MBB: Duke v. UConn (Thu 12/18 8 pm ET, ESPN) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[hurleyfor3]

It's at the Meadowlands, so we can't possibly lose, can we?

[Tripping William]

Is that Okafor foul-out all of the Huskies' front line. It would be poetic, and almost (but not quite) justice.

[devildeac]

It's at the Meadowlands, so we can't possibly lose, can we?

You know better than to post things like that;).

[MChambers]

UConn's center, Brimah, scored 40 points in his last game, so the center matchup will be very important. Brimah is listed at 7 feet, 230 lbs.

[devildeac]

Is that Okafor foul-out all of the Huskies' front line. It would be poetic, and almost (but not quite) justice.

Now this plan I like.

[OldPhiKap]

It's at the Meadowlands, so we can't possibly lose, can we?

Arizona . . . Laettner's freshman year . . . .

(The game where Laettner missed some late free throws to lose; Dick Nixon came into the locker room and told Christian -- "Don't worry, son -- I've blown the big one, too" -- true story)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Arizona . . . Laettner's freshman year . . . .

(The game where Laettner missed some late free throws to lose; Dick Nixon came into the locker room and told Christian -- "Don't worry, son -- I've blown the big one, too" -- true story)

I remember watching that game at my grandmother's house.

Strangely enough, Laettner went on to not blow it many, many times.

[Ichabod Drain]

Is that Okafor foul-out all of the Huskies' front line. It would be poetic, and almost (but not quite) justice.

Maybe that's why Justise was sent here...

[Tripping William]

Maybe that's why Justise was sent here...

I thought about that, but I don't think a phonetic equivalent will quite make up for this being a regular season game. But if there's a rematch in the Tourney . . . . . :cool:

[flyingdutchdevil]

My least favorite teams are UNC, Kentucky, and UCONN in that order.

I really hope that this is the season where we defeat all 3.

Go Duke!

[jv001]

My least favorite teams are UNC, Kentucky, and UCONN in that order.

I really hope that this is the season where we defeat all 3.

Go Duke!

My first 3 are the same as yours, but my 4th is Maryland. Matter of fact you can squeeze them in between UNC and Kentucky. GoDuke!

[FerryFor50]

My first 3 are the same as yours, but my 4th is Maryland. Matter of fact you can squeeze them in between UNC and Kentucky. GoDuke!

What's a Maryland? I forgot those existed...

[uh_no]

arrright

as I am probably the most familiar with uconn I figured I'd give a rundown:

PG:
Boatright. Everyone knows him...he played robin to nappier's batman last year....IMO? not as good offensively....not as efficient...still a quick guy, hounding defender, but often takes ill-advised shots that guys like nappier could hit consistently, but he cannot...much more emotional...took him a while last year to realize that he wouldn't be the #1 guy....and he sometimes had issues on the court....in one instance he and nappier almost came to blows last year...likely the best PG that tyus has faced yet this year....should be an interesting matchup on both sides of the court

SG:
Rodney purvis was the PG to be...but he has been hobbled by a high ankle sprain, limiting his minutes and points this year....hasn't been a scorer much, though an okay defender. hard to know how much is from his injury, or how much he needs to be on ball...Either way, I think his biggest role will be chasing quinn around, or keeping him out of the way of boatright on the other end

He has been splitting minutes with Sam Cassel Jr, who has taken over the starting spot in the absence of purvis. pesky defender, though doesn't provide much offensively. Terrance samuel is the other guard who gets big minutes. He is much like Cassel, IMO...little value on the offensive end, though just as pesky on defense.

SF:
Dan Hamilton is a freshman wing....one of the young bright spots on this team, not as good as justice, to be sure, but among the better wings in his class, IMO. Pretty consistently puts up point totals in the low teens. I don't think justice will have trouble getting the better of this matchup.

PF:
Kentan Facey: apparently this guy plays for uconn

C:
Amida Brimah: you saw he put up 40 the other day against coppin state....and that was probably the best game of his career. This man is in the business of blocking shots....there was some absurd stat last year like he blocked some 22% of ALL shots taken while he was on the floor....his offensive game has improved somewhat this year, it's still not nearly as polished as oak's. oak's an inch shorter, but has brimah by 40 lbs. Comared to kaminsky, brimah is a better blocker, and worse rebounder. It is an interesting matchup, because jahlil had "only" 13 and 6 vs kaminsky. Brimah, like most raw big men, has been plagued by foul troubles, but has seemed to improve this year, going from 16 to 28 minutes a game, and okafor hasn't done superbly at getting to the line.

Nolan is the only other guy with >10 minutes....and he steps in to replace brimah. provides not much more than a body to eat up fouls down low.

Omar Calhoun is another wing, but is working with an MCL sprain, and sat a few games suspension for some apparent misdeeds in puerto rico....wouldn't expect him to play here.

Overall, the uconn team is somewhat similar to last year on defense....they're deceptive....and prayer 3s from being 6-1. The offense, however, is simply not good. Losing a great guard, a three point shooter, and a offensive wing hurts.....too much to replace. I expect duke to win....but i expect it to be about around 10 points...not a blowout for sure.

[Tripping William]

C:
Amida Brimah: you saw he put up 40 the other day against coppin state....and that was probably the best game of his career. This man is in the business of blocking shots....there was some absurd stat last year like he blocked some 22% of ALL shots taken while he was on the floor....his offensive game has improved somewhat this year, it's still not nearly as polished as oak's. oak's an inch shorter, but has brimah by 40 lbs. Comared to kaminsky, brimah is a better blocker, and worse rebounder. It is an interesting matchup, because jahlil had "only" 13 and 6 vs kaminsky. Brimah, like most raw big men, has been plagued by foul troubles, but has seemed to improve this year, going from 16 to 28 minutes a game, and okafor hasn't done superbly at getting to the line.

Nolan is the only other guy with >10 minutes....and he steps in to replace brimah. provides not much more than a body to eat up fouls down low.



So my plan for poetic near-justice (sp?) has some basis to it. Excellent! :) (Seriously, though, thanks for the detailed info; I'd have sporked you, but can't at the moment.)

[weezie]

So, what's the beer drinking sitch at the 'Zod?

[weezie]

Wait, is this a Duke board? Four hours and no one in the NJ/NYC alumni brigade has an answer for a sure to be thirsty old lady?! :eek::confused::eek:

[devildeac]

Wait, is this a Duke board? Four hours and no one in the NJ/NYC alumni brigade has an answer for a sure to be thirsty old lady?! :eek::confused::eek:

Here's a place I know nothing about except that it appears to be about 3 blocks away:

http://www.reddsrestaurant.com/menus/

As for what's available inside, I can't help you, ma'am. :o

[nyesq83]

STOP BY THE WINNERS CLUB & ENJOY DRINKS BEFORE THE GAME! The Winners Club restaurant will be open for drink service to ticketholders at 6:00 PM. The Winners Club is located at the IZOD Center between gates C and D and is easily accessible to the arena seating area. Patrons must have event ticket for entry

[OldPhiKap]

Does FSU's Sam Cassell have a kid playing college hoops?

Damn, I really AM OldPK.

[devildeac]

Does FSU's Sam Cassell have a kid playing college hoops?

Damn, I really AM OldPK.

Apparently, he does:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sam_cassell_jr_922981.html

Now get off your own damn lawn. :o

[Tripping William]

Does FSU's Sam Cassell have a kid playing college hoops?

Damn, I really AM OldPK.

And, that fast, we go from beer to cheese-and-wine ...

[Henderson]

Apparently, he does:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sam_cassell_jr_922981.html

Now get off your own damn lawn. :o

Gary Payton II recorded a triple double for Oregon State this week, the first such feat at OSU since his father did it.

But enough of this basketball silliness. Can we get back to beer?

[weezie]

Here's a place I know nothing about except that it appears to be about 3 blocks away:




STOP BY THE WINNERS CLUB & ENJOY DRINKS BEFORE THE GAME!

Bless you boys....somewhere a boozy angel just got it's wings............hic...:o

[OldPhiKap]

Apparently, he does:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sam_cassell_jr_922981.html

Now get off your own damn lawn. :o

My own music sucks.

This is awful.

[gam7]

Apparently, he does:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sam_cassell_jr_922981.html

Now get off your own damn lawn. :o

Apparently alien is a recessive trait.

[OldPhiKap]

And, that fast, we go from beer to cheese-and-wine ...

Well, beer to single malt. But life's good.

[-jk]

Well, beer to single malt. But life's good.

C'mon - "Beer to Bourbon!" It's the south, after all... (And "Beer to 'Shine" just doesn't quite work.)

