MBB: Duke vs Mich St (11-29-16) Pre-Game & In-Game Thread

[gofurman]

First, summary to detail. Duke should be favored. At Cameron vs an MSU team that has lost to every ranked opponent they have faced.

MSU is only 4-3. A good team but probably thought they would be at least 5-2 at this point. MSU has won vs 4 unranked opponents and lost to the 3 ranked opponents. They were lucky not to be 3-4 at this juncture (Florida Gulf coast). On the flip side, they were right with number 10 Arizona.

In summary any team of note has beaten them and we get them at home.

In more detail, they lost to 10th ranked Arizona by 2, were blown out by UK by 21, and lost to 20th ranked Baylor by 15. I don't know where each of those games were played but I assume some were neutral courts (UK champions classic?)

Unless Grayson is unable to go Duke should be favored.

On an aside... Personally, I am PERFECTLY FINE if Grayson doesn't play. K said I am not playing the freshman - and I quote - "because I don't want any lingering injuries on the team". End quote. Grayson has become the poster boy for a lingering injury. He came up lame AGAIN v App State. If K meant what he said and Grayson is gimpy I don't understand why he is playing. I am merely using the coaches own quote. Don't say it if you don't mean it. If you don't mean it just say 'no comment' or something of the sort. I am big on saying what you mean -

Best two scores for MSU ? Losing by only a bucket to AZ and beating a good Wichita State by 5 or so...

Worst two? Losing by 21 (just not in the same league) to UK and 15 to Baylor.

------
Details.

[itshoopsbabee]

First, summary to detail. Duke should be favored. At Cameron vs an MSU team that has lost to every ranked opponent they have faced.

MSU is only 4-3. A good team but probably thought they would be at least 5-2 at this point. MSU has won vs 4 unranked opponents and lost to the 3 ranked opponents. They were lucky not to be 3-4 at this juncture (Florida Gulf coast). On the flip side, they were right with number 10 Arizona.

In summary any team of note has beaten them and we get them at home.

In more detail, they lost to 10th ranked Arizona by 2, were blown out by UK by 21, and...

...and...AND? And WHAT?

[gofurman]

Details..

The key guy is #22 Miles Bridges a 6'7 230 freshman wing with about 18 points and 9 rebounds per game and that's in 30 minutes or so. Bridges is of particular concern because I don't see who guards him? 6'7 wing? That would probably be Tatum but now falls to Matt Jones or Kennard maybe? Bridges is also shooting 40 pct from 3. A real danger

Speaking of minutes, Izzo has played 11 guys in every game so far . Even deep teams usually only go to 10 guys

Another key is #44. Nick Ward -another freshman- at 6'8 250 Forward averaging 10 points and 6 boards

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I'm really trying to remain positive about how the year has gone so far (6-1!) and have faith that we'll see our full team soon. That said, if Grayson can't go, the non-conf home winning streak could really be on the line.

[dukelifer]

I'm really trying to remain positive about how the year has gone so far (6-1!) and have faith that we'll see our full team soon. That said, if Grayson can't go, the non-conf home winning streak could really be on the line.

Duke can win without Grayson - but they have very little margin for error. Team is tough minded. We shall see.

[DavidBenAkiva]

The fiancée is out of town, which gives me time to put some thought into this preview.

Michigan State has had one of the worst stretches under Tom Izzo in 2016. First, they receive a bad seed in the tournament and lose as a #2 seed to Middle Tennessee State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This, after being favored by many to reach the Final Four for a second consecutive year. It was a real gut check for the Spartans, who then lost seniors Matt Costello, Bryn Forbes, Denzel Valentine, and the freshman center Deyonta Davis. The resulting roster looks very different from typical MSU teams under Tom Izzo.

