Thank You Seniors (and whomever decides to go)

[Gthoma2a]

We have a very good group of guys who play hard every time. They love our school. Let's say thanks.

If this is premature, delete, but it is our last time in Cameron, so I jumped the gun. I'm happy dammit!

Now, win a title!!!

[CDu]

What a pleasant end to a Saturday!

[Lord Ash]

As always, thanks to our boys for all they contributed to Duke, and will contribute in the weeks to come:)

Best years of our lives, spent in that Gothic Wonderland!:)

[camion]

What a pleasant end to a Saturday!

Yes. We beat UNC twice tonight.

[ChrisP]

Seniors are awesome! Thanks to Tyler, Josh, Andre and Todd. All seem like great kids and even better teammates. Very happy to see them go out with a W against the Heels!!!

Now...wouldn't it be really, really nice to send some other seniors off in oh...about 3 years from now with a big victory in their final home game? ;)

[CDu]

Seniors are awesome! Thanks to Tyler, Josh, Andre and Todd. All seem like great kids and even better teammates. Very happy to see them go out with a W against the Heels!!!

Now...wouldn't it be really, really nice to send some other seniors off in oh...about 3 years from now with a big victory in their final home game? ;)

There is a good chance that Matt Jones in Semi Ojeleye will leave their last home game with a win, as we won't be playing UNC in that game.

[NovaScotian]

it's wild to think that last's night entire starting lineup probably won't be coming back.

[MCFinARL]

Seniors are awesome! Thanks to Tyler, Josh, Andre and Todd. All seem like great kids and even better teammates. Very happy to see them go out with a W against the Heels!!!

Now...wouldn't it be really, really nice to send some other seniors off in oh...about 3 years from now with a big victory in their final home game? ;)

Or even better, what if we send this group of seniors off (or, more accurately, they send themselves off) with a big victory in their final game?


it's wild to think that last's night entire starting lineup probably won't be coming back.

Sort of like what Kentucky fans experience every year. :D

[COYS]

Thanks seniors, indeed. Awesome win to close the book on playing in Cameron. Also, fitting that Tyler goes out with a 0 points/5 fouls spot in the box score with a few winning plays sprinkled in that won't show up in the box score. =)

[Troublemaker]

http://www.blueplanetshots.com/Duke-93-North-Carolina-81/i-RkGvFKX/0/X2/DSC_4141-X2.jpg

[MCFinARL]

http://www.blueplanetshots.com/Duke-93-North-Carolina-81/i-RkGvFKX/0/X2/DSC_4141-X2.jpg

Great pic! Are those the senior managers? Also, spectacular photobomb by Amile.

[RoyalBlue08]

So happy the seniors got to go out with a win vs UNC. I think it will be a long time before I am as fond of a Duke player as I have been with Dre over the years, and I thought he played such an amazing all around game for the minutes he was in last night (even if a few shots did rim out). The best part of college basketball is watching the journey and watching boys become men. I think all of our seniors can safely say they will leave Duke as men, and be better for the experience.

[wandalee]

Does anyone know why the seniors didn't come out after the game to speak to the crowd? This was a 30+ year tradition that I always loved.

[buddy]

Does anyone know why the seniors didn't come out after the game to speak to the crowd? This was a 30+ year tradition that I always loved.

My guess would be $$$$$/ESPN. There certainly was no announcement. Cheerleaders didn't know, they were still around. Fans didn't know. Sports Center broadcast from the floor after the game. Really disappointing if this years seniors missed out on the tradition due to ESPN.

[Native]

Great pic! Are those the senior managers? Also, spectacular photobomb by Amile.

Sure are. Great photo.


My guess would be $$$$$/ESPN. There certainly was no announcement. Cheerleaders didn't know, they were still around. Fans didn't know. Sports Center broadcast from the floor after the game. Really disappointing if this years seniors missed out on the tradition due to ESPN.

Even if they were supposed to or not in Cameron, they came out to the bonfire and spoke there to the assembled mob. Pretty cool.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Sure are. Great photo.



Even if they were supposed to or not in Cameron, they came out to the bonfire and spoke there to the assembled mob. Pretty cool.

And probably more fitting and fun, to boot.
Love, Ima

[Cell-R]

Thank you, seniors! I couldn't have asked for a better final game in Cameron.

Go Devils.

[Gthoma2a]

Once again, thank you to the seniors. This team's story didn't end how anyone wanted it to, but we had a good group of guys.

Instead of venting, maybe we can remember that these guys will feel a lot worse than we do.

[duke4ever19]

It is gonna be weird not seeing Tyler and Andre suit up for Duke.

[Namtilal]

I'm a huge fan of TT. If all our players played with his focus and passion, we would win the title every year. Would love to see him sitting on the bench in a couple years, teaching the guys focus and effort.

[GGLC]

Thanks to Andre, Tyler, Josh, Todd, and Rodney. You'll all be missed. Here's hoping that Jabari sticks around to take care of unfinished business, but if not then count him among the foregoing names.

[DukieInKansas]

Once again, thank you to the seniors. This team's story didn't end how anyone wanted it to, but we had a good group of guys.

Instead of venting, maybe we can remember that these guys will feel a lot worse than we do.

Very true. Sorry the season ended this way but thankful for all they gave us these past years. Best of luck in the future to all of them.

[Gthoma2a]

It is gonna be weird not seeing Tyler and Andre suit up for Duke.