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

C'mon - "Beer to Bourbon!" It's the south, after all... (And "Beer to 'Shine" just doesn't quite work.)

-jk

So start early - boilermakers for everyone!

[-jk]

So start early - boilermakers for everyone!

Yikes! Ruination of good (or at least adequate (www.oldforester.com)) bourbon.

-jk

[SoCalDukeFan]

Anyone see that game. What happened?

SoCal

[Duvall]

Anyone see that game. What happened?

SoCal

Looks like with Boatwright playing on a sprained ankle they just couldn't score.

[OldPhiKap]

Yikes! Ruination of good (or at least adequate (www.oldforester.com)) bourbon.

-jk

4587

Bib & Tucker small batch bourbon whiskey

92 proof.

Earthy, chestnut, interesting. Not my favorite single-barrel or small batch, probably better to have a taste at the local watering hole before committing to a bottle. But different, and for an Isle of Skye single malt guy like me that's half the fun.

(Still wrong thread?)

[Henderson]

4587

92 proof.


Not with all those ice cubes.

Oh, the horror. The horror.

(Sez the guy who likes his peaty Isla malts neat).

[-jk]

4587

Bib & Tucker small batch bourbon whiskey

92 proof.

Earthy, chestnut, interesting. Not my favorite single-barrel or small batch, probably better to have a taste at the local watering hole before committing to a bottle. But different, and for an Isle of Skye single malt guy like me that's half the fun.

(Still wrong thread?)

Wrong thread? <sigh> I'm a fan of Aberlour (http://www.aberlour.com/) - a fabulous single malt. And it just happens to age in used Bourbon casks.

Damn, we need to get that whiskey/whisky thread going...

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

Not with all those ice cubes.

Oh, the horror. The horror.

(Sez the guy who likes his peaty Isla malts neat).

Like my Laphroaig, Balvenie (12-year double wood), Lagavulin, Talisker, and Macallan neat or with up to two cubes.

This needs some smoothing. It's the only bourbon in the cabinet at the moment (besides Maker's Mark, which is also fine on the rocks). But yeah, I'm with you generally.

Oh, and beat UConn.

[OldPhiKap]

Wrong thread? <sigh> I'm a fan of Aberlour (http://www.aberlour.com/) - a fabulous single malt. And it just happens to age in used Bourbon casks.

Damn, we need to get that whiskey/whisky thread going...

-jk

Will need to try.

If you have never had Balvenie double wood, six years in oak cask and six years in sherry cask. It's my go-to mid-priced single malt.

And again -- beat UCONN.

[uh_no]

Will need to try.

If you have never had Balvenie double wood, six years in oak cask and six years in sherry cask. It's my go-to mid-priced single malt.

And again -- beat UCONN.

Double wood is tasty..but a bit sweet for me most nights. Glenlivet 15 is a nice easy drinking one I think

[devildeac]

Wrong thread? <sigh> I'm a fan of Aberlour (http://www.aberlour.com/) - a fabulous single malt. And it just happens to age in used Bourbon casks.

Damn, we need to get that whiskey/whisky thread going...

-jk

A moderator? Engaged in a thread-jacking? Oh, the horrors! Tweet!!!

;)

Went to a wedding in Boston this summer. Beer selection was awful. Maker's Mark straight up was a delightful substitute;).

And, I'd have loved to have been at the MBB practice today after K's post-game presser last PM. I think we'll be ready for Thursday night.

[hurleyfor3]

Does FSU's Sam Cassell have a kid playing college hoops?

Damn, I really AM OldPK.

For me, that ship sailed with T.J. Lang. (I saw both Tony and Sam play while an undergrad.)

[Edouble]

Not with all those ice cubes.

Oh, the horror. The horror.

(Sez the guy who likes his peaty Isla malts neat).

Yes, that icing is highly offensive. You can procure a large circular or square cube maker at most specialty stores.

To add insult to injury, he's in the Stone Age with his coffee preparation. For the love, get a Clever Dripper or a pour over. At least humor me and get a French Press!

I hate UConn.

[weezie]

4587



but what about the wine aerator drying out behind the sink?
Man, I am coming over to you house!

[OldPhiKap]

Yes, that icing is highly offensive. You can procure a large circular or square cube maker at most specialty stores.

To add insult to injury, he's in the Stone Age with his coffee preparation. For the love, get a Clever Dripper or a pour over. At least humor me and get a French Press!

I hate UConn.

Ah, but I like the built-in whole bean grinder on a timer, so when I come downstairs or back from the gym it's piping hot. I assume we agree the beans must be fresh-ground, or there's no point.


but what about the wine aerator drying out behind the sink?
Man, I am coming over to you house!

We always have plenty of mashed potatoes in the freezer for when guests come by, and it is surprisingly easy to pair wines with it. Like, pretty much anything. Come on by!

Oh, and beat UConn or wherever this thread is supposed to be.

[Indoor66]

C'mon - "Beer to Bourbon!" It's the south, after all... (And "Beer to 'Shine" just doesn't quite work.)

-jk

You, Sir, are a slave to alliteration.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Ah, but I like the built-in whole bean grinder on a timer, so when I come downstairs or back from the gym it's piping hot. I assume we agree the beans must be fresh-ground, or there's no point.



We always have plenty of mashed potatoes in the freezer for when guests come by, and it is surprisingly easy to pair wines with it. Like, pretty much anything. Come on by!

Oh, and beat UConn or wherever this thread is supposed to be.

Don't let these bamboozlers push you around with the "no ice" spiel. A little bit of a ice is delicious, especially when it's a nice easy night.

Sporks for you, OPK, and not for any of these "no icers"!!

[Dukehky]

I dislike Uconn more than I do UK, Kansas, and Maryland combined. They stole two national titles from us and ruined my childhood in doing so. I want Boatright to get shut down so hard that Khalid feels it. I want K to coach circles around Ollie so badly that Calhoun considers coming out of retirement. I want Okafor to bully Bramah around so roughly that the whole state of Connecticut thinks to themselves, "Yeah, this Okafor is better."

In short, I hope we stomp a mud hole the size of Texas in them.

[Indoor66]

I dislike Uconn more than I do UK, Kansas, and Maryland combined. They stole two national titles from us and ruined my childhood in doing so. I want Boatright to get shut down so hard that Khalid feels it. I want K to coach circles around Ollie so badly that Calhoun considers coming out of retirement. I want Okafor to bully Bramah around so roughly that the whole state of Connecticut thinks to themselves, "Yeah, this Okafor is better."

In short, I hope we stomp a mud hole the size of Texas in them.

How do you really feel? :)

[fisheyes]

Beat the heck out of the Uconnvicts!!!

Go Duke!!!

Living in CT, this is a must win game for me personally. Talking a lot of smack leading up to this one.

We have the better Okafor!

[AncientPsychicT]

Dukehky, your feelings pretty much match mine (I hate them more than I hate UNC, and that's saying something), but I think we already have a pregame thread for this game.

Go Duke! Smash the cons.

EDIT: And I see they've been merged already. Gj mods.

[OldPhiKap]

Beat the heck out of the Uconnvicts!!!

Go Duke!!!

Living in CT, this is a must win game for me personally. Talking a lot of smack leading up to this one.

We have the better Okafor!

Head to Stu Leonard's, load up on egg nog.

Hit the liquor store, load up on dark rum.

Mix, enjoy, beat UConn!

[uh_no]

I dislike Uconn more than I do UK, Kansas, and Maryland combined. They stole two national titles from us and ruined my childhood in doing so. I want Boatright to get shut down so hard that Khalid feels it. I want K to coach circles around Ollie so badly that Calhoun considers coming out of retirement. I want Okafor to bully Bramah around so roughly that the whole state of Connecticut thinks to themselves, "Yeah, this Okafor is better."

In short, I hope we stomp a mud hole the size of Texas in them.

Connecticut is very very small...the state barely contains a 7'0 brimah...much less a mud hole the size of texas....perhaps a RI sized hole might be appropriate

also:

Brimah: 1 title
Okafor: 0 titles

that's all we care about up in the CT :)

here's to okafor getting to at least 1 title, tough :)

I'm very sad that your childhood was ruined over a silly game, and hope that one day you, too, might come to respect a university run by a Duke Alumna.

sigh. you already stole the whalers from us, and the stanley cup that came with it.....our state is left with NOTHING I tell you....even trinity college lost their squash streak. we might as well call up Queen Elizabeth II and ask to rejoin the UK.....but maybe...just maybe we can reinvigorate the nutmeg state with a big win.