They are short, inexperienced, and look very shaky in the first portion of the college basketball season. After coming out on top after a controversial ending against Florida Gulf Coast and losing to Baylor in one of the pre-conference tournaments, I doubt MSU will be ranked when they enter Cameron Indoor Stadium. The headliner for the Spartans is potential one-and-done Miles Bridges, an ultra-athletic forward that can score from all levels: from deep, the midrange, and at the rim. He also provides a good deal of size on the team at 6'7". The only other contributor in the size department at this point in the season is 6'8" freshman Nick Ward. Senior Gavin Schilling is recovering from an injury and has yet to play this season. His leadership, size, and toughness is a glaring hole on the team at the moment.

The Spartans bring a lot of guards at you. They can shoot, too, with 3 players, including Bridges, averaging at least 40% from deep on 5 or more attempts per game. The other two are guards, senior Eron Harris and sophomore Matt McQuaid. All name team Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn can also shoot it from 3, averaging a cool 50% from deep. The diminutive guard, all 5'10" of him, has been looking to create offense for others, averaging 5.4 assists on less than 4 points per game. Talented freshman guard Cassius Winston, who towers over Nairn at a generous 6'0", also handles the ball quite a bit but has proven more willing to venture inside the paint with his shot than his older point guard teammate. The other two guards averaging at least 10 minutes per game are 6'4" senior Alvin Ellis and the talented 6'5" freshman Joshua Langford. Ellis and Langford mirror their teammates at the point in that the older Ellis is more apt to shoot it from deep while the younger Langford has no problem taking it closer to the hoop.

Characteristic of a team with a point guard more interested in creating, the Spartans lead the nation in assists per field goal made (72.0%). Despite that, they are not getting to the free throw line and are getting absolutely hammered on the boards. Another major issue is giving up a huge assist/turnover ratio on defense. The Spartans are not generating many turnovers, allowing teams to execute in the half court. MSU is generating a miniscule 2.7 steals per game. Not surprisingly, their opponents are averaging less than 10 turnovers a game. Being short and not generating transition buckets is not a good formula, and has been one of the major issues for MSU this early in the season.

Walking into Cameron Indoor Stadium is difficult for any opponent. Doing so with a freshman frontcourt only makes it harder. Expect Amile Jefferson to attack Nick Ward early and often as the four guards surround the perimeter. With the athletic Bridges serving as a stretch 4 of sorts for the undersized Spartans, I expect Coach K will limit the number of times he shows a two-big lineup with Jefferson and Jeter or Vrankovic. Then again, he may trust DeLaurier for a few minutes each half against the young frontcourt of MSU. It's possible we could see Duke throw a 1-2-2 trapping zone from time to time to limit the Spartans ability to move the ball side-to-side. Kennard, Allen, and Jones will also have a huge responsibility to rebound long misses off of jump shots. Still, the offensive and defensive matchups favor Duke. The Blue Devils will have a size advantage against everyone except Bridges. I expect Matt Jones will be given the primary responsibility of guarding the talented freshman. We may see Kennard guard him as well or the Blue Devils could elect to switch on screens, attempt to steal the ball (Bridges is sloppy with the dribble at this point in his career and is averaging 3.4 turnovers per game), and generally use quickness to keep him in front of the basket.

My prediction is that Duke methodically builds a lead off of Jefferson post moves, kick-outs to open shooters, and second chances generated by offensive rebounds. Allen, Jackson, and Kennard might all expect to have open shots through a 4-7 inch height advantage when guarded by Winston or Nairn. It might be a slow pace of play as MSU doesn't get up and down the court much and Duke doesn't seem to care to trap with a limited roster at the moment. I expect a lower scoring game with an efficient offense. Let's Go Duke!

[gofurman]

Next two guys ..

