immense pace as the year moves along.

Loved what Andre brought to the table for the second straight game. He has officially carved his place on this team and now that Rasheed is back in the starting lineup Andre will be invaluable in that Vinnie Johnson role of providing instant offense off the bench. As a result, our bench has gone from having minimal offensive productivity in the first two games (other than Rasheed, who was essentially a starter anyway) to featuring perhaps the most potent spurt shooter/scorer in the country in Andre. More than his 13 points or three triples, however, I was impressed with Andre's energy and movement on the defensive end of the floor. He was absolutely getting after it and there were even two or three instances where his ball pressure led to either a turnover or a disrupted play. So cancel the electroencephalogram. Andre does in fact have brain activity when more than 47 feet from the basket. He's no longer just a threat on offense. While still not an elite defender by any means, Andre has made tremendous strides and appears to be really working to become better in this area. These are the signs of a player who is determined to make the most of his last go-round.

Last night was the first time this season that this team really started to take the shape of our early 2000s squads. I am a believer. If we can continue to improve defensively and on the boards, the only thing that will stop this team from playing in April is free-throw shooting. Kind of a downer of an ending, but, after 2002, it is always in the back of your mind. We did shoot better against Asheville, though. But our top guys have to keep it up.

[BD80]

I'd say 1/2 Melo + 1/2 Grant

Let's compromise:

1/2 LeBron 1/2 Melo 1/2 Grant.

What reminds me of LeBron is his physicality and willingness and ability to pass. Melo may be able to pass as well as the others, but it has yet to be captured on video.

[brevity]

Hood is a man among boys out there. Game reminds me 2/3 Deng + 1/3 Dahntay.
Like a good whiskey smooth - with a spark

So... 1/100 Nate?

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Let's compromise:

1/2 LeBron 1/2 Melo 1/2 Grant.

What reminds me of LeBron is his physicality and willingness and ability to pass. Melo may be able to pass as well as the others, but it has yet to be captured on video.

Parker has Anthony's shooting stroke as well as the size to play in the post. Parker scores 20 and he's not even breathing hard, it seems. THAT'S what reminds me of Carmelo.

[duke4ever19]

I'd say 1/2 Melo + 1/2 Grant

I would agree with this.
I recently spent a couple hours refreshing my memory on Grant Hill's game by watching some of his play during the 1994 season.

Jabari definitely has a similar smoothness and efficiency with the way he moves on the court, grabbing a rebound, and getting his shot. But Jabari's actual offensive game is very much like Melo. I think somebody else on this board mentioned Odom, which could also be argued.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Parker has Anthony's shooting stroke as well as the size to play in the post. Parker scores 20 and he's not even breathing hard, it seems. THAT'S what reminds me of Carmelo.

This is spot on. Melo is one of the best scorers in the NBA, period. He's clutch, he's smooth, and he's an offensive genius. How is that not Jabari?

Jabari is LBJ-like in that he's incredibly cerebral, loves to involve his teammates, and can nearly do anything on the court.

However, right now, Jabari's skillset is not only more Melo based, he's more perfect in that skillset than his LBJ skillset.

At the end of the year, if Jabari is LBJ, then watch out. Wow... wow.

[mr. synellinden]

Loved what Andre brought to the table for the second straight game. He has officially carved his place on this team and now that Rasheed is back in the starting lineup Andre will be invaluable in that Vinnie Johnson role of providing instant offense off the bench. As a result, our bench has gone from having minimal offensive productivity in the first two games (other than Rasheed, who was essentially a starter anyway) to featuring perhaps the most potent spurt shooter/scorer in the country in Andre. More than his 13 points or three triples, however, I was impressed with Andre's energy and movement on the defensive end of the floor. He was absolutely getting after it and there were even two or three instances where his ball pressure led to either a turnover or a disrupted play. So cancel the electroencephalogram. Andre does in fact have brain activity when more than 47 feet from the basket. He's no longer just a threat on offense. While still not an elite defender by any means, Andre has made tremendous strides and appears to be really working to become better in this area. These are the signs of a player who is determined to make the most of his last go-round.



I totally agree with this regarding Andre. I'd go a step further. I think his defense was phenomenal last night. Also, at one point during a stoppage, he gathered the team together and was the one speaking in the huddle - I loved seeing that leadership from him. As far as his offense, great to see him making plays in addition to shooting the lights out. Speaking of which, how is this for shooting form?

3692

[Cameron]

Dare I say as pretty as J.J.?

I don't know, but it's very close. Both strokes belong in a Rick Mount instructional video.

[oldnavy]

Dare I say as pretty as J.J.?

I don't know, but it's very close. Both strokes belong in a Rick Mount instructional video.