I'm a duke fan at 364 days a year....except when they play uconn (postseason aside)....and I will be rockin my 2014 national title shirt at tylers tomorrow (or some other durham bar)

I know i'll get hate here for it....but hey....duke fans here are reasonable...right???? RIGHT??!?!?!

hope for a good game from my huskies, and a good game from my devils....I think the northerners are in above their heads, but hope they can pull it out. At some point a loss might be good for the duke team.....so might as well hope it comes against uconn.

UC...MF

I had a bottle of champagne sitting in my fridge after Uconn beat MSU last year in the elite 8....i don't have any bottles for tomorrow....unless OPK wants to share some laphroaig so i can erase my sorrows as he enjoys victory

[OldPhiKap]

Connecticut is very very small...the state barely contains a 7'0 brimah...much less a mud hole the size of texas....perhaps a RI sized hole might be appropriate

also:

Brimah: 1 title
Okafor: 0 titles

that's all we care about up in the CT :)

here's to okafor getting to at least 1 title, tough :)

I'm very sad that your childhood was ruined over a silly game, and hope that one day you, too, might come to respect a university run by a Duke Alumna.

sigh. you already stole the whalers from us, and the stanley cup that came with it.....our state is left with NOTHING I tell you....even trinity college lost their squash streak. we might as well call up Queen Elizabeth II and ask to rejoin the UK.....but maybe...just maybe we can reinvigorate the nutmeg state with a big win.

I'm a duke fan at 364 days a year....except when they play uconn (postseason aside)....and I will be rockin my 2014 national title shirt at tylers tomorrow (or some other durham bar)

I know i'll get hate here for it....but hey....duke fans here are reasonable...right???? RIGHT??!?!?!

hope for a good game from my huskies, and a good game from my devils....I think the northerners are in above their heads, but hope they can pull it out. At some point a loss might be good for the duke team.....so might as well hope it comes against uconn.

UC...MF

I had a bottle of champagne sitting in my fridge after Uconn beat MSU last year in the elite 8....i don't have any bottles for tomorrow....unless OPK wants to share some laphroaig so i can erase my sorrows as he enjoys victory

So -- you're in Durham, CT?

;-)

Grew up in Fairfield County. Love CT, but this one is easy for me. Go Devils.

And always happy to share scotch. Next Duke trip is El Paso, made the Army MBB game but not sure of the next one.

[BD80]

Not with all those ice cubes.

Oh, the horror. The horror.

(Sez the guy who likes his peaty Isla malts neat).

A little ice or a little water really opens the flavor and aroma of a whiskey, particularly single malts. Try a side by side tasting. With blends the effect is not as dramatic.

Back to the main point, I feel like I'm in an alternate universe, Duke is playing uCon and I'm rooting FOR Okafor to do well?

I guess I'll do it once, but never again.

Has an Okafor ever been called for a foul in a Duke uCon game?

Has a Huskie ever been called for a foul in a Duke uCon game?

[uh_no]

A little ice or a little water really opens the flavor and aroma of a whiskey, particularly single malts. Try a side by side tasting. With blends the effect is not as dramatic.

Back to the main point, I feel like I'm in an alternate universe, Duke is playing uCon and I'm rooting FOR Okafor to do well?

I guess I'll do it once, but never again.

Has an Okafor ever been called for a foul in a Duke uCon game?

Has a Huskie ever been called for a foul in a Duke uCon game?

actually he got a ticky tack foul about 1 minute into the 2004 game, which was his second, and Calhoun benched him for the first half...allowing duke to build a 7 point halftime lead with K playing a risky game, allowing the big men to pick up fouls with refs who ended up putting 4 big men on the bench in one half or the other. I know i'll never convince anyone here that there was anything but the refs to blame for that game, but the strategy clearly worked in Uconn's favor that night.

anyway, aside from okafor at duke, uconn also has players named Hamilton and Calhoun.....it's like uconn/duke history in 1 game!

[Henderson]

Looks like Duke opens as an 11 point favorite.

[Dukehky]

Connecticut is very very small...the state barely contains a 7'0 brimah...much less a mud hole the size of texas....perhaps a RI sized hole might be appropriate

also:

Brimah: 1 title
Okafor: 0 titles

that's all we care about up in the CT :)

here's to okafor getting to at least 1 title, tough :)

I'm very sad that your childhood was ruined over a silly game, and hope that one day you, too, might come to respect a university run by a Duke Alumna.

sigh. you already stole the whalers from us, and the stanley cup that came with it.....our state is left with NOTHING I tell you....even trinity college lost their squash streak. we might as well call up Queen Elizabeth II and ask to rejoin the UK.....but maybe...just maybe we can reinvigorate the nutmeg state with a big win.

I'm a duke fan at 364 days a year....except when they play uconn (postseason aside)....and I will be rockin my 2014 national title shirt at tylers tomorrow (or some other durham bar)

I know i'll get hate here for it....but hey....duke fans here are reasonable...right???? RIGHT??!?!?!

hope for a good game from my huskies, and a good game from my devils....I think the northerners are in above their heads, but hope they can pull it out. At some point a loss might be good for the duke team.....so might as well hope it comes against uconn.

UC...MF

I had a bottle of champagne sitting in my fridge after Uconn beat MSU last year in the elite 8....i don't have any bottles for tomorrow....unless OPK wants to share some laphroaig so i can erase my sorrows as he enjoys victory

Of course that was a hyperbole. I personally would not classify FF and finals games as silly. Also, I have nothing against the University of Connecticut as an institution. However 1999 is, to this day, the most horribly officiated game that I have ever witnessed, and while the 2004 game was bad, it was pretty bad for both teams... Until JJ drove and got fouled. You are correct in that you will never convince me otherwise with respect to those two evenings.

Geography aside, I meant what I said. I hope that Duke stomps a hole that starts in Storres and engulfs the entire north east.

Bramah 1 Okafor 0, really? You're first main point is that Bramah has a national title? He had 0 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 fouls in a whopping 13 minutes of play.

The UCONN women's team wins more than enough for the entire state, so I don't really want to hear complaints about how bad the CT has it.


All that being said, I could definitely see Uconn pulling this one out, but I REALLY hope that is not the case.

[uh_no]

Also, really? You're first main point is that Bramah has a national title? He had 0 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 fouls in a whopping 13 minutes of play.

The UCONN women's team wins more than enough for the entire state, so I don't really want to hear com

(aside from the absurdity of using rings to compare individual college players)

0 points, 4 boards, 4 fouls, 1 season, 1 ring :P

sounds like a 100% success rate to me!

[Dukehky]

(aside from the absurdity of using rings to compare individual college players)

0 points, 4 boards, 4 fouls, 1 season, 1 ring :P

sounds like a 100% success rate to me!

Stop being reasonable. It is absolutely infuriating. I want to hate Uconn as much as I want without having you going all Andrew Luck on me.

[uh_no]

Stop being reasonable.

SORRY!!! it must the duke alum in me!

but OPK has inspired me, and I'm now sipping on doublewood....and the reasonableness may yet be gone before this SDSU-cinci game is over

[Kedsy]

I dislike Uconn more than I do UK, Kansas, and Maryland combined. They stole two national titles from us and ruined my childhood in doing so.


Dukehky, your feelings pretty much match mine (I hate them more than I hate UNC, and that's saying something)...

I wasn't going to get involved in this particular debate, but I can't help myself.

Why would you hate a team just because they beat your team a couple of times? That sounds like Kentucky fans to me, and I had hoped we were better than that. Also, they "stole" national titles from us? Really? What were they supposed to do, try to lose on purpose because Duke had reserved the titles in advance?

And just like Kentucky fans (whose team has beaten Duke in big games at least as often as Duke has beaten them), we seem to forget that we ruined UConn fans' dreams as much or more than they've gotten us, including a one-point win in 1990 on a last-second shot that took us to the Final Four (and denied UConn of what at the time would have been its first Final Four ever).

If we hate every team we've lost to over the years, that's a whole lot of totally unnecessary hate.

[hurleyfor3]

Grew up in Fairfield County.

You should know it's Stew Leonard's then. Darien reprazent. My childhood was ruined when we left the state.

[Henderson]

I can't hate UConn; I'm too busy doubling down on UNC-CH and Cal.

'Skis > Skeez

But don't push it.

GoDuke! Beat UConn.

[Tripping William]

Stop being reasonable. It is absolutely infuriating. I want to hate Uconn as much as I want without having you going all Andrew Luck on me.


(aside from the absurdity of using rings to compare individual college players)

0 points, 4 boards, 4 fouls, 1 season, 1 ring :P

sounds like a 100% success rate to me!

That sure was a lot of posting from uh_no last night. Makes me wonder where he got the laptop. ;)

(I keed, I keed.)

[duketaylor]

Homestead Creamery egg nog and Capt. Morgan's spiced rum for me tonight!!

