MBB: Duke vs. Louisville (2/21, 9 p.m., ESPN) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[DavidBenAkiva]

After the stirring defensive effort against Clemson on Sunday, Duke goes home for 3 of the final 4 games of the regular season. First up is the Louisville Cardinals and their fresh-faced coach David Padgett.

The Cardinals visit Duke on a slide, having lost 5 of their last 8. They are also about the biggest team Duke will have faced this season since Michigan State or Texas. The starting lineup features 6'11" freshman center Malik Williams, 6'10" junior forward Raymond Spalding, 6'7" junior Deng Adel, 6'6" sophomore forward V.J. King, and 6'2" senior point guard Quentin Snider. That's a center, 3 forwards, and a point guard for those counting at home. Off the bench, they feature 7'0" senior center Anas Mahmoud, and 6'8" freshman forward Jordan Nwora.

And they are deep. Padgett is playing 10 guys at least 13 minutes per game in conference this season. In addition to the 7 players mentioned above, the Cardinals bring in a trio of guards off the bench in sophomores Ryan McMahon and Dwayne Sutton and freshman Darius Perry. Expect a lot of substitutions.

With all of those forwards, it's a little surprising that UofL is 4th in conference play in 3P% at 39.0%. On the season, they are shooting at 36.5%. Their starters are just ok at shooting but freshman Nwora and sophomore McMahon are particularly good from beyond the arc at above 40% on the season.

With all that height and the Louisville defense, it shouldn't be a shock that the Cardinals are 9th in the nation in opponents 2P% at 44.0%. They also block at lot of shots. Their block rate, at 10.3%, is 4th in the nation. So they are big and make it tough to get clean looks at the basket. Weirdly, they are not a good rebounding team. They give up a lot of offensive rebounds in particular and are not great on the offensive boards.

As an ok offensive team and tall defensive team, I expect a mucky game. Having Bagley III healthy and available again would certainly help at this juncture in the season and to match up with the plethora of Louisville bigs. But Javin DeLaurier and Marques Bolden have been playing well and should help to compliment Wendell Carter, Jr. Speaking of Wendell, he'll have a heft advantage. No one on the opposing Cardinals has an official weight above 215 pounds. He should be able to establish post position at the very least. And Duke's guards should have some advantage running off of screens. But they are going to have to guard against some bigger defenders. It's an interesting matchup. Hopefully, the home irons will be kind and Duke's perimeter shooting will allow them to get some separation from Louisville.

Let's Go Duke!

[Bluegrassdevil1]

My UofL opinions, take them or leave them:

1. UofL plays quite a few players, but I would not classify the team as being "deep." A few kids essentially run up and down the court, then go sit down for a bit. Rinse and repeat.

2. Deng Adel is more than capable of going into business for himself. Adel is UofL's most talented player, but there are times when he will go all out 5 on 1.

3. Ray Spalding is talented, but there have been numerous times where UofL refuses to give him the ball.

4. Q. Snider will have moments where he is solid, and just as many moments where he has cement feet and no playmaking ability/instinct. Put Snider in a clear-out with Duval, and he will get eaten alive.

5. Anas Mahmoud is capable of blocking shots, but he does not have a great deal of "fire in his belly." I was at the UNC game last night, and the kid totally, wholly, and fully quit midway through the game.

6. Padgett, who I find to be a wonderful guy through and through, has moments where he clearly has no flipping idea what he is doing.

7. Greg Paulus is heavily involved in decision-making, and is pretty beloved here in Derbytown, but he has been known to tell players to run a play at the beginning of timeout, then drawn up a completely different set in the huddle, and the players return to action, with no idea what to do with themselves.

8. UofL, despite their physical height, is an awful rebounding team. I have watched them against some pretty inferior talent this season, and there have been countless times where the Cards will simply concede any examples of effort to the opposing team.

9. I honestly believe UofL is stuck in a gray area where they know that this season is the program's last chance for awhile to go to the tournament (no signed recruits, and a solid local kid that attends the same high school as did Ray Spalding, plus, local top-five recruit Romeo Langford, want nothing to do with them), so they want to go out with a bang, but they also are on the brink of missing the tournament, with a brutal ending stretch, and many players just want it all to be over. Since mid-2014, UofL as an institution, has been one dumpster fire after another, and the fan/alumni base is balkanized to a level of almost constant in-fighting.