Nbr14 Eron Harris. Redshirt Senior 6'3 guard came over from West Virginia. Worth 13 points a game now at MSU

And Nairn. Nbr 11 junior guard. 5'11. A ton of assists but not many points. 5 assists. 3 pts per game

Bridges looks to be the key. Limit him. Easier said than done as he is a bad matchup for us. They also don't rebound that great - Esp for an Izzo team. And they are young. Frontcourt looks to be all freshman. Probably a. Team that's good and improves some (younger teams improve more than older ones ) throughout year

David - the poster above, seems to know a lot more than me (I don't doubt that) ... I am just going off stats - but we seem to come to similar conclusions. W Grayson I think we 'should' win. Msu is young. Without him maybe it's 60/40 for Duke? Amile should be able to use his inside up and under moves on these younger guys. I would like to see Amile get the ball a lot

[dyedwab]

Despite that, they are not getting to the free throw line and are getting absolutely hammered on the boards.

This is both absolutely true and creating huge cognitive dissonance for me. The idea of a Tom Izzo-coached Michigan State team getting "absolutely hammered on the boards" is a concept that I absolutely can not wrap my mind around...

....yet, looking at the numbers, there is no other possible description....

[UrinalCake]

MSU does have three losses but they have played a brutal schedule and have also traveled a ton, going to Hawaii and the Bahamas already. No doubt they will look to this game as a chance to pick up a huge win to offset these early losses. They are as battle-tested as any team in the country and won't be intimidated by playing us, even on the road.

For our part, our team has begun to form its identity without the three amigos on the bench and this would be big to prove we can win without them. The RI win was good but if we drop this one then the story of the season will simply be that we are not a contender until the freshmen get back on the court.

On top of all this, we have the non-conference home winning streak on the line and we are the last game in the ACC/B10 Challenge and could potentially determine the outcome. A lot on the line in this one.

[Newton_14]

Thanks for the analysis from GoFurman and DBA. Great stuff.

This year's Duke team has been really good so far at limiting 3's from opponents, so I expect our strength to beat their strength, especially in Cameron. Also expect Amile to have a big night going against the rooks. Everything favors Amile in this matchup. I smell another large double double coming. Frank, Matt, and Kennard will have to be on their offensive games to help offset a hobbled Grayson who I fully expect to see hobble out onto the court for the opening tip. With Amile/Vrank/Chase, I like our frontcourt against theirs.


Go Duke!

[Kedsy]

Worst two? Losing by 21 (just not in the same league) to UK and 15 to Baylor.

I saw the Mich St/UK game in person in NYC, and the second half of the Mich St/Baylor game on TV. Michigan State looked pretty woeful in both games. The Baylor game, in particular, was more of a blowout than the final score indicated. Of course, they'll bring their "A" game to Cameron, but they haven't been impressive so far.

[-jk]

I saw the Mich St/UK game in person in NYC, and the second half of the Mich St/Baylor game on TV. Michigan State looked pretty woeful in both games. The Baylor game, in particular, was more of a blowout than the final score indicated. Of course, they'll bring their "A" game to Cameron, but they haven't been impressive so far.

Given how banged up we are now, I hope we see a "woeful" team.

-jk

[BD80]

Given how banged up we are now, I hope we see a "woeful" team.

-jk

I hope we field a "toe-full" team

[porkpa]

I hope, even if we lose the game that Coach K sits Grayson.
This kid just might be the toughest warrior that we have ever had.
There is no way that he would sit voluntarily, nor in my opinion would he ever express the pain he actually is in. Grayson has a great future, not only with Duke, but also in the NBA. Why risk it all for a game that for the most part means very little except for bragging rights.
Actually, if it were up to me, I think I'd sit Grayson until January or at the very least until its absolutely certain that he is healthy.

[Indoor66]

Duke 81 - MSU 60

[Spanarkel]

The fiancée is out of town, which gives me time to put some thought into this preview.


Thank you for the interesting and thoughtful preview! Much better analysis than ESPN will provide.

[budwom]

I could see Izzo wanting to turn this into a Big 10 style Foul-a-Thon given our lack of bodies right now

[Troublemaker]

I could see Izzo wanting to turn this into a Big 10 style Foul-a-Thon given our lack of bodies right now

MSU would need cooperation from Duke and the refs for that to happen. We need to play disciplined defense and not foul, and the refs need to only call fouls on MSU if in fact they're the only team fouling.