GO DUKE!!!:cool:

[77devil]

And just like Kentucky fans (whose team has beaten Duke in big games at least as often as Duke has beaten them), we seem to forget that we ruined UConn fans' dreams as much or more than they've gotten us, including a one-point win in 1990 on a last-second shot that took us to the Final Four (and denied UConn of what at the time would have been its first Final Four ever).

I know plenty of UConn fans and to a person none express this sentiment. Sure, they dislike Duke as a rival, but their attitude is that UConn is way ahead in the rivalry because of 1999 and 2004. And they pile on with last year. 1990 hasn't been in the conversation for a long, long time.

[Billy Dat]

UConn v Duke is a fantastic rivalry. I'd say they are our #1 NCAA Tournament rival, with Kentucky probably being next in line. A lot of my anti-UConn venom was tied into the combo of the team and Calhoun. Now that Ollie is running the show, I don't feel the same level of dislike. I rooted hard for them to beat Kentucky in last year's title game.

I just watched a brief ESPN preview and all they talked about was UConn's plan to deny Okafor the ball, which is pretty standard stuff. With a legit big man, this game may play out more like MSU or Wisconsin where we use Jah's gravity to open up opportunities for everyone else. Hopefully Justise is ready to get back to his effective play on the offensive end, if we think that Boatwright will bother our backcourt.

The other trope seems to be that UConn needs this win for bolster their NCAA resume. Out of conference, they still have road games at Florida and Stanford. Lose all 3 and suddenly it puts a ton of pressure on them to go 15-3 or 14-4 in conference. This is a big game.

The Izod Center is really a dead arena. I am sure there will be plenty of both sets of fans in the house, and I am betting that the UConn fans will be a bit more boisterous as I tend to find the NYC-area Duke fans - of which I am a part - to be more wine and cheese than Cameron Crazie. I hope I am proven wrong.

[OldPhiKap]

I know plenty of UConn fans and to a person none express this sentiment. Sure, they dislike Duke as a rival, but their attitude is that UConn is way ahead in the rivalry because of 1999 and 2004. And they pile on with last year. 1990 hasn't been in the conversation for a long, long time.

Calhoun is one of the few coaches who had multiple battles with K on a big stage, and can legitimately argue that he got the better of the engagements.

Laettner's been gone a long time, and the 1990 "Special" audible is probably more a memory in our world than in theirs.

This game is big in the NY market, probably more so than Syracuse.

Just win, baby. I agree with Billy -- UConn will come in hungry and motivated. This is a bigger game for them than us, although K has a way of motivating. I imagine the post-Elon press conference was in part geared for setting the table for a ramp up tonight regardless of how we actually played in that typical post-exam rust game.

[moonpie23]

it better be all business tonight.......i don't expect uconn to come out flat, and allowing them to gain confidence could get us a loss....


that said, i'm felling like a lot of you, coach k's aftershock (elon) should be enough to keep them focused....

[Dukehky]

I wasn't going to get involved in this particular debate, but I can't help myself.

Why would you hate a team just because they beat your team a couple of times? That sounds like Kentucky fans to me, and I had hoped we were better than that. Also, they "stole" national titles from us? Really? What were they supposed to do, try to lose on purpose because Duke had reserved the titles in advance?

And just like Kentucky fans (whose team has beaten Duke in big games at least as often as Duke has beaten them), we seem to forget that we ruined UConn fans' dreams as much or more than they've gotten us, including a one-point win in 1990 on a last-second shot that took us to the Final Four (and denied UConn of what at the time would have been its first Final Four ever).

If we hate every team we've lost to over the years, that's a whole lot of totally unnecessary hate.

Take a chill pill. Of course they didn't steal national titles, gauge the hyperbolic nature of the original post. Also, I don't simply dislike them because they beat Duke twice in the tournament. I have very little problem with the 2004 team because Okafor was a good, smart, kid who was a terrific college player. That team was also better than Duke's. We were lucky to be up in that game, and I thought the refs missed a call at the end of the game.

1999 is the reason I dislike Uconn. The 1999 Duke team was my favorite growing up, that is the only team poster I brought from my childhood room to my places in college and beyond. Khalid and Voskel also came into the bulls locker room waving their rings on the first day of camp toward Elton. I'm also not a huge Calhoun fan.

It is incredibly obnoxious when posters respond to an argument, especially one that was a clear exaggeration, with a response like, "That's not what WE do; That's what Maryland does, that is like Kentucky fans; I hoped we were better than that" It's uppity and annoying.

Kedsy, I love reading your posts, they're great. You certainly have your reasons for writing your comparisons to other fan bases, I just don't like it when it happens, and it happens all the time by a large number of posters here. This one just irked me, which is my problem, I just needed to get a little snarkyness out of my system and onto the page.

[Kedsy]

Take a chill pill. Of course they didn't steal national titles, gauge the hyperbolic nature of the original post. Also, I don't simply dislike them because they beat Duke twice in the tournament. I have very little problem with the 2004 team because Okafor was a good, smart, kid who was a terrific college player. That team was also better than Duke's. We were lucky to be up in that game, and I thought the refs missed a call at the end of the game.

1999 is the reason I dislike Uconn. The 1999 Duke team was my favorite growing up, that is the only team poster I brought from my childhood room to my places in college and beyond. Khalid and Voskel also came into the bulls locker room waving their rings on the first day of camp toward Elton. I'm also not a huge Calhoun fan.

It is incredibly obnoxious when posters respond to an argument, especially one that was a clear exaggeration, with a response like, "That's not what WE do; That's what Maryland does, that is like Kentucky fans; I hoped we were better than that" It's uppity and annoying.

Kedsy, I love reading your posts, they're great. You certainly have your reasons for writing your comparisons to other fan bases, I just don't like it when it happens, and it happens all the time by a large number of posters here. This one just irked me, which is my problem, I just needed to get a little snarkyness out of my system and onto the page.

Well, in response I'll say that you're not the first person who has suggested UConn "stole" our titles, and that particular suggestion happens to irk me. You're also not the only person who expresses hate for, e.g., UConn, Kentucky, . And that irks me as well. Whether or not you dislike the response, it [i]is what Kentucky fans do, and it's wrong. The only team I can condone hate against is UNC. The rest, well, "not our rival."

[Wander]

we seem to forget that we ruined UConn fans' dreams as much or more than they've gotten us.


What are you talking about? You think Duke beating UConn in the Elite 8 in 1990 and beating an 11th seeded UConn in the Sweet 16 in 1991 are us "ruining UConn fans' dreams as much or more" than the two UConn victories in 1999 and 2004? Duke's victories over UConn almost certainly didn't prevent any UConn national championships, while UConn's victories over Duke definitely prevented 1 and probably 2 national championships. No comparison.

[Kedsy]

What are you talking about? You think Duke beating UConn in the Elite 8 in 1990 and beating an 11th seeded UConn in the Sweet 16 in 1991 are us "ruining UConn fans' dreams as much or more" than the two UConn victories in 1999 and 2004? Duke's victories over UConn almost certainly didn't prevent any UConn national championships, while UConn's victories over Duke definitely prevented 1 and probably 2 national championships. No comparison.

You have to consider where the programs were at the time. Duke against UConn in 1990 was at the time the biggest game in the history of UConn basketball.

[Monmouth77]

Well, in response I'll say that you're not the first person who has suggested UConn "stole" our titles, and that particular suggestion happens to irk me. You're also not the only person who expresses hate for, e.g., UConn, Kentucky, . And that irks me as well. Whether or not you dislike the response, it [i]is what Kentucky fans do, and it's wrong. The only team I can condone hate against is UNC. The rest, well, "not our rival."

I'm not sure there is a "right" or "wrong" way to feel about these sorts of things. And I'm pretty sure there's a lot of space between privately "hating" UConn -- and UK fans en masse wearing dopey "I Still Hate Laettner" shirts around at every NCAA Tournament game I've been to in the last decade or so.

I watched the '99 season in person as a senior, and left Cameron in a silent sobbing parade while UConn students jumped up and down in Gampel Pavilion on the jumbotron. I felt the loss viscerally-- it still makes me sad. I would never contend UConn "stole" the game. But that loss, in combination with the excruciating loss in '04, have me keyed up when Duke plays UConn. Games like this in December don't matter that much, but if we had faced them in say, the 2011 Elite Eight (which would have happened if Arizona did not briefly turn into the Phoenix Suns) that game would rate with me. Way more than an ordinary game with UNC, and certainly more than facing Xavier or Temple with the Final Four on the line.

Yes-- I remember 1990, But UConn has had our number in the NCAA Tournament. As a fan, I want to see Duke pay it back. I don't know if that's "hate," but if so I am on board.