I think that if Duke lets them hang around, UofL may hunger for their biggest win of the season (they have zero eye-catching victories), but on the other hand, if Duke punches them in the mouth, I suspect UofL will tap out.

[Bob Green]

With all that height and the Louisville defense, it shouldn't be a shock that the Cardinals are 9th in the nation in opponents 2P% at 44.0%. They also block at lot of shots. Their block rate, at 10.3%, is 4th in the nation. So they are big and make it tough to get clean looks at the basket. Weirdly, they are not a good rebounding team. They give up a lot of offensive rebounds in particular and are not great on the offensive boards.



Is it possible Louisville players are out of position for rebounds due to going for the block? A high block rate while simultaneously yielding offensive rebounds to the opponent does not seem weird to me.

[CDu]

We face Louisville this Wednesday night, in what should be a nice, though not definitive, test of our defensive improvements. The Cards are a top-50 (ish, depending upon your stats of choice) offense and a top-25 defense. Despite that balance, they haven't really fared well against good teams this year. Their best results this season are from over a month ago: wins over FSU and a depleted Notre Dame team on the road and a home win over Va Tech. They haven't won a game against a tournament-caliber team since that Va Tech win 5 weeks ago, and they only have 2 wins against tourney-caliber teams all season. So while they are a reasonably-highly rated team by efficiency metrics, they haven't really translated that into wins. What they've done best is destroy bad teams and lose close to decent/good teams. They seem to be trending in the wrong direction, and at the wrong time; their remaining schedule is brutal.

Offensively, the Cardinals have done a really good job shooting the ball in ACC play. They shoot 39% from 3 in conference and 52% from 2. They also draw fouls at a high rate in conference play. They also have done a decent job of not turning the ball over. What they don't do well is rebound, which is a bit surprising given their size/length. They like to play at about the same pace we do, though faster than we have played the past few games.

Defensively, they play a matchup zone defense. They will try impose their will via blocked shots and turnovers forced, as their length and aggressiveness really come into play here. Again, though, they are a very poor rebounding team on the defensive glass, which would seem to play to one of our strengths. Lots of pressure and traps all over the court, and they really rely on their athleticism and length to make life tough.

Centers: Anas Mahmoud (7'0", 215lb senior from Egypt) is the man in the middle. Mahmoud has had a bit of a disappointing senior season after showing some real flashes of potential last year. He's more skilled than he looks, but sometimes plays without enough of a conscience. In the open floor, he's somewhat dynamic. But his lack of strength is a real limitation. Mahmoud is a terrific shotblocker, and is very effective at moving without the ball. He's a nice finisher around the rim, but again his lack of strength makes him easy to disrupt unless he has a clear path to the basket. Despite being more of a finesse player, Mahmoud is a terrible free throw shooter. Mahmoud plays about 25 mpg, with no true backup center behind him. The de facto backup is Malik Williams (6'11", 215lb freshman). Williams is a terrific athlete, but has some of the same issues that Mahmoud has (lack of strength). He's an okay rebounder, but not great. Offensively, Williams has very good shooting touch for a big man and can finish above the rim, but again physicality is a limitation.
Still, he's a talented prospect.

Forwards: Ray Spalding (6'10", 215lb junior) has been the breakthrough performer this year. Spalding is very athletic, capable of guarding 3-4 spots on the floor. He's a fantastic rebounder on both ends, and really carries the load on the glass for the Cards. He is a menace in the passing lanes from the back line, and also a pretty good shotblocker. Offensively, he's a terrific putback guy who has improved his range this year. Not a great free throw shooter, but he's made strides there as well. Spalding is one of their best players. If Spalding isn't THE best player, Deng Adel (6'7", 200lb junior from Australia). Adel reminds me a little bit of another Deng: our own Luol. He's a very lanky combo forward, with decent shooting touch (35% from 3, 77% from the line) and terrific athleticism. Adel isn't a great ballhandler, but he's not a glaring liability. Not nearly as good as Deng, but that type of player. Behind those two, Jordan Nwora (6'8", 215lb freshman) is the next man up. Nwora is a bit like Jordan Tucker: terrific shooter (44% from 3) but not terribly athletic. Nwora's primary job is as a catch-and-shoot forward, and doesn't like to dribble at all if he can avoid it. Also an okay rebounder given his size. Amusingly, the Cards have a 6'8" former Blue Devil forward Lance Thomas (no relation to our 6'8" former Blue Devil Lance Thomas) on the roster. Thomas played for the Norcross (GA) High School Blue Devils. Coincidentally, he was a teammate of Jordan Goldwire there, so yet another connection. Thomas plays sparingly, and typically only in blowouts.