Best two scores for MSU ? Losing by only a bucket to AZ and beating a good Wichita State by 5 or so...

And the win over a well-coached Wichita St team (#23 kenpom) was MSU's most recent game. The Spartans probably are a little bit improved upon the team that started the season.

[tbyers11]

I could see Izzo wanting to turn this into a Big 10 style Foul-a-Thon given our lack of bodies right now

Typically that might be Big10 thing to do, but due to injuries Mich St has even less frontcourt depth than we do. I'm not sure attrition works for them at the moment

[Billy Dat]

MSU does have three losses but they have played a brutal schedule and have also traveled a ton, going to Hawaii and the Bahamas already. No doubt they will look to this game as a chance to pick up a huge win to offset these early losses. They are as battle-tested as any team in the country and won't be intimidated by playing us, even on the road.

A travel schedule so insane that Izzo actually apologized to the team
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18129711/michigan-state-coach-tom-izzo-apologizes-spartans-schedule

Baylor has emerged as a surprise top team thus far with Ws over MSU, Louisville and Oregon so MSU isn't dropping games to weak teams.

All that said, we should win, even with a compromised Grayson, especially at home in the only game each year when the non-con winning streak is seriously in jeopardy (which, to me, says it aint really worth hyping at this point).

Jefferson's recent play, especially his expanded repertoire of low post moves, has been exciting to watch. Also, the Chase/Antonio/Javin competition for minutes is an interesting subplot. Luke, Jones and Frank are healthy and ready to produce. Grayson is a question mark.

If Matt, Luke, Frank, Amile, Chase, Vrank and Javin can beat MSU...then we are legit!

[budwom]

Typically that might be Big10 thing to do, but due to injuries Mich St has even less frontcourt depth than we do. I'm not sure attrition works for them at the moment

I"m just noting the post that says MSU has played 11 guys in all games thus far...we only have nine, not counting Robinson, for what that's worth.
Also FWIW, KenPom has us favored by 13 pts...I think if we shoot reasonably well, we win (as is often the case).

[flyingdutchdevil]

I believe that Duke will have the most athletic player(s) on the court in all but two games we face this year. Grayson Allen is very athletic for college standards (and arguably only average for NBA) and Jackson may be on another level.

One of those two games I mentioned was Kansas, where I believe Josh Jackson to be the most athletic player in the country (and comparable to Wiggins). The other? Miles Bridges. This dude can run, jump, and move his feet, and it translates very well on the court.

I think MSU is pretty mediocre, but I really wanna see Miles Bridges. And I'm really curious how Coach K will defend Miles. Do we put our best defender on him (Jones) for the vast majority of the game and really defend the other positions well? Or do we double Bridges/rotate on Bridges and prevent him from scoring? IMO, either strategy can work, but I do not think you can limit both Bridges or the rest of the team. Just my two cents...

[DukeTrinity11]

Duke rolls here by 15+ even if Allen doesn't play as MSU is simply not good this year. Take away the name from the front of the jersey and watch the tape and you"ll see a maybe slightly above average Power 5 team that can't rebound and turns the ball over at a decent clip.

[MChambers]

I expect a tough game. If Shilling were available for MSU, it would be fairly even. Bridges will be the most talented player on the floor (would not be the case if Tatum or Giles was able to play, but Bridges is awfully talented). I assume Jones will be on him, or perhaps Jefferson at times. Hope they can stay out of foul trouble and that we keep Bridges from going off.

I think Duke's scoring will be a problem for MSU, which doesn't have enough offensive weapons.

Duke by 8.

[niveklaen]

I expect a tough game. If Shilling were available for MSU, it would be fairly even. Bridges will be the most talented player on the floor (would not be the case if Tatum or Giles was able to play, but Bridges is awfully talented). I assume Jones will be on him, or perhaps Jefferson at times. Hope they can stay out of foul trouble and that we keep Bridges from going off.