Personally, it "irks" me to pretend that a team that beat us to win the NCAA title twice (and yes I know '04 was technically a semi-final) is "not our rival." Unlike Maryland, UConn's fans have a reason to woof.

And they bark plenty.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I'm not sure there is a "right" or "wrong" way to feel about these sorts of things. And I'm pretty sure there's a lot of space between privately "hating" UConn -- and UK fans en masse wearing dopey "I Still Hate Laettner" shirts around at every NCAA Tournament game I've been to in the last decade or so.

I watched the '99 season in person as a senior, and left Cameron in a silent sobbing parade while UConn students jumped up and down in Gampel Pavilion on the jumbotron. I felt the loss viscerally-- it still makes me sad. I would never contend UConn "stole" the game. But that loss, in combination with the excruciating loss in '04, have me keyed up when Duke plays UConn. Games like this in December don't matter that much, but if we had faced them in say, the 2011 Elite Eight (which would have happened if Arizona did not briefly turn into the Phoenix Suns) that game would rate with me. Way more than an ordinary game with UNC, and certainly more than facing Xavier or Temple with the Final Four on the line.

Yes-- I remember 1990, But UConn has had our number in the NCAA Tournament. As a fan, I want to see Duke pay it back. I don't know if that's "hate," but if so I am on board.

Personally, it "irks" me to pretend that a team that beat us to win the NCAA title twice (and yes I know '04 was technically a semi-final) is "not our rival." Unlike Maryland, UConn's fans have a reason to woof.

And they bark plenty.

Could not agree more with the message in this post. I was a freshman when Duke was up plenty in the final minutes of the 2004 FF. That team of Redick, S Williams, Duhon, Ewing, Deng, and Dockery will always be my favorite. And I despised UConn for what they did, better team or not.

And I love when people try and tell me who I can and cannot like/dislike. It's called emotions.

Bring on UConn tonight. I'm pumped.

[Kedsy]

Personally, it "irks" me to pretend that a team that beat us to win the NCAA title twice (and yes I know '04 was technically a semi-final) is "not our rival."

I'm not pretending. They're not our rival. We've played them nine (9) times in the history of the school, and only once in the past 10 years. I'm sorry the loss in 1999 made you sad. In my opinion, that's no reason to hate someone or somebody.

[hurleyfor3]

Leave it to other Duke alumni to make me happy I went to Duke when I did.

[BD80]

I wasn't going to get involved in this particular debate, but I can't help myself.

Why would you hate a team just because they beat your team a couple of times? ...

If we hate every team we've lost to over the years, that's a whole lot of totally unnecessary hate.


... A lot of my anti-UConn venom was tied into the combo of the team and Calhoun. Now that Ollie is running the show, I don't feel the same level of dislike. ...


... You're also not the only person who expresses hate for, e.g., UConn, Kentucky, . And that irks me as well. Whether or not you dislike the response, it [i]is what Kentucky fans do, and it's wrong. The only team I can condone hate against is UNC. The rest, well, "not our rival."

youCon was unc back before unc got caught cheating. Drug issues, stealing laptops, indifference to academics. I "hate" programs like that.

Calhoun was narcissistic rule breaker (I remember something in particular pertaining to auto dealerships), with a huge chip on his shoulder. He could teach the tar heels a thing or two about the "everybody does it" justification.

Condone it or not, I hated Calhoun's teams. The heart hates what the heart hates.

uCon (my abbreviation for youCon) has apparently cleaned up its academics, and it has been a while since a huskie has shown up on the police blotter. Ollie seems like the kind of coach I can root for. The litmus test is watching them play a non-Duke team and see which way I find myself rooting. I often plan to root one way, but find myself pulling for the other side. I don't plan to hate, it just happens.

Tonight isn't Luke Skywalker v Darth Sidious. Its more like Obi Wan against a storm trooper (who might be a nice guy, but definitely on the wrong side of the battle).

[hurleyfor3]

Tonight isn't Luke Skywalker v Darth Sidious. Its more like Obi Wan against a storm trooper (who might be a nice guy, but definitely on the wrong side of the battle).

Here's hoping UConn exhibits a Storm Trooper-esque shooting percentage tonight.

[Duvall]

Honestly, it saves time just to go ahead and hate all 349 other Division I programs. Eat it, Incarnate Word.

[Kfanarmy]

Take a chill pill. Of course they didn't steal national titles, gauge the hyperbolic nature of the original post. Also, I don't simply dislike them because they beat Duke twice in the tournament. I have very little problem with the 2004 team because Okafor was a good, smart, kid who was a terrific college player. That team was also better than Duke's. We were lucky to be up in that game, and I thought the refs missed a call at the end of the game.

1999 is the reason I dislike Uconn. The 1999 Duke team was my favorite growing up, that is the only team poster I brought from my childhood room to my places in college and beyond. Khalid and Voskel also came into the bulls locker room waving their rings on the first day of camp toward Elton. I'm also not a huge Calhoun fan.

It is incredibly obnoxious when posters respond to an argument, especially one that was a clear exaggeration, with a response like, "That's not what WE do; That's what Maryland does, that is like Kentucky fans; I hoped we were better than that" It's uppity and annoying.

Kedsy, I love reading your posts, they're great. You certainly have your reasons for writing your comparisons to other fan bases, I just don't like it when it happens, and it happens all the time by a large number of posters here. This one just irked me, which is my problem, I just needed to get a little snarkyness out of my system and onto the page.

I personally find it comforting to have someone around to prescribe not only what to think but what to feel and how to express those emotions properly. I've always felt one of those championships was "stolen" through some very poor officiating.

[Edouble]

I watched the '99 season in person as a senior, and left Cameron in a silent sobbing parade while UConn students jumped up and down in Gampel Pavilion on the jumbotron. I felt the loss viscerally-- it still makes me sad. I would never contend UConn "stole" the game. But that loss, in combination with the excruciating loss in '04, have me keyed up when Duke plays UConn. Games like this in December don't matter that much, but if we had faced them in say, the 2011 Elite Eight (which would have happened if Arizona did not briefly turn into the Phoenix Suns) that game would rate with me. Way more than an ordinary game with UNC, and certainly more than facing Xavier or Temple with the Final Four on the line.

The '99 squad was my senior year team too and I watched from Cameron as well. Saw every game. Started camping out on January 2nd. Had a huge emotional connection to that team.

Khlad El-Amin giving it to the Duke fans in Tampa after the game, giving it to Elton in the Bulls locker room, Calhoun's remarks post-game and about Coach K over the years all add up to me really hating UConn.

Yes, we have to lose to somebody every year. Indiana in 2002 and West Virginia in 2008 are the other losses where I felt like our opponent beat us, then kicked the Duke name (as well as some of our players and coaches) around after the game. I don't care for the sort of thing. Whenever we win, Coach K always takes the high road and says what a great opponent and great kids X-team was/had. The opponents that try to throw salt in your wounds as you try to lick them do not sit well with me.

The UConn years sting worse than the 2002 and 2008 losses because those Duke teams would have won the NC with a win over UConn. You could make a case for 2002, that we had a great shot, but I'm not sure if Garyland was going to be denied that year.

My reasons for hating UConn have nothing to do with the 40 minutes on the court... it's all the other stuff, the laptops, the woofing, the major compliance issues. Just when I was considering giving them a fresh chance last year, Shabazz comes with the "This is what happens when you ban us" line to Jim Nantz's microphone. Ugh... so classless. I think I'll hate them forever.

[tbyers11]

I'm not sure there is a "right" or "wrong" way to feel about these sorts of things. And I'm pretty sure there's a lot of space between privately "hating" UConn -- and UK fans en masse wearing dopey "I Still Hate Laettner" shirts around at every NCAA Tournament game I've been to in the last decade or so.

I watched the '99 season in person as a senior, and left Cameron in a silent sobbing parade while UConn students jumped up and down in Gampel Pavilion on the jumbotron. I felt the loss viscerally-- it still makes me sad. I would never contend UConn "stole" the game. But that loss, in combination with the excruciating loss in '04, have me keyed up when Duke plays UConn. Games like this in December don't matter that much, but if we had faced them in say, the 2011 Elite Eight (which would have happened if Arizona did not briefly turn into the Phoenix Suns) that game would rate with me. Way more than an ordinary game with UNC, and certainly more than facing Xavier or Temple with the Final Four on the line.

Yes-- I remember 1990, But UConn has had our number in the NCAA Tournament. As a fan, I want to see Duke pay it back. I don't know if that's "hate," but if so I am on board.

Personally, it "irks" me to pretend that a team that beat us to win the NCAA title twice (and yes I know '04 was technically a semi-final) is "not our rival." Unlike Maryland, UConn's fans have a reason to woof.

And they bark plenty.


Could not agree more with the message in this post. I was a freshman when Duke was up plenty in the final minutes of the 2004 FF. That team of Redick, S Williams, Duhon, Ewing, Deng, and Dockery will always be my favorite. And I despised UConn for what they did, better team or not.

And I love when people try and tell me who I can and cannot like/dislike. It's called emotions.

Bring on UConn tonight. I'm pumped.


I'm not pretending. They're not our rival. We've played them nine (9) times in the history of the school, and only once in the past 10 years. I'm sorry the loss in 1999 made you sad. In my opinion, that's no reason to hate someone or somebody.

Hate is a strong word and I think both Monmouth77 and FDD either don't use or qualify the term. I'll use dislike. I strongly dislike UConn. I don't care how often we've played them or whether they are considered a rival. Like Monmouth I was a senior who watched the 99 championship game in Cameron and exited the building in the mass exodus of shocked sadness. That one game is enough for me to dislike them for a LONG time. Throw in the 2004 FF loss and the time frame has been extended. Ollie replacing Calhoun has caused my feelings to soften on them slightly, but besides UNC I'd rather beat UConn than anyone else (UK, NCST, MD included).

You cite a small number of games, but 2 of those games were the biggest of big games and like/dislike is pretty emotional. We are talking about a basketball team here, not family members or co-workers, and I think that's a perfectly good reason to dislike a basketball team. YMMV.

[Monmouth77]

I'm not pretending. They're not our rival. We've played them nine (9) times in the history of the school, and only once in the past 10 years. I'm sorry the loss in 1999 made you sad. In my opinion, that's no reason to hate someone or somebody.

But per your previous post it's OK to "hate" a team we've played hundreds of times for bragging rights and conference titles but never for a National Championship. Got it.

My point is that it's subjective. And I'll bet Coach K thought of Calhoun as a pretty formidable coaching rival -- someone who stood between him and 2 rings.

Anyway, Go Duke!

[Billy Dat]

Condone it or not, I hated Calhoun's teams. The heart hates what the heart hates.
I often plan to root one way, but find myself pulling for the other side. I don't plan to hate, it just happens.


Well said on both counts. I always laugh to myself when I think I am going to root one way in a supposedly neutral game and wind up going the other. It does just happen.


Hate is a strong word and I think both Monmouth77 and FDD either don't use or qualify the term. I'll use dislike. I strongly dislike UConn. I don't care how often we've played them or whether they are considered a rival. Like Monmouth I was a senior who watched the 99 championship game in Cameron and exited the building in the mass exodus of shocked sadness. That one game is enough for me to dislike them for a LONG time. Throw in the 2004 FF loss and the time frame has been extended. Ollie replacing Calhoun has caused my feelings to soften on them slightly, but besides UNC I'd rather beat UConn than anyone else (UK, NCST, MD included).

When you became a fan and what you went through at what age certainly plays a big role. The younger fans probably don't feel the same bile with Michigan as those who were huge fans when the Fab Five rivalry sparked. After the Fab Five, they got us 3 times in a row from 1995 - 1997 including the Tractor Traylor dunk game at Cameron. I hated those Michigan teams. But, Tommy getting the head coaching job softened that hatred and while I still don't like them, I don't hate them anymore. Some day, young Duke fans will wonder what was the big deal about Maryland.

[Duvall]

Some day, young Duke fans will wonder what was the big deal about Maryland.

What's a Maryland?

[OldPhiKap]

What's a Maryland?

I think it is some sort of whining pyromaniac from Alaska.

[flyingdutchdevil]

http://espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/dailyword141218/daily-word

Quick summary: ESPN really likes this Duke team. They call us "better than UCONN at every position...except in a position to get arrested". Okay, I added that last part, but the first part remains true!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

But per your previous post it's OK to "hate" a team we've played hundreds of times for bragging rights and conference titles but never for a National Championship. Got it.

My point is that it's subjective. And I'll bet Coach K thought of Calhoun as a pretty formidable coaching rival -- someone who stood between him and 2 rings.

Anyway, Go Duke!

My two cents...

I used to hate UConn with the force of a thousand suns, but I have a hard time hating this current iteration. Ollie seems like a pretty stand up guy, and I was pleased to see him knock off Calipari last year. My hatred of UConn was based mostly on the players that they had when we met over and over, their totally sketchy and criminal ridden program, and Jim Calhoun's... everything.

To my knowledge, this is a pretty different program now. Sure, I hope we win, and I would savor a victory over UConn moreso than many other teams, but the days of them eliciting the same level of emotion from me that UNC, Maryland, Kentucky, et al are over.

Now, tonight's game could certainly spin that on a dime, so stay tuned.

Go Duke!

[Bluegrassdevil1]

To derive the concept that UConn is not a significant opponent to the Duke program due to a limited sample size of games, is profoundly absurd. UK fans dislike Duke due to one singular moment, that has compounded over time and competition. Raiders fans hate the Patriots because of a singular official ruling. Cubs fans hate the Marlins for one singular moment.

UConn has two big gold trophies in their lovely facility that could easily have gone to Duke. Big gold trophies (metaphoric or concrete) are the central purposes one strives at most human ventures, and any obstacle that repeats itself as opposition to collecting a big gold trophy is an important obstacle, even when compared with other opposition that occurs more frequently (Duke plays UNC Greensboro almost every year, but no realistic Duke fan views that program as an essential or noteworthy obstacle).

Not only would I include the 1990 NCAA game, along with 1999 and 2004, as important to the feelings of Duke fans, I would also include the following Duke/UConn games as important to the Duke basketball program proper:

November 1994 - Great Eight loss against UConn. Duke had the game in hand, Parks fouled out, things fell apart, Duke lost the game, and naturally, the 1994-1995 season was less than enjoyable, especially with UConn being the first of eighteen defeats. UConn had nothing to do with Coach K's heath, and the team's struggles, but they were the first of many difficult moments that season.

November 1999 - Championship game rematch in the Coaches vs. Cancer third place game. Duke narrowly lost to UConn, giving the Devils a three game losing streak (UConn '99 title game, Stanford, UConn rematch). The loss to UConn would be the 99-00 team's lone defeat until the St. John's game that ended the non-conference CIS streak, and the Maryland home loss that ended Duke's long unbeaten ACC streak. 1999 hurt for a myriad of reasons, but the CvC game really made one wonder if Calhoun-UConn truly had Duke's number.

November 2009 - Duke defeated UConn in the preseason NIT final, which was Duke's first victory over the Huskies in some time. Not only was the win over UConn for a big gold trophy, it was also Duke's first big win in a season which ended with a national championship.

UConn will never hold the surface level significance as UNC or Maryland, but in terms of critical events, UConn has been part of a great many memorable Duke moments.

UK fans currently view UConn with sentiments similar to Duke fans, and no Cat fan I know presently views the U of L rivalry as important to them, despite in being nationally recognized as a big rivalry, as the one with UConn, simply because UK has dominated U of L since 2009, whereas UConn can claim results very similar to what they have had against Duke:

1. UK's last two NCAA tournament losses have been to UConn.

2. UConn beat UK in the 2011 Final Four. Many rationale people believe their contest was truly the national championship game that season (just like Duke in 2004).

3. UConn beat a highly touted preseason UK team in the 2014 national championship game (just like Duke in 1999).

[Henderson]

What's a Maryland?


I think it is some sort of whining pyromaniac from Alaska.

Not ringing a bell. Use it in a sentence?

[Billy Dat]

UK fans currently view UConn with sentiments similar to Duke fans, and no Cat fan I know presently views the U of L rivalry as important to them, despite in being nationally recognized as a big rivalry, as the one with UConn, simply because UK has dominated U of L since 2009, whereas UConn can claim results very similar to what they have had against Duke:

1. UK's last two NCAA tournament losses have been to UConn.

2. UConn beat UK in the 2011 Final Four. Many rationale people believe their contest was truly the national championship game that season (just like Duke in 2004).

3. UConn beat a highly touted preseason UK team in the 2014 national championship game (just like Duke in 1999).

Wow, this UConn/UK rivalry was not really on my radar. That is fantastic. Great post, very informative.

[English]

My two cents...

I used to hate UConn with the force of a thousand suns, but I have a hard time hating this current iteration. Ollie seems like a pretty stand up guy, and I was pleased to see him knock off Calipari last year. My hatred of UConn was based mostly on the players that they had when we met over and over, their totally sketchy and criminal ridden program, and Jim Calhoun's... everything.

To my knowledge, this is a pretty different program now. Sure, I hope we win, and I would savor a victory over UConn moreso than many other teams, but the days of them eliciting the same level of emotion from me that UNC, Maryland, Kentucky, et al are over.

Now, tonight's game could certainly spin that on a dime, so stay tuned.

Go Duke!

It's really tough to hate them, the players especially, when they don't get enough food on their current scholly meal plans without getting paid, but are still expected to play at a high level. (see Napier, Shabazz--"Sometimes, there's hungry nights where I'm not able to eat, but I still gotta play up to my capabilities.") Sympathetic group of guys, wasting away on the court like that. Someone should talk to Kevin Ollie about changing the meal plan.

Here's hoping our guys offer them some triscuits after we lay another L on them in Izod.

[OldPhiKap]

Not ringing a bell. Use it in a sentence?

"Jed, I think you stepped in a pile of [University of] Maryland when you were walking through the field. Don't track it through the house."

[Billy Dat]

Luke Winn makes the case for Hack-a-Jah
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/12/18/power-rankings-kentucky-duke-arizona-louisville

Jah is shooting 59% from the stripe over his last 133 games 33/598.

[Duvall]

It's really tough to hate them, the players especially, when they don't get enough food on their current scholly meal plans without getting paid, but are still expected to play at a high level. (see Napier, Shabazz--"Sometimes, there's hungry nights where I'm not able to eat, but I still gotta play up to my capabilities.") Sympathetic group of guys, wasting away on the court like that. Someone should talk to Kevin Ollie about changing the meal plan.

Here's hoping our guys offer them some triscuits after we lay another L on them in Izod.

Is there a food drive organized for tonight for the malnourished Husky players?

[Neals384]

sigh. you already stole the whalers from us, and the stanley cup that came with it.....our state is left with NOTHING I tell you....even trinity college lost their squash streak. we might as well call up Queen Elizabeth II and ask to rejoin the UK.....but maybe...just maybe we can reinvigorate the nutmeg state with a big win.



From wikipedia: "Connecticut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut) received its nickname ("the Nutmeg State", "Nutmegger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmegger)") from the legend that some unscrupulous Connecticut traders would whittle "nutmeg" out of wood, creating a "wooden nutmeg", a term which later came to mean any type of fraud."

This seems sooo fitting.

[Henderson]

"Jed, I think you stepped in a pile of [University of] Maryland when you were walking through the field. Don't track it through the house."

Ahh. I should have known there was a scatalogical element. I was guessing more like, "Dad, I know the car frame is still smoldering in the driveway and I have your jockey shorts on my head, but things got pretty maryland after some sport game thing last night."

[ChillinDuke]

Don't let these bamboozlers push you around with the "no ice" spiel. A little bit of a ice is delicious, especially when it's a nice easy night.

Sporks for you, OPK, and not for any of these "no icers"!!

Yeah, if Duke is into icing this year then so am I.

By the way, when's the next game?

- Chillin

[Duvall]

The Izod Center is really a dead arena. I am sure there will be plenty of both sets of fans in the house, and I am betting that the UConn fans will be a bit more boisterous as I tend to find the NYC-area Duke fans - of which I am a part - to be more wine and cheese than Cameron Crazie. I hope I am proven wrong.

Oh, it will basically be a UConn home game. Outside of Cameron, Duke fans just don't cheer.

[subzero02]

To derive the concept that UConn is not a significant opponent to the Duke program due to a limited sample size of games, is profoundly absurd. UK fans dislike Duke due to one singular moment, that has compounded over time and competition. Raiders fans hate the Patriots because of a singular official ruling. Cubs fans hate the Marlins for one singular moment.

UConn has two big gold trophies in their lovely facility that could easily have gone to Duke. Big gold trophies (metaphoric or concrete) are the central purposes one strives at most human ventures, and any obstacle that repeats itself as opposition to collecting a big gold trophy is an important obstacle, even when compared with other opposition that occurs more frequently (Duke plays UNC Greensboro almost every year, but no realistic Duke fan views that program as an essential or noteworthy obstacle).

Not only would I include the 1990 NCAA game, along with 1999 and 2004, as important to the feelings of Duke fans, I would also include the following Duke/UConn games as important to the Duke basketball program proper:

November 1994 - Great Eight loss against UConn. Duke had the game in hand, Parks fouled out, things fell apart, Duke lost the game, and naturally, the 1994-1995 season was less than enjoyable, especially with UConn being the first of eighteen defeats. UConn had nothing to do with Coach K's heath, and the team's struggles, but they were the first of many difficult moments that season.

November 1999 - Championship game rematch in the Coaches vs. Cancer third place game. Duke narrowly lost to UConn, giving the Devils a three game losing streak (UConn '99 title game, Stanford, UConn rematch). The loss to UConn would be the 99-00 team's lone defeat until the St. John's game that ended the non-conference CIS streak, and the Maryland home loss that ended Duke's long unbeaten ACC streak. 1999 hurt for a myriad of reasons, but the CvC game really made one wonder if Calhoun-UConn truly had Duke's number.

November 2009 - Duke defeated UConn in the preseason NIT final, which was Duke's first victory over the Huskies in some time. Not only was the win over UConn for a big gold trophy, it was also Duke's first big win in a season which ended with a national championship.

UConn will never hold the surface level significance as UNC or Maryland, but in terms of critical events, UConn has been part of a great many memorable Duke moments.

UK fans currently view UConn with sentiments similar to Duke fans, and no Cat fan I know presently views the U of L rivalry as important to them, despite in being nationally recognized as a big rivalry, as the one with UConn, simply because UK has dominated U of L since 2009, whereas UConn can claim results very similar to what they have had against Duke:

1. UK's last two NCAA tournament losses have been to UConn.

2. UConn beat UK in the 2011 Final Four. Many rationale people believe their contest was truly the national championship game that season (just like Duke in 2004).

3. UConn beat a highly touted preseason UK team in the 2014 national championship game (just like Duke in 1999).

Great rundown... I have an intense burning hatred for UCONN that will only die once I do. I watched the 99 championship in Cameron on the big screen as a freshman. The case of beer my friends and I hid in the bushes outside to celebrate our certain victory wasn't nearly enough to numb the pain. Watching Jwill and Dunleavy lose to UCONN the next year was tough; especially coming on the heels of the Stanford. The loss to UCONN in 2004 was a slow trainwreck... I remember Calhoun calling a timeout after Deng capped a nice run with an uncontested layup and thinking "we're going to win this game." Randolph had a great first half and Okafor was saddled with foul trouble but it wasn't meant to be. (If only that Redick 3 pointer from the top of the key had fallen, things might have been different... Or if Deng's ill-advised 3 pointer in the final 5 minutes had fallen). So much pain caused by one school... I hope we beat them by 40 tonight.

[77devil]

The Izod Center is really a dead arena. I am sure there will be plenty of both sets of fans in the house, and I am betting that the UConn fans will be a bit more boisterous as I tend to find the NYC-area Duke fans - of which I am a part - to be more wine and cheese than Cameron Crazie. I hope I am proven wrong.

I'm not sure what to expect with an 8 PM start time on a Thursday night. The December game at MSG or Cameron North is usually on the weekend with an alumni reception beforehand. It draws many people from well beyond NYC who may not make the trip tonight. I'm afraid our turnout will be less than usual.


Oh, it will basically be a UConn home game. Outside of Cameron, Duke fans just don't cheer.

Well, it's not called Cameron North for nothing. I've been to almost all of the Duke games in the Meadowlands over the last 15 years and the Blue Devil fans have been plenty loud.

[-jk]

For all the folks hatin' on UConn for '99, I get it. But...

Yes, the officiating was a bit iffy. But Duke and UConn were the only AP #1 teams all season. And UConn might have been #1 longer than we were (memory fails - sorry). We opened 1, they took it, we took it back. Both teams were top 5 all year. UConn was a worthy adversary that year; losing to them wasn't the end of everything...

How much does UNLV hate us for '91? They went wire-to-wire #1, and undefeated, too. Of course, we went wire-to-wire #1 in '92, and won it all, too! (And they hate us all the more for it! Heh...)

-jk

[hsheffield]

actually he got a ticky tack foul about 1 minute into the 2004 game, which was his second, and Calhoun benched him for the first half...allowing duke to build a 7 point halftime lead with K playing a risky game, allowing the big men to pick up fouls with refs who ended up putting 4 big men on the bench in one half or the other. I know i'll never convince anyone here that there was anything but the refs to blame for that game, but the strategy clearly worked in Uconn's favor that night.

anyway, aside from okafor at duke, uconn also has players named Hamilton and Calhoun.....it's like uconn/duke history in 1 game!

a friend who's an ACC BB ref told me that the refs from the 04 game were called on the carpet for their officiating. apparently the 'powers that be' thought they took over the game and played too much of a role in the outcome.

btw, my friend is a UNC fan. hates Duke.

just sayin'

[MPandolfi]

For all the folks hatin' on UConn for '99, I get it. But...

Yes, the officiating was a bit iffy. But Duke and UConn were the only AP #1 teams all season. And UConn might have been #1 longer than we were (memory fails - sorry). We opened 1, they took it, we took it back. Both teams were top 5 all year. UConn was a worthy adversary that year; losing to them wasn't the end of everything...

How much does UNLV hate us for '91? They went wire-to-wire #1, and undefeated, too. Of course, we went wire-to-wire #1 in '92, and won it all, too! (And they hate us all the more for it! Heh...)

-jk

I was a senior in a CT high school only 15 or so miles from Storrs when UConn beat Duke in '99. To this day I have friends who talk about that UConn team like they were the '85 Nova team (and it's not just my friends, but most of the people that I talk to and they realize I'm a Duke fan). Very few realize how good and how highly ranked that team was in '99. I doubt they ever will.

[fuse]

Twitter says we get Karl Hess tonight.

[-jk]

Over/Under on the first T?

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

Twitter says we get Karl Hess tonight.


Over/Under on the first T?

-jk

He just whistled Daniel Ewing.

[sagegrouse]

Wrong thread? <sigh> I'm a fan of Aberlour (http://www.aberlour.com/) - a fabulous single malt. And it just happens to age in used Bourbon casks.

Damn, we need to get that whiskey/whisky thread going...

-jk

Not exactly neat. Add a little water, which opens up the aromas of the single malt. No ice -- heaven forfend!

[sagegrouse]

You have to consider where the programs were at the time. Duke against UConn in 1990 was at the time the biggest game in the history of UConn basketball.

Even bigger than Duke 101, UConn 54 in the elite eight in 1964? I was there in Reynolds that night. UConn was coached by ex-Duke assistant Fred Shabel, who had been my tennis coach in Phys Ed my sophomore year at Duke. The big game was the semis against Wally Jones and Villanova -- there were no seeds back then, just happenstance.

[brevity]

Twitter says we get Karl Hess tonight.

That's great news for Duke. If his past incidents with NC State players are any indication, he'll be targeting Rodney Purvis.

[sagegrouse]

For all the folks hatin' on UConn for '99, I get it. But...

Yes, the officiating was a bit iffy. But Duke and UConn were the only AP #1 teams all season. And UConn might have been #1 longer than we were (memory fails - sorry). We opened 1, they took it, we took it back. Both teams were top 5 all year. UConn was a worthy adversary that year; losing to them wasn't the end of everything...

How much does UNLV hate us for '91? They went wire-to-wire #1, and undefeated, too. Of course, we went wire-to-wire #1 in '92, and won it all, too! (And they hate us all the more for it! Heh...)

-jk


a friend who's an ACC BB ref told me that the refs from the 04 game were called on the carpet for their officiating. apparently the 'powers that be' thought they took over the game and played too much of a role in the outcome.

btw, my friend is a UNC fan. hates Duke.

just sayin'

Re 1999: all credit to UConn -- I thought we were unbeatable that year -- and learned a lesson.

Re 2004: second-hand report that the head of officials thought it was the worst-officiated game in the history of the Final Four and it was used as a negative instructional video afterwards. BTW, better officiating doesn't necessarily give Duke the win -- but the game would have been very different. Moreover, we had a seven-point lead under three minutes and let it get away (of course, not having a center was a factor); then -- what was clearly prejudicial -- is that the team of zebras that had called every ticky-tack contact as a foul for 39+ minutes swallowed their whistles when JJ was mugged on a drive to tie the game. I buh-LIEVE that JJ would have made the free throws. Then the game is a coin toss. But, my position is that the officials ruined a Final Four game.

[subzero02]

If I recall correctly, we were 12 point favorites over UCONN in 1999... El Amin said he and his teammates considered such a large number to be an insult and they used it as a motivational tool. We are 11 point favorites tonight...

[tbyers11]

If I recall correctly, we were 12 point favorites over UCONN in 1999... El Amin said he and his teammates considered such a large number to be an insult and they used it as a motivational tool. We are 11 point favorites tonight...

Statsheet lists us as 9.5 point (http://statsheet.com/mcb/games/1999/03/29/connecticut-77-duke-74) favorites in that 99 game. Agreed that the line seems really high compared to how good the 2 teams were that season.

11 seems pretty close this year based on the 2 teams so far. Ken Pom also has us as 11 point favorites.

[mgtr]

I was a big UCon hater, but I think that is Calhoun. Willing to give them a redo with Ollie, have to see how things go. Would like to win tonight by 30 or more. Unlikely, though.

[uh_no]

glenmorangie 10yr plus 2 snifters for 40 bucks at ABC? i'm ready.

lets go hungry hungry huskies

[riverside6]

Live tempo-based stats for Duke/UConn

http://www.scacchoops.com/duke-at-connecticut-basketball-live-stats-12182014

[DUKEinFW]

We are clearly the Moe talented team ... Now just keep up the pressure

[Sixthman]

Carl Hess on a roll

[DUKEinFW]

If we just focus on defense with a good rotation it will be a no contest

[Selover]

Did Amile not just get tackled?

[arnie]

Did Amile not just get tackled?

And no explanation from announcers? FTs are better, but can't count mistakes by Sheed.

[slower]

Dear God, do NOT let Plumlee touch the ball unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. It's downright scary to see him near the ball. And Matt Jones has reverted to (mediocre) 3-point form.

[subzero02]

Plumlee has terrible hands... He'd be so much more effective if he could squeeze the ball

[DUKEinFW]

Keep sheed in and keep driving

[DUKEinFW]

Jahlil is the man

[DUKEinFW]

At this rate Jeff will be the potg

[uh_no]

uconn good pressure d at forcing turnovers and hitting hard shots

duke made free throws and hit a few threes, good on the offensive glass too

super slow game, good defense on both sides....some people may say ugly, but i love when teams are successful at preventing teams from doing what they want

looking forward to the second half when maybe brimah can get on the floor.

[mr. synellinden]

Positive stats - 7 assists on 8 baskets. 10 offensive rebounds.

[richardjackson199]

uconn good pressure d at forcing turnovers and hitting hard shots

duke made free throws and hit a few threes, good on the offensive glass too

super slow game, good defense on both sides....some people may say ugly, but i love when teams are successful at preventing teams from doing what they want

looking forward to the second half when maybe brimah can get on the floor.

Uh no, just know, at least for the 2nd half - you're Wheat to me. :)

(It's all good, though - I like Wheat.)

[mgtr]

Lets see -- the UCon center has been on the floor less than 1 minute, and they are only down 5? I think, regardless of the score, advantage UCon. Coach K needs to pull out his "dump UCon" playbook. And where, oh where, has Mr. Justice been? We should be applying triple pressure from the front line, but it hasn't happened.

[uh_no]

Uh no, just know, at least for the 2nd half - you're Wheat to me. :)

(It's all good, though - I like Wheat.)

that's okay. i belonged to no one the second i matriculated to duke from a uconn fan family :)

[duketaylor]

Too many TOs, K will stress that.

[Saratoga2]

Keep sheed in and keep driving

While he is doing a job on defense, he wasn't smart with the ball and seemed like the pressure bothered him more than others. Plumlee also was weak with the ball. A guy his size needs to get both hands on the ball.

Amile is playing well as is Tyus, Quinn and Jahlil. Justise is doing it on defense but is having trouble getting a clean shot away. UCONN seems to draw the offensive fouls a lot. What's new.

This second half will be a fight for 20 minutes. Just hope we can find a way to cut the TOs down and hit some shots. The guys are tired from working their butts off on defense and shooting % is likely to be low.

[Sixthman]

Winslow is missing in action here. He needs to show up at both ends in the second half

[uh_no]

Winslow is missing in action here. He needs to show up at both ends in the second half

dan hamilton is pretty good. might be one of the best wings duke has seen this year.


....edit....you were saying?

[Sixthman]

Boatright immune from the whistle and it's open season on Amile.

[Sixthman]

Jefferson already has a double double and okafor and Jefferson have more rebounds than UCONN

[DukeDevil]

Oh man...Okafor's move to draw that 4th foul on Brimah was sick. His posture was so relaxed as if he was about to say "you know I'm bringing it...just try and stop me."

[arnie]

Winslow is missing in action here. He needs to show up at both ends in the second half

I think we're now seeing the real Winslow. Really good defender, OK shooter with some offensive moves. The Winslow in the 1st 5 games was insanely good on offense. I don't think it's fair to think he keeps that up.