Wings: VJ King (6'6", 190lb sophomore) is the primary option on the wing. King is a very good shooter who is having a tough year in an expanded role. He's quite capable of scoring from all 3 levels, with solid ballhandling, ahleticism, and shooting touch. He reminds me a little bit of VJ Beachem from Notre Dame, in that he is a lanky and athletic scorer with good a good 3pt stroke. But his shot has deserted him a bit this year. Beside King is Ryan McMahon (6'0", 170lb sophomore). McMahon is a shooter, plain and simple. 40% 3pt shooter and 91% from the line, but 80% of his shots are 3pt shots. He's not terribly athletic, and he is small and not much of a creator off the dribble. But don't leave him open. Behind King and McMahon is Dwayne Sutton (6'5", 200lb sophomore transfer from UNC-Asheville). Sutton is a terrific athlete and tenacious rebounder from the wing, not unlike Theo Pinson (again, not nearly as good, but that type of player). He's not much of a shooter though. But a terrific finisher around the basket. And oh so pesky.

Guards: Quentin Snider (6'2", 175lb senior) is the primary playmaker for the Cardinals. Snider is more solid than dynamic, but is a very good shooter. He handles the ball very well, and is pretty efficient with the ball. But he isn't going to break you down off the dribble. But he's very steady, very experienced, and a solid overall player at PG. Behind him is Darius Perry (6'2", 170lb freshman). Perry is sort of the opposite of Snider: he's a terrific athlete with an aggressive game off the dribble, but lacks the polish and shooting touch. Not a bad young player, but still learning. Better against man-to-man defense where he can run the pick and roll and really attack the rim. In the zone, his strengths are greatly mitigated.

[NM Duke Fan]

Hoping to see both Carter and Bolden use their significant weight/strength advantage to great effect against a pretty lightweight albeit tall front line. A key question is will the defensive improvement shown in the last game carry over here? Also eager to see if Duval continues to play effective and aggresive defense, using his wingspan to disrupt passing lanes and get some steals. And of course Grayson has been scoring at a high rate per game, may that continue. Very important here is the continued evolution of how Duval and Grayson play together. Duval has the capacity to attack the rim in a fairly controlled yet powerful manner, and Grayson is playing better when he has the ball in his hands a larger percentage of the time.

[UrinalCake]

Grayson and Duval kind of remind me of Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer. You would have expected Nolan to be the point guard as he was quicker and more athletic and better fit the mold of a point, while Scheyer was taller and a better shooter but couldn’t create offense as well. Yet it worked to flip their roles, K trusted Scheyer to make better decisions and playing off the ball allowed Nolan to attack more aggressively.

Will be interesting to see if we stick with Allen at point moving forward. I like having him bring the ball up and call out the plays and then hand the ball to Duval. But Duval is also excellent in transition, so we don’t want to take away his aggressiveness in pushing the ball when the opportunities are there.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Soooo.... We will get to be the first opponents of the "stripped" Cardinals.

[Reddevil]

Soooo... We will get to be the first opponents of the "stripped" Cardinals.

Yes! Get out your dollar bills Crazies!

[subzero02]

The Vegas insider consensus spread has us at -12. Bagley is still listed as questionable.

[Lar77]

The Vegas insider consensus spread has us at -12. Bagley is still listed as questionable.

-12 sounds high based on the last couple of games (ours and theirs). I see this as a lower scoring game. A win for us. More important is whether Marvin gets some time.

[budwom]

-12 sounds high based on the last couple of games (ours and theirs). I see this as a lower scoring game. A win for us. More important is whether Marvin gets some time.

KenPom has the Devils by 12, fwiw...

[kako]

I think it's good that this game is in Cameron. Given the title loss, the Cards could have had incredible backing and incentive to prove themselves on their home court. That being said, none of the Ville players were around in 2013. Giving them grief about it probably only gives them some motivation to fight back. In an ideal world it would be best to put the hammer down, blow them out and only then waive dollar bills. But I'm sure the Crazies will be doing so at shootaround.

The initial poster's scouting report is pretty good. Ville's 3PT D is also respectable. Tough game, Duke will have to take it seriously to win. It would be great to see Allen continue his trend, even if Bagley is back. Hopefully the freshman ears have ignored all the sports yak about beating Clemson (great accomplishment - next play).

9F

[UrinalCake]

Bad news, my friends. I have a black shirt that I always wear to work the day after a Duke loss. Fortunately I have not had to wear it for a couple weeks. But I’ve fallen behind on laundry and now it’s the only clean shirt I have available, so I was forced to wear it today. If we end up losing tonight, I will take full responsibility.

[Lar77]

Bad news, my friends. I have a black shirt that I always wear to work the day after a Duke loss. Fortunately I have not had to wear it for a couple weeks. But I’ve fallen behind on laundry and now it’s the only clean shirt I have available, so I was forced to wear it today. If we end up losing tonight, I will take full responsibility.

But you're wearing it today so you can't wear it tomorrow (I hope), so we're all good.

[left_hook_lacey]

Grayson and Duval kind of remind me of Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer. You would have expected Nolan to be the point guard as he was quicker and more athletic and better fit the mold of a point, while Scheyer was taller and a better shooter but couldn’t create offense as well. Yet it worked to flip their roles, K trusted Scheyer to make better decisions and playing off the ball allowed Nolan to attack more aggressively.

Will be interesting to see if we stick with Allen at point moving forward. I like having him bring the ball up and call out the plays and then hand the ball to Duval. But Duval is also excellent in transition, so we don’t want to take away his aggressiveness in pushing the ball when the opportunities are there.

Dude, how can you be that careless? Everybody knows you wear a stinky shirt if you have too. Febreeze keeps superstitions alive.

[DukeWarhead]

Febreeze keeps superstitions alive.

I'd be willing to have that on a t-shirt.

[Ultrarunner]

Bad news, my friends. I have a black shirt that I always wear to work the day after a Duke loss. Fortunately I have not had to wear it for a couple weeks. But I’ve fallen behind on laundry and now it’s the only clean shirt I have available, so I was forced to wear it today. If we end up losing tonight, I will take full responsibility.

A sartorial reverse jinx.

Very nice!

[COYS]

The ‘Ville is going to be desperate. Not only are they enduring the fallout from the forfeited title and the distraction of the looming Adidas scanda, they are also firmly on the bubble and need some big wins. This is a talented team that has not played up to expectations after a tumultuous offseason that included the abrupt resignation of Pitino. They’ve got a tough schedule to close out the ACC regular season, but a win at Duke would be HUGE for them. It’s possible they fold under all the pressure, but I expect a tough game. I hope that Duke comes out with intensity and puts this game to rest, early. We don’t want to give these guys the chance to think they might be able to save their season by notching a win in Cameron.

[DavidBenAkiva]

9 hours to gametime and no word on the status of Marvin Bagley III.

[robed deity]

The ‘Ville is going to be desperate. Not only are they enduring the fallout from the forfeited title and the distraction of the looming Adidas scanda, they are also firmly on the bubble and need some big wins. This is a talented team that has not played up to expectations after a tumultuous offseason that included the abrupt resignation of Pitino. They’ve got a tough schedule to close out the ACC regular season, but a win at Duke would be HUGE for them. It’s possible they fold under all the pressure, but I expect a tough game. I hope that Duke comes out with intensity and puts this game to rest, early. We don’t want to give these guys the chance to think they might be able to save their season by notching a win in Cameron.

Thinking about it for a couple days, this one has me uneasy. Adel and Spalding are talented and even Mahmoud has given Duke trouble in the past. They looked very pedestrian against UNC but will definitely play better tonight. Duke SHOULD win, but I don't think it will be easy, or +12 like Vegas, kenpom etc have it.

[Matches]

9 hours to gametime and no word on the status of Marvin Bagley III.

K said yesterday MBIII would be a gametime decision. Can't put my hands on a link.

[chrishoke]

K said yesterday MBIII would be a gametime decision. Can't put my hands on a link.

https://www.diehards.com/duke/dukes-...-time-decision

[duke4ever19]

Count me among those that think Louisville is going to be frothing at the mouth to “make a statement” after yesterday’s ruling. I fully expect Padgett to take advantage of it. It doesn’t even need to make sense to why this particular Louisville team would need ‘revenge’ or ‘redemption.’ It’s the same thing guys like Jordan and Kobe would do. Find any reason to latch onto to get up for an opponent.

Under the circumstances, a Duke win here would be huge

[jv001]

Count me among those that think Louisville is going to be frothing at the mouth to “make a statement” after yesterday’s ruling. I fully expect Padgett to take advantage of it. It doesn’t even need to make sense to why this particular Louisville team would need ‘revenge’ or ‘redemption.’ It’s the same thing guys lik Jordan and Kobe would do. Find any reason to latch onto to get up for an opponent.

Under the circumstances, a Duke win here would be huge

Yeh, let's him right in the mouth in the first 4 minutes. Then maybe they'll begin to really feel sorry for themselves. GoDuke!

[gofurman]

K said yesterday MBIII would be a gametime decision. Can't put my hands on a link.

if someone would please let us know if mb!!! warms up or looks good in shootaround even if he doesn't play..thanks !

[uh_no]

if someone would please let us know if mb!!! warms up or looks good in shootaround even if he doesn't play..thanks !

i'll do my best.....

[westwall]

today’s my birthday, so I am hoping for — no, EXPECTING — a nice birthday present tonight!

[English]

Not the ugliest (among a long, distinguished list) UofL unis we’ll be seeing tonight. Of course, they’re black road unis, so I’m sure this will make some among us breathe a sigh of relief.

8102

[907bluedevils]

No Bagley today vs. Louisville

[MrPoon]

No Bagley today vs. Louisville

“You keep using that word, I don’t think it means what you think it means”
Minor knee sprain?

[Kedsy]

“You keep using that word, I don’t think it means what you think it means”
Minor knee sprain?

Have you ever had a minor knee sprain? It's been less than two weeks since he injured it.

[MrPoon]

Have you ever had a minor knee sprain? It's been less than two weeks since he injured it.

A rule of thumb for ME is any injury last 6 weeks unless there is yard work, then add time accordingly...

I guess I just miss Bagley so much that a day feels like an eternity (insert blinky eyed emoji here).

As an aside, a fun drinking game will be every mention of the Louisville ex-Championship. I probably won’t make it through the first half! You have to finish the drink every flashback photo or video of Skeletor (Pitino) stomping up the sideline.
My guess is those on the broadcast are predetermining their differing views on the subject to keep the game interesting. “I don’t know if eliminating a banner is meaningful enough.” “Gee Jim, I don’t think its fair to the kids, I mean the game did happen and I’ll never forget it”. Yada Yada Yada. Let’s see if any of them bring up the fact that it was not just strippers but actual paid sex with minors that happened here...

[BD80]

A rule of thumb for ME is any injury last 6 weeks unless there is yard work, then add time accordingly...

I guess I just miss Bagley so much that a day feels like an eternity (insert blinky eyed emoji here).

As an aside, a fun drinking game will be every mention of the Louisville ex-Championship. I probably won’t make it through the first half! You have to finish the drink every flashback photo or video of Skeletor (Pitino) stomping up the sideline. ...

Great googly moogly, I feel a coma coming on ...

[Doria]

I don’t know if the betting lines have changed, but I see a significantly closer game. I don’t really care if it’s close, as long as we win and look good doing so, but I just don’t see -12. But they’re the experts...

[Skydog]

It's down to -10 now. Must be adjusting to Bagley's absence.

[Wildling]

This is off topic, and I'm already looking past this game. Mods, please delete this if you deem it necessary. But is anyone watching the Cuse vs UNCheat? UNC is picking apart the 2-3 zone. Doesn't bode well for us next meeting....

Back to this game, I'm really hoping Grayson is Grayson again. When he gets the ball and just shoots without hesitation, that's when I know he's got his mind right and he's going to have a Grayson type game. I've got my fingers crossed!

Go Duke!

[MartyClark]

This is off topic, and I'm already looking past this game. Mods, please delete this if you deem it necessary. But is anyone watching the Cuse vs UNCheat? UNC is picking apart the 2-3 zone. Doesn't bode well for us next meeting...

Back to this game, I'm really hoping Grayson is Grayson again. When he gets the ball and just shoots without hesitation, that's when I know he's got his mind right and he's going to have a Grayson type game. I've got my fingers crossed!

Go Duke!

Technically off topic and very disturbing. I have been dismayed at how good UNC has looked recently.

[Wildling]

Technically off topic and very disturbing. I have been dismayed at how good UNC has looked recently.

Ironically they've been playing lights out ever since they beat up on us. I cannot put into words my disdain for them. Dadgummit!

[-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

[riverside6]

Live tempo based stats for Duke/Louisville

https://www.scacchoops.com/louisville-at-duke-basketball-live-stats-02212018

[BigZ]

Duvall and Allen looking great so far

[rsvman]

"When a team plays with ineligible players, the wins get vacated, the titles get vacated."

Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Bilas?

[arnie]

I’m sorry, the telecast should feature the game not the announcers.

[downeastdad]

I’m sorry, the telecast should feature the game not the announcers.

Totally agree. They're missing a good game.

[drummerdevil]

Javin my man

[BigZ]

Having !!!!

[TheOldBattleship]

Really like the way we look so far. Louisville actually came in with a really nice plan against the zone (lots of little dump-ins to the mid- or high post forcing tough decisions from Bolden/Carter in the paint to play the pass or the shot/drive), but we've done a GREAT job of adapting to it and slowly cut it off. Carter and Bolden are playing smart, and the guards are doing a great job of digging down and recovering to prevent any sniff of a three. Good stuff so far! Let's keep it rolling.

[TheOldBattleship]

Carter getting that second foul on Mahmoud is big for our guards driving into the paint. Great take and finish.

[arnie]

Really like the way we look so far. Louisville actually came in with a really nice plan against the zone (lots of little dump-ins to the mid- or high post forcing tough decisions from Bolden/Carter in the paint to play the pass or the shot/drive), but we've done a GREAT job of adapting to it and slowly cut it off. Carter and Bolden are playing smart, and the guards are doing a great job of digging down and recovering to prevent any sniff of a three. Good stuff so far! Let's keep it rolling.

Doing a great job forcing Louisville to take shots nobody practices anymore. Rodney Hood would be a terror against our zone.

[Native]

Really like the way we look so far. Louisville actually came in with a really nice plan against the zone (lots of little dump-ins to the mid- or high post forcing tough decisions from Bolden/Carter in the paint to play the pass or the shot/drive), but we've done a GREAT job of adapting to it and slowly cut it off. Carter and Bolden are playing smart, and the guards are doing a great job of digging down and recovering to prevent any sniff of a three. Good stuff so far! Let's keep it rolling.

+1. Really like the effort on the defensive glass as well. We're rebounding well as a team and getting good opportunities because of it.

[duke4ever19]

I’m sorry, the telecast should feature the game not the announcers.

Soon announcers will have farewell tours like Kobe, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. I'm pretty sure Dickie V will get a ton of love his last season calling games.

[Eternal Outlaw]

Basically a stiff arm from half court and gets free throws

[subzero02]

So... we have some intensity... we've also gotten Many a lucky bounce tonight. I like it a lot.

[rsvman]

Wow, nice call. Foul was on Grayson?

[TheOldBattleship]

Doing a great job forcing Louisville to take shots nobody practices anymore. Rodney Hood would be a terror against our zone.

You can say that again. That 13/14 team had plenty of holes, but as a zone-busting offensive team? Woof. Having Hood and Parker rotate through the high post is about as good a way to bust a zone as I could imagine.

[thedukelamere]

Anyone have any info on AOC? Injured? Mono? Doghouse? Really strange the way his season has gone...

[TheOldBattleship]

Trent doesn't have the big numbers this half, but I gotta give a big shout out to him for how he's playing defensively. He's a REALLY good zone guy. He doesn't turn up at the finish of a play that often (though he certainly rebounds his position when called to do so, which, of course, happens not too frequently with our bigs rebounding as they do), but he just has a knack of turning up where he's not expected to be and keeping guys from making easy moves. It's pretty incredible, actually, how frequently a guy starts his move only to see enough of Trent to make him change his mind and go to an easily defended second option. Especially true when he crashes in to make the guys in the open center of the zone think about it for a second. Add in the fact that he gets back out to defend the three, and you've got a recipe for a seriously impressive zone defender. A MAJOR part of why our zone has been so good, especially lately.

[Troublemaker]

Anyone have any info on AOC? Injured? Mono? Doghouse? Really strange the way his season has gone...

Not a strong, physical zone wing like Jack is.

[akg4y]

Are you guys a better team without Bagley? Is that possible?

[TheOldBattleship]

Anyone have any info on AOC? Injured? Mono? Doghouse? Really strange the way his season has gone...

I could be wrong here, as I know he had the flu (and goodness knows that this year's flu is absolutely brutal even for those who don't have to go out and compete at a very high level on a basketball court), but my sense is that he just has a bit of a case of being a freshman. He's already an effective offensive player, but that's just not what this team really needs. This team needs defense. Jack White doesn't add much offensively, but, man, he's lightyears ahead of AOC defensively. O'Connell gets beat on the point of attack far too often (both in our man to man and if he's at the top of the zone), which breaks us down and gets us in rotations (which we don't do well), and just gets bodied very easily if he's trying to rebound his position on the back line of the zone. When AOC is in, K often pushes Grayson back to the backline of the zone, as he's at least able to box out his man, but that takes Grayson out of the picture in transition, which is unfortunate since he's so good there. White is a good communicator, a strong rebounder, and a guy who knows where to be defensively with the lateral quickness to keep guys in front of him. It seems to me that that's just what we need right now more than AOC's scoring burst at the moment. But again, AOC has definitely been sick, which is undoubtedly a factor, as well.

[jv001]

Are you guys a better team without Bagley? Is that possible?

It seems we move the ball better on offense and our defense has been very good the last 3 games. But then when MBIII was 100%, we were scoring more points. So, yes we are better with MBIII at 100%. :cool: GoDuke!

[CDu]

Not a strong, physical zone wing like Jack is.

Yep, same answer we have given to this question the past few games: O’Connell isn’t a forward, and the zone means our guards can play close to (if not exactly) 40 minutes.

[rsvman]

Remember when it was 42-21?

Good times.

[duke4ever19]

Remember when it was 42-21?

Good times.

I guess?

[TheOldBattleship]

THIS is the Grayson we've all wanted to see! Not even just the shooting; it's the sense of the moment that a senior brings to the table that I love. Team flagging a bit to start the second? The senior steps up and just takes the game over in every way for two minutes to push the run back and the lead up to 19 again. Just excellent stuff.

[rsvman]

Nevermind. Our non-slaught ended right after I posted. Louisville was on an 8-0 run and we hadn't scored in a long time, but that's ancient history now, lol.

[LasVegas]

Nevermind. Our non-slaught ended right after I posted. Louisville was on an 8-0 run and we hadn't scored in a long time, but that's ancient history now, lol.

Keep up the hard work!

[CoachJ10]

Some middle school game is missing their refs tonight. They showed up in Durham instead. An embarrassing clown show on display.

[TheOldBattleship]

Loving the Horns set with Wendell Carter distributing from one of the two elbows. He's really, really good at the dribble handoff. It's actually really tricky for a big to know when to give the ball or pull it back, when to turn and go to the triple threat or when to hold with your back to the basket, when to actually go with the drive. Carter makes excellent decisions very quickly, and almost never gets the dreaded moving screen off the handoff called on him. He's up to 5 assists so far, which, for a college center, is just absolutely outrageous. With Grayson shooting like this off of dribble handoffs, yikes. Good luck guarding that action.

[SkyBrickey]

Carter leading the team in rebounds, blocks and assists. 😳

[TheOldBattleship]

I also like what Duval has been doing on the defensive glass today. Granted, Louisville is hardly the most threatening rebounding team in the ACC, but when our bigs are forced to close out to the three-point line, in particular, Duval's length, size, and bounce has made a big difference in our team defensive rebounding. He's so big and athletic that he basically counts as an extra forward out there, and he's done a really nice job in his rotations to the weakside (this last rebound was a great example). An understated but really important part of our general rebounding dominance tonight.

[BigZ]

Grayson is garbage. Should of gone pro

[Dub]

Outside the reemergence of Grayson Allen, our communication on defense has improved soooo much. Staying in zone