It is a thing of beauty for sure...

I sure do love seeing him on the floor again, and enjoying himself, his smile is the best in college!

[Billy Dat]

Yeah, they didn't value ball well at times this game, particularly Jabari. But man, I cannot recall a kid coming and being this *decisive* with the ball. The speed at which he makes the choice to unleash a laser-pass is astonishing. Can't tell if he's from outer space or just an alternate reality in which everyone is better than they are in ours.


1/2 LeBron 1/2 Melo 1/2 Grant. What reminds me of LeBron is his physicality and willingness and ability to pass. Melo may be able to pass as well as the others, but it has yet to be captured on video.

I am late to the thread, and am glad to see that after Des' opening salvo, you all eventually got back around to gushing about Jabari. I think it is possible that despite all of our insane praise and his huge national "Q rating", we may still be underrating him. Sticking with Des' outer space theme, the kid has streaked in like some kind of meteor. With all of the justified talk about his shooting and scoring, how about the way he rips down rebounds and explodes into leading the fast break? We have never had a kid that size (height and weight), who could lead a break like that. In that way, he reminds me of Sir Charles, but he's many inches taller! Jabari on the break has become my new favorite in game occurrence. Plus, he simply plays with a tremendous amount of joy and enthusiasm. He is having fun out there, as he should, after all, he's a ballin' freak!


Our defense against UNC-Asheville was night and day compared to our first set of games. Quinn's on-the-ball pressure was superb, really setting the tone for the rest of the team and in turn pushed our offense into another gear by initiating quality transition opportunities. That constant ball pressure and disruption of passing lanes is what will allow us to continue to score at such an immense pace as the year moves along.

Loved what Andre brought to the table for the second straight game.

Last night was the first time this season that this team really started to take the shape of our early 2000s squads. I am a believer. If we can continue to improve defensively and on the boards, the only thing that will stop this team from playing in April is free-throw shooting. Kind of a downer of an ending, but, after 2002, it is always in the back of your mind. We did shoot better against Asheville, though. But our top guys have to keep it up.

I am with you Cameron. The defense looked improved, Andre is looking sharp, and we've got the potential to be a juggernaut. I also loved Quinn's game last night. His defense was excellent and I thought he made better decisions on offense. The 8-12 rotation will be really interesting to watch for the foreseeable future as Semi has now thrown his hat into the ring. For Beck fans, all I can think when I watch him is the title track on 'Odeley', as Mr. Hanson sings over and over, with a few key letter changes "Ojeleye....Ojeleye....Ojeleye....Ojeleye".

[Indoor66]

Let's compromise:

1/2 LeBron 1/2 Melo 1/2 Grant.

What reminds me of LeBron is his physicality and willingness and ability to pass. Melo may be able to pass as well as the others, but it has yet to be captured on video.

Let's compromise further: 100% Parker!

[-jk]

I am late to the thread, and am glad to see that after Des' opening salvo, you all eventually got back around to gushing about Jabari. I think it is possible that despite all of our insane praise and his huge national "Q rating", we may still be underrating him. Sticking with Des' outer space theme, the kid has streaked in like some kind of meteor. With all of the justified talk about his shooting and scoring, how about the way he rips down rebounds and explodes into leading the fast break? We have never had a kid that size (height and weight), who could lead a break like that. In that way, he reminds me of Sir Charles, but he's many inches taller! Jabari on the break has become my new favorite in game occurrence. Plus, he simply plays with a tremendous amount of joy and enthusiasm. He is having fun out there, as he should, after all, he's a ballin' freak!



I am with you Cameron. The defense looked improved, Andre is looking sharp, and we've got the potential to be a juggernaut. I also loved Quinn's game last night. His defense was excellent and I thought he made better decisions on offense. The 8-12 rotation will be really interesting to watch for the foreseeable future as Semi has now thrown his hat into the ring. For Beck fans, all I can think when I watch him is the title track on 'Odeley', as Mr. Hanson sings over and over, with a few key letter changes "Ojeleye....Ojeleye....Ojeleye....Ojeleye".

Danny Ferry (6-10 230) could lead a fast break. (He played "point forward" as I recall.) He could bang, too. I remember the JR Reid/Ferry ACC championship. Brutal inside game.

And I saw G-man lead a fast break. Well, once. Didn't want to see it again!

-jk

[18258]

That tells me REBOUNDING and overall solid D are whats going to get him on the court. His O is gravy. We have scorers all over the floor; but a guy who can pull a board when we NEED a board..

Get that man in the game...

great post, totally agree, if we rebound we're gonna dominate

[MChambers]

Danny Ferry (6-10 230) could lead a fast break. (He played "point forward" as I recall.) He could bang, too. I remember the JR Reid/Ferry ACC championship. Brutal inside game.