I hate to say I agree with rivals about anything, but they are right (in a different way) that it feels like they have been here for ages. They are good guys and I hope they enjoyed their time at Duke. No matter what happened (play/results in the game today) today, we have some of the classiest kids out there.

[DukeDevil]

Thank you to all the seniors. I especially want to shout out to Dre. Many have said it, but he chose Duke twice. He's going to always hold a special place for me in Duke Basketball history.

[The Gordog]

These Seniors remind me what it means to show commitment in the face of adversity.

Tyler.

Josh.

Todd.

Andre.

You guys showed a lot of heart this year and in all your years and will always be part of the Duke family.

Thank you so much.

I hope you find joy and peace and continue to challange yourselves and grow.

All the best to each of you !!!

[OldPhiKap]

Thanks for being part of the family and for representing us so well. Best of luck in the future!

[CarmenWallaceWade]

Thanks to all who wore the Duke jersey for the last time.

Crazy to think how different our team was this year from last. Another brand new look next year. Such is the current dynamic of big time programs.

[MCFinARL]

These Seniors remind me what it means to show commitment in the face of adversity.

Tyler.

Josh.

Todd.

Andre.

You guys showed a lot of heart this year and in all your years and will always be part of the Duke family.

Thank you so much.

I hope you find joy and peace and continue to challange yourselves and grow.

All the best to each of you !!!

Agree completely. A great group of seniors who have given all they had this season and continued to do so in the face of widely varying roles and minutes. Thanks, and may the future hold great things for you.

[mattman91]

Coach Thornton? :)

[NashvilleDevil]

Thank you Josh, Tyler, Andre and Tod for representing Duke so well during your careers. Also thanks to Rodney and Jabari for some wonderful moments this year and best of luck to both of you if you decide to go.

[_Gary]

Thank you so much, seniors! You guys have been wonderful and I hope the best for each of you. Andre, Tyler, Josh and Todd - take care and have a fantastic life, wherever it may take you!

[bronston22]

All the best to the seniors. I know they wanted it to go differently but they were always fighting to the end.

[Kedsy]

It is gonna be weird not seeing Tyler and Andre suit up for Duke.

Josh, too.

That said, Andre is one my favorite players ever at Duke, and I'm going to miss seeing him play.

[rhynelander]

As bummed as I feel now I know there's no way I can relate to how disappointed our team must be. Tip of the cap to Mercer, but our seniors will not be remembered for this game. Josh will be remembered stepping in the lane to take a charge, or with an improbable tip-in layup at just the right moment. As has been noted around here, Josh was always one of the most enthusiastic supporters on the bench, helping push the team. Andre will always be looked back on as a microwave scorer who could inspire his teammates, thrill the crowd, and really deflate the opposition. Oh and his smile lit up Cameron more than even one of his picture perfect deep bombs. Thornton, where to begin, he came in a helped stabilize an experienced team when Kyrie went down as a frosh. Ever since he suited up he's brought energy, focus, intensity and fight. No way we win at BC last season (12-13) without him stepping up physically and making the rest of the team match him. Every game Tyler had at least a couple deflection tip hustle plays that not only get Duke possession, but get in the head of the opponent. Tyler was a true captain and warrior for Duke, much like Josh and Andre, who would do whatever coach asked. Although Todd never got too much burn I'm sure he was an important piece each of his five seasons. I wish I was not reflecting on our seniors careers for another few weeks but I feel so much gratitude in calling myself a Duke fan, a fan of STUDENT athletes with such diverse talents. Best of luck to all our Seniors from here!

[superdave]

Thank you, Seniors! I look forward to seeing how each of our seniors fares in the real world. They have a good base after four years at Duke.

I am particularly thankful for the opportunity to watch Andre Dawkins grow over the past five years. That's a lot of real life highs and lows, and from my perspective he has grown a lot and is heading upward. Nice form on the jumper too.

[SoCalDukeFan]

One of the joys of watching college sports is seeing players grow. Certainly enjoyed you guys. I think your futures are bright.

Special thank you to Andre. Very glad you came to Duke early and glad you came back for one more year.

SoCal

[weezie]

Thank you, men!
You worked so hard and I hope you too appreciate how much we love you and love cheering for you!

[Edouble]

Thanks to all of the seniors, but a special thanks to Tyler Thornton.

I am saddened to have seen the guy play his last game in a Duke uniform to the degree that I was saddened with the final games of Langdon, Cwell, Redick, and Singler... which is to say he is among my favorite Blue Devils ever.

Whether it was playing 5 minutes of backup point guard, holding a starting spot while another more talented guard was getting his act together, or being a legitimate starter, he accepted every role that was handed to him with no ego, and a team first mentality.

I feel that he also held the mantle of "We are Duke" "We back down to nobody." that has been a bit absent since Singler graduated.

[jv001]

While it would have been great to end your senior year with a championship, it doesn't detract from what you did for Duke University. We salute you and wish the best for you. God bless you all.
GoDuke!

[willywoody]

Thanks to the Seniors. Some of my all time favorites.

[MCFinARL]

Things I am sorry I will never see again:

Andre Dawkins smiling after a made 3
Josh Hairston sending each starter onto the floor with a special move
Tyler Thornton getting a steal or making a tough play at the crucial moment
Todd Zafirovski totally supporting the team from the bench, hopefully recognizing the importance of the contributions he has made in practice

Each of these players had their own challenges and obstacles, and all four stuck with Duke basketball and gave what they had to the end. They are character guys, for sure. I thank them and I will miss them.