I think Duke's scoring will be a problem for MSU, which doesn't have enough offensive weapons.

Duke by 8.

I hope we keep Amile away from Bridges on defense - Amile is the one guy we cannot afford to have in foul trouble.

[fuse]

I'm expecting a tighter game than most on DBR, it appears.

Maybe that is more out of respect for Mich State and Izzo than what team Izzo is leading this season.

Underestimating a good coach and a hungry team is not where Duke wants to be.

[weezie]

...All name team Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn...

Hey, Crazies! Are you paying attention?!

[MChambers]

I hope we keep Amile away from Bridges on defense - Amile is the one guy we cannot afford to have in foul trouble.

That's a good point, but Coach K doesn't always think that way, especially when he's got a smart senior who's a top notch defender. And when another big is in the game: Jeter, Vrank, or Delaurier, there won't be much of a choice.

[Atldukie79]

MSU does have three losses but they have played a brutal schedule and have also traveled a ton, going to Hawaii and the Bahamas already. No doubt they will look to this game as a chance to pick up a huge win to offset these early losses. They are as battle-tested as any team in the country and won't be intimidated by playing us, even on the road.

For our part, our team has begun to form its identity without the three amigos on the bench and this would be big to prove we can win without them. The RI win was good but if we drop this one then the story of the season will simply be that we are not a contender until the freshmen get back on the court.

On top of all this, we have the non-conference home winning streak on the line and we are the last game in the ACC/B10 Challenge and could potentially determine the outcome. A lot on the line in this one.

Note that Duke plays on day 2 of 3 in the challenge. Six more games on Wednesday. However, I agree with your characterization of the "story of the season".

[subzero02]

We are heavily favored in this game according to vegas... most books have us at -800 on the money line and a spread of -10.5 or -11.

[English]

I'm expecting a tighter game than most on DBR, it appears.

Maybe that is more out of respect for Mich State and Izzo than what team Izzo is leading this season.

Underestimating a good coach and a hungry team is not where Duke wants to be.

Not where Duke fans want to be, or not where the Duke players and coaches want to be? I'm confident that DBR taking a team lightly has little effect on the outcome of the game. I'm also supremely confident that K and the guys will not be taking this MSU team lightly, and that playing at home will only add extra motivation.

That said, like you, I'm expecting a tougher game than most it seems--that's because of the injury situation, rather than any underestimation of Izzo/MSU/Bridges/TumTum. Notably, I'm concerned about the team cohesion and the margin for error if Grayson sits or is a shell of himself because of the injury. The team has been rolling even with a razor thin bench, but there's likely a tipping point somewhere. Even if Duke were a real 10.5pt favorite (current Vegas spread) at their previous level, subtracting 50-100% of Grayson's ability due to injury is bound to negate some of that advantage.

I'm certainly glad we're playing at home, and I'm optimistic the team will be ready.

[rocketeli]

couple of thoughts
re Bridges
usually when Duke plays a team with one superstar and the rest so-so/ok they will play the superstud straight up and concentrate on not letting the other players beat them. K thinks it seems that , so what if the guy gets 30 points--so long as the rest of his team doesn't get more than 20 or 30 between them we'll win. So we won't see Jones on Bridges--although Jones is a fairly good defender, he is too short and too slow, and K loves to have him on the floor, which he can't do if he fouls out. Jones instead will be put to play to his strengths and work to shut down the perimeter. Most likely Jefferson will defend Bridges, with assists from Kennard (who is quite a bit taller and quicker than Jones) and possibly Jeter, but more likely Delaurier in spot duty. Delaurier will foul, but he will be able to stay with Bridges and prevent him from finishing a play.

Also can someone make sense of the injury situation for me? I don't mean not having any specific information about who hurt what--I'm used to that and just because I'm a fan doesn't mean I'm entitled to someone's personal medical information, or information that would help Duke's opponents if it got out. It just that it seems the training/coaching staff has developed multiple personality disorder or something. One the hand they seem perfectly content to let Allen destroy himself physically. This is in line with what I've noticed is a less attractive side of Duke's staff--there seems to be an idea that "real men play hurt" and the players seem to feel they have to go back in the game even if they have a significant injury like a sprained ankle and--JUST DON'T DO THAT. THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA. THAT WILL MOST LIKELY PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR ANKLE...(sorry that's me the physician talking)
...and then we have the freshmen. They've all been benched for weeks, but there seems no evidence of broken bones, and no surgery except for Giles, yet they've been nursed cautiously along...what gives? We're getting to be past the point where Duke would want to start integrating them back into the line-up for the ACC season, aren't we, so it can't be the element of surprise thing? I'd hate to think there was some kind of double standard--Allen has already given them all they can get, so the heck with him, but the freshmen are still talking to other recruits, or will be big NBA gets, so we can't talk that Duke ruined them...?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

We have reached a point in Peak Internet where I think I need my sarcasm-meter reconfigured...

[mgtr]

OK, color me worried, verging on scared. I don't like this at all. I guess we will have a little better picture tonight.

[BullBlue]

couple of thoughts

Also can someone make sense of the injury situation for me? I don't mean not having any specific information about who hurt what--I'm used to that and just because I'm a fan doesn't mean I'm entitled to someone's personal medical information, or information that would help Duke's opponents if it got out. It just that it seems the training/coaching staff has developed multiple personality disorder or something. One the hand they seem perfectly content to let Allen destroy himself physically. This is in line with what I've noticed is a less attractive side of Duke's staff--there seems to be an idea that "real men play hurt" and the players seem to feel they have to go back in the game even if they have a significant injury like a sprained ankle and--JUST DON'T DO THAT. THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA. THAT WILL MOST LIKELY PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR ANKLE...(sorry that's me the physician talking)
...and then we have the freshmen. They've all been benched for weeks, but there seems no evidence of broken bones, and no surgery except for Giles, yet they've been nursed cautiously along...what gives? We're getting to be past the point where Duke would want to start integrating them back into the line-up for the ACC season, aren't we, so it can't be the element of surprise thing? I'd hate to think there was some kind of double standard--Allen has already given them all they can get, so the heck with him, but the freshmen are still talking to other recruits, or will be big NBA gets, so we can't talk that Duke ruined them...?

I have also been wondering how the Duke staff makes a determination about an injury. How is the decision made after an injury, if and when a player plays, or in the case of the freshmen when they will actually start play? In other words, what is the threshhold that allows a player that has had an injury to get back on the court? Is the decision up to doctors? Trainers? Coaches? The player? Everybody? And what is the decision based on? Medical evidence (MRI, X-Ray, etc.)? Time? How the player feels (does it still hurt)?

I know every case is different, and it is probably a combination of all of the above. I am just really curious what drives the return-to-play decision.

[richardjackson199]

I never thought I'd be reading about HIPPA on the Duke-MSU pregame thread, but I guess it's just where we are right now as a frustrated-with-injury fan base. It's understandable, but still frustrating. Keep the hope, friends!
Anyhow, have any of our guys been officially ruled out for tonight? I haven't seen any official updates from Duke or reliable sources.

My understanding is Coach K said after our last game that Tatum, Giles, and Bolden would definitely not play at all tonight against MSU. Coach K is pretty reliable.

[dukebluesincebirth]

My understanding is Coach K said after our last game that Tatum, Giles, and Bolden would definitely not play at all tonight against MSU. Coach K is pretty reliable.

Oh. I hadn't seen that quote. Thanks. Bummer.

[ipatent]

A lot depends on how they call it...Michigan State plays physical basketball. That's one of the reasons Izzo outperforms in the tournament, as the officials tend to let them play.

[devildeac]

A lot depends on how they call it...Michigan State plays physical basketball. That's one of the reasons Izzo outperforms in the tournament, as the officials tend to let them play.

Most, but not all, of these:

2) They are all against me! They all must die!
a) Some yahoo columnist at [Publication] said something nasty about us. Let’s teach him a lesson by bombing his inbox!
b) Jay Bilas is a traitor for not talking us up enough. His whole discourse is a secret code of cracks on our players and program.
c) Dick Vitale talks us up too much and makes everyone hate us even more.
d) [Announcer, usually Elmore or Packer] has a vendetta against us and talks us down.
e) “[Insert name of writer or commentator or internet poster] [misspelled/mispronounced] [insert Duke player’s name] and needs to be set straight. It’s just [sloppy/lazy/unprofessional] for a so-called “journalist” [or fan] to make such a basic mistake, after all.” (AKA, “Who is Sheldon?”)
f) UNC owns the North Carolina media and they’re all [Charlotte writers especially] against us.
g) Those damn Carolina refs.
h) Billy Packer/Len Elmore/ESPN are complicit in the refs disfavoring us in a reactive manner.
i) Here’s why those Maryland hosers are wrong about the refs favoring us
j) Man, the ACC refs sure are inconsistent this year. (Recycle indefinitely).
k) Duke’s best player, usu. a guard] gets rough-housed every year, and the refs never call anything.
l) I’m worried that we’re too soft for loose NCAAT officiating.
m) I’m worried ticky-tack calls/tight officiating on our bigs will doom us in the NCAAT.
n) he NCAAT Committee screwed Duke.
o) The NCAAT Committee purposely massages the brackets to set up potential “interesting” matchups involving Duke.

:rolleyes:;)

[Indoor66]

Most, but not all, of these:

2) They are all against me! They all must die!
a) Some yahoo columnist at [Publication] said something nasty about us. Let’s teach him a lesson by bombing his inbox!
b) Jay Bilas is a traitor for not talking us up enough. His whole discourse is a secret code of cracks on our players and program.
c) Dick Vitale talks us up too much and makes everyone hate us even more.
d) [Announcer, usually Elmore or Packer] has a vendetta against us and talks us down.
e) “[Insert name of writer or commentator or internet poster] [misspelled/mispronounced] [insert Duke player’s name] and needs to be set straight. It’s just [sloppy/lazy/unprofessional] for a so-called “journalist” [or fan] to make such a basic mistake, after all.” (AKA, “Who is Sheldon?”)
f) UNC owns the North Carolina media and they’re all [Charlotte writers especially] against us.
g) Those damn Carolina refs.
h) Billy Packer/Len Elmore/ESPN are complicit in the refs disfavoring us in a reactive manner.
i) Here’s why those Maryland hosers are wrong about the refs favoring us
j) Man, the ACC refs sure are inconsistent this year. (Recycle indefinitely).
k) Duke’s best player, usu. a guard] gets rough-housed every year, and the refs never call anything.
l) I’m worried that we’re too soft for loose NCAAT officiating.
m) I’m worried ticky-tack calls/tight officiating on our bigs will doom us in the NCAAT.
n) he NCAAT Committee screwed Duke.
o) The NCAAT Committee purposely massages the brackets to set up potential “interesting” matchups involving Duke.

:rolleyes:;)

Well said but I KNOW you missed a bunch of important points. I just can't think of them after reading your post and now suffering a headache. 😠😭😉😎

[devildeac]

Well said but I KNOW you missed a bunch of important points. I just can't think of them after reading your post and now suffering a headache. 😠😭😉😎

Take two aspirin and PM me in the AM.

[richardjackson199]

During the Pitt - Md game Doris Burke just announced she talked to Jay Bilas and Dan Shulman who told her that Grayson Allen would play tonight, "just not at 100%." I'll take it - we knew he's not 100%. The fact that he's still playing I assume is good news.

Doris also said he hasn't been practicing much recently due to the toe injury.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

During the Pitt - Md game Doris Burke just announced she talked to Jay Bilas and Dan Shulman who told her that Grayson Allen would play tonight, "just not at 100%." I'll take it - we knew he's not 100%. The fact that he's still playing I assume is good news.

Doris also said he hasn't been practicing much recently due to the toe injury.

I think the key to a Duke win tonight will have to be solid play from Jefferson. If he has an off game, this could be a tough one.

Jefferson has been playing really well, but I noticed in the last game that several times he put both hands on his man defending the post. That's a point of emphasis to call that, (it wasn't called that last game), so he needs to be careful with that because Duke can't afford him out with foul trouble in this one. I don't think Duke is getting enough from other bigs to pull this one out without him.

It seems Grayson has to drive north south to be his most effective, that creates his space to shoot and gets him to the line, so we'll see if his injury and the MSU guards have the ability to keep him in front make him force contested jumpers. If he can drive, that's a big plus for Duke at home.

Kennard and Jones just need to play under control, not force their game, and hit some open looks for Duke to have an advantage in this one.

[Indoor66]

Take two aspirin and PM me in the AM.

Always the same from the docs: two asperins and call me in the morning. What the hell is wrong with a few shots of bourbon? 😠😖😎

[devildeac]

Always the same from the docs: two asperins and call me in the morning. What the hell is wrong with a few shots of bourbon? 😠😖😎

That works, too, but I'd limit it to 90 ml. Total. For the evening, not each drink. :p

[-jk]

DBR Chat (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/misc.php?do=cchatbox) is open!

If it gets a bit slow, refresh the page. If you're on a mobile device, you'll need to select "Blue" at the bottom.

As always - please follow the DBR Posting Guidelines.

Let's Go Duke!

-jk

[dukelifer]

During the Pitt - Md game Doris Burke just announced she talked to Jay Bilas and Dan Shulman who told her that Grayson Allen would play tonight, "just not at 100%." I'll take it - we knew he's not 100%. The fact that he's still playing I assume is good news.

Doris also said he hasn't been practicing much recently due to the toe injury.

What percent is he? And will he still play 100% of the minutes.

[riverside6]

Live tempo-based stats for Duke/Michigan State...

http://www.scacchoops.com/michigan-state-at-duke-basketball-live-stats-11292016

[Utley]

Giles and Bolden both warming up. Giles doing reverse dunks and draining shot after shot right inside the 3 point line. His oven stuffed toaster is up. Bolden looked good too. Tatum mainly watched.

[rsvman]

If we are going to shoot 5 percent from three, it could be a long night.

[Karl Beem]

Less Jeter will be more.

[Kfanarmy]

Unable to see game....question based on play by play...Is Allen taking good shots or what...shot a lot without much to show...missing freebies as well.

[DukeWarhead]

Not smooth. Struggling. This abundance of caution with Giles, Bolden, and Tatum is wearing thin. If Grayson can play banged up, they can too.

[Ballboy1998]

Matt picked a bad game to go cold from three and Allen was the "bad" Allen for the last 5 minutes of the half. Obviously not his fault he is playing hurt, but he is trying to force the issue too much and is throwing up bad shots after some better ones didn't fall.

That said, if Duke can limit transition opportunities in the second half, and avoid major foul trouble, I still think we will be in good shape.

[rsvman]

Both Kennard and Jones are stone cold from distance. If either one were on his usual pace, we'd be ahead by about 7 or 8 points.

[rsvman]

Grayson finally warming up!

[rsvman]

Team defense looking a lot better. Dosing better on offense and we are finally making some shots.
Jefferson is a beast.

[Steven43]

Hate to say it, butt Matt's shot is broken. He would have missed the side of the barn with several of his 3-point attempts. Luke is missing his threes too, but they are close. Matt looks lost from outside.