And I saw G-man lead a fast break. Well, once. Didn't want to see it again!

-jk
Elton did it at least once, in the 1999 Final Four against Michigan State. He committed a charging foul near midcourt.

[g-money]

I totally agree with this regarding Andre. I'd go a step further. I think his defense was phenomenal last night. Also, at one point during a stoppage, he gathered the team together and was the one speaking in the huddle - I loved seeing that leadership from him. As far as his offense, great to see him making plays in addition to shooting the lights out. Speaking of which, how is this for shooting form?

3692

Yep - and if I recall correctly, that shot was taken on the move, which required a catch, turn, and shoot. Not a bad job squaring up, I must say.

On a separate note, with what appears to be a very deep Duke team this year, I think it could be important for Coach K to resist the urge to shorten the bench as the season goes on. This is not a typical Duke squad in which there's a significant falloff between the 7th and 8th man on the roster. Dawkins, Semi, Murphy, Thornton, Jones, Hairston - all these guys can either play outright, or play a valuable role.

For this year at least, a deep team = a deep run. My $0.02.

[Kedsy]

And I saw G-man lead a fast break. Well, once. Didn't want to see it again!

I saw G-man do a one-man fast break, going from defensive rebound to dunk, several times. I thought it was a pretty enjoyable sight.

[jv001]

Yep - and if I recall correctly, that shot was taken on the move, which required a catch, turn, and shoot. Not a bad job squaring up, I must say.

On a separate note, with what appears to be a very deep Duke team this year, I think it could be important for Coach K to resist the urge to shorten the bench as the season goes on. This is not a typical Duke squad in which there's a significant falloff between the 7th and 8th man on the roster. Dawkins, Semi, Murphy, Thornton, Jones, Hairston - all these guys can either play outright, or play a valuable role.

For this year at least, a deep team = a deep run. My $0.02.

It seems to me that Andre has the added confidence in his ball handling, on the ball defense and has not missed a beat in that great shooting form. I really like what I see from Andre. On another note, I would love to see Matt Jones take a lesson from Mr. Dawkins in the art of a pure jump shot. I just don't see Matt being a consistent jump shooter with the stroke he has now. I know he had the reputation of being a very good shooter in high school. But college basketball is a different story. Matt will play for his defense and his ability to drive the basketball, but I don't see him being a consistent offensive force without that outside shot most Duke guards have. GoDuke!

[Mudge]

Marshall was also good in his stints. Want to throw him some love, too, as we go gaga over Semi. MP3 offered the rim protection we might've expected from him. The 1 shotblock in the box score probably doesn't do it justice. He had another one taken away after an iffy blocking call against Rodney and he altered a couple other shots.

This is random, but [I liked the play-by-play guy from last night. The morning after, I can't remember any specific comments he made, but I recall my impression throughout the game was that he was smart and well-prepared.

Did you like when he said (in the pre-game intro, with Doris, up in the crow's nest) that "Duke will meet the winner of East Carolina-Norfolk State, here tomorrow"-- before the Duke game against UNC-A had even been played...

[Des Esseintes]

Did you like when he said (in the pre-game intro, with Doris, up in the crow's nest) that "Duke will meet the winner of East Carolina-Norfolk State, here tomorrow"-- before the Duke game against UNC-A had even been played...

I believe he was speaking accurately. This tournament follows the trend in which the big name team advances through the early rounds regardless of whether it wins.

[-jk]

I saw G-man do a one-man fast break, going from defensive rebound to dunk, several times. I thought it was a pretty enjoyable sight.

Perhaps we're approaching this from different angles. I loved that G could actually get the ball end to end. It was scary, though.

-jk

[duke96]

Perhaps we're approaching this from different angles. I loved that G could actually get the ball end to end. It was scary, though.

-jk

Parker's end to end dunk which was give-or-take one-on-four tonight was pretty damn amazing to watch....

[-jk]

Parker's end to end dunk which was give-or-take one-on-four tonight was pretty damn amazing to watch....

As was G-man in the open court. But in a different way. A very different way. (And I love me some G-man - hell, he telestrated my mom!)

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

Parker's end to end dunk which was give-or-take one-on-four tonight was pretty damn amazing to watch....

He drove through all five defenders. Literally.


(And I love me some G-man - hell, he telestrated my mom!)

-jk

Umm.........

(Actually, very cool -- did she play college hoops? Sorry if I should have picked that up over the years but did not)

[-jk]

He drove through all five defenders. Literally.



Umm.........

(Actually, very cool -- did she play college hoops? Sorry if I should have picked that up over the years but did not)

Well, no - he telestrated her as a fan. But she was a helluva fan!

-jk