WBB: Duke vs Wake Forest

[wandalee]

Game is at 2:00 today at Cameron. WF has not beaten Duke since March, 1993! 40 straight wins over them.

[burnspbesq]

And Duke is off to a very bad start. At the first media timeout, it's Wake, 10-0.

[uh_no]

And Duke is off to a very bad start. At the first media timeout, it's Wake, 10-0.

the calhoun transfer hits the backcourt hard. 33 minutes a game of guard play just evaporated.

[burnspbesq]

This is a much better Wake team than we are used to seeing over the last, oh, 20 years or so. The unconscious start (at one point, the Deacs were 10-13 from the floor and led by 16) evaporated, and Duke leads by one at the half. We were very out of sync at both ends for about the first 12 minutes, but managed to shake it off.

[Duvall]

This is a much better Wake team than we are used to seeing over the last, oh, 20 years or so.

Are they, though? This Wake team has five losses against a fairly soft schedule.

[burnspbesq]

12-2 run to open the second half, keyed by the defense. Azura will be at the line to complete a three-point play out of a timeout called by Wake.

[DU82]

Are they, though? This Wake team has five losses against a fairly soft schedule.

And that IS a big improvement.

My eye test tells me that Jen Hoover's going to be a good coach. They're playing much better as a team, without elite talent. Surprised us early. Our better talent (and height) is showing up finally.

[burnspbesq]

Are they, though?

Yes, they are. I like their three freshmen, and the post player Ball appears to have improved.

That said, you don't have to be all that good to be the best Wake team in a long time.

[wandalee]

I don't think wake is any better than normal. We were just out of synch through first 10 minutes. Better now but still lots of unforced errors. ewill s a beast out there.

[burnspbesq]

Two-possession game with 3:17 to go. Our expectations of at least one of these teams are badly out of whack.

[burnspbesq]

Sheesh.

[Duvall]

And that IS a big improvement.

Eh, not really. Wake records entering conference play:

2015: 9-5
2014: 9-4
2013: 7-5
2012: 10-3
2011: 9-7
2010: 9-5

Maybe this Wake team can match one of their "peak" years and make the WNIT, but there's nothing to suggest that they'll be any better than that.

[Class of '94]

Sheesh.

Honest question. I didn't see the game; but with the Calhoun transfer, should our expectations of where the team will be in March be further lowered? With the lack of true quality PGs and the number of guards dwindling, can this team make it into the NCAAT?

Again, just a question. The sky isn't falling; and I know we have talented bigs; but the team has to lower the amount of bad passes and unforced turnovers. And if we struggled against Wake, how are we are going to do when we play teams like ND, UNC, Louisville, etc. I see the potential that this team still has but I'm starting to wonder a little bit now if this team can realize that potential in time to make a run into the ACCT and NCAAT.

[dukelifer]

Honest question. I didn't see the game; but with the Calhoun transfer, should our expectations of where the team will be in March be further lowered? With the lack of true quality PGs and the number of guards dwindling, can this team make it into the NCAAT?

Again, just a question. The sky isn't falling; and I know we have talented bigs; but the team has to lower the amount of bad passes and unforced turnovers. And if we struggled against Wake, how are we are going to do when we play teams like ND, UNC, Louisville, etc. I see the potential that this team still has but I'm starting to wonder a little bit now if this team can realize that potential in time to make a run into the ACCT and NCAAT.

Without a true point guard- Duke will struggle against the elite teams. They have a chance to make it in but it will be tough to make noise. Just the way it is.

[burnspbesq]

with the Calhoun transfer, should our expectations of where the team will be in March be further lowered?

Ask me again after the Syracuse game on Thursday. Apparently the team didn't even have a walk-through to adjust to the sudden departure of Calhoun. We'll see how they look after three days of practice.

The difficulty we have right now is that we don't have a single perimeter player who can break down an opposing defense off the dribble or create her own shot. Teams are going to pack it in, and they will stay packed in until either Becca breaks out of her current shooting slump or Kalia and/or Mercedes proves they can hit around 40 percent from three. Or we need to find some other way to be less predictable in our half-court man offense. We have great success going high-low, but you can't run that on every possession. And our bigs can continue to improve at recognizing where the double is coming from and throwing out of it quicker; the women aren't nearly as good as the men at going inside out and making the extra pass to beat the initial rotation. We need to learn to (in lax parlance) force the second slide and move the ball again before the third slide can happen. "One more pass" needs to become the mantra.

[AIM4excellence]

Ask me again after the Syracuse game on Thursday. Apparently the team didn't even have a walk-through to adjust to the sudden departure of Calhoun. We'll see how they look after three days of practice.

The difficulty we have right now is that we don't have a single perimeter player who can break down an opposing defense off the dribble or create her own shot. Teams are going to pack it in, and they will stay packed in until either Becca breaks out of her current shooting slump or Kalia and/or Mercedes proves they can hit around 40 percent from three. Or we need to find some other way to be less predictable in our half-court man offense. We have great success going high-low, but you can't run that on every possession. And our bigs can continue to improve at recognizing where the double is coming from and throwing out of it quicker; the women aren't nearly as good as the men at going inside out and making the extra pass to beat the initial rotation. We need to learn to (in lax parlance) force the second slide and move the ball again before the third slide can happen. "One more pass" needs to become the mantra.

Our offense has been predictable for 7.5 years. I don't see why there would be hope it would suddenly improve when our best natural wing just left. It's time to put hopes on next year and the arrival of another dynamic PG a' la Chelsea Gray.

[jimsumner]

Calhoun's transfer was sudden and unexpected and Duke appeared a bit shell-shocked early on.

With the season-ending injury to Belton and now the loss of Calhoun, Duke is down to nine recruited players.

There will have to be some adjustments. Mercedes Riggs will have to get more minutes. Azura Stevens will go back to the wing, Oderah Chidon will play more at the 3 and Kendall Cooper will get more burn.

Duke needs a visit from the good-health fairy down the stretch, something notably missing the last few seasons.

There's no question in my mind that Duke will finish in the first division of the ACC and has a chance to make it to the second weekend in the NCAAs. But the margin for error is thinner than what we're accustomed to and I fear the ceiling is lower.

Duke brings in five perimeter players next season, so perimeter depth should not be an issue. But that's in the future.

[Duvall]

There's no question in my mind that Duke will finish in the first division of the ACC and has a chance to make it to the second weekend in the NCAAs. But the margin for error is thinner than what we're accustomed to and I fear the ceiling is lower.


No question? I guess that depends on how many teams are in the first division, but that seems a bit optimistic at this point. Another trip to the NCAAs seems likely, if only because Duke only has five games left against ranked teams. We'll know more Thursday - if Duke can compete against Syracuse they should be in decent shape.

[jimsumner]

No question? I guess that depends on how many teams are in the first division, but that seems a bit optimistic at this point. Another trip to the NCAAs seems likely, if only because Duke only has five games left against ranked teams. We'll know more Thursday - if Duke can compete against Syracuse they should be in decent shape.

Well, there are 15 teams. You seem to be suggesting a scenario in which Duke finishes eighth or worse in the ACC yet still advances to the NCAA.

Duke still had enough talent--Williams, Greenwell, Stevens especially--to defeat most everyone in the ACC. Elite teams? Not so sure. But the ACC doesn't have that many elite teams.

[burnspbesq]

Duke is virtually certain to finish somewhere between second and sixth in the ACC, and I think fourth or third are most likely (in that order). I don't think anyone in the league can stay with ND. I had Louisville pretty firmly penciled into the two slot before they almost gave the game away to Pitt yesterday (the final margin is all free throws; Pitt had the ball down one with 30 seconds to go, but turned it over and then had to foul). I'm not especially impressed with Carolina; I think a split is pretty likely and a sweep is possible. The games against Cuse and FSU are lose-able, and if we lose them both we'll probably finish sixth.

[Duvall]

Well, there are 15 teams. You seem to be suggesting a scenario in which Duke finishes eighth or worse in the ACC yet still advances to the NCAA.


No, I'm suggesting a scenario in which there's a small top tier in the ACC and Duke isn't in it. I don't see Duke finishing at eighth or worse, though we will find out soon enough whether that's a reasonable assumption.

[jimsumner]

No, I'm suggesting a scenario in which there's a small top tier in the ACC and Duke isn't in it. I don't see Duke finishing at eighth or worse, though we will find out soon enough whether that's a reasonable assumption.

Well, you did write that a trip to the NCAAs was "likely" but that finishing in the first division of the ACC was "optimistic."

Seems like a curious assessment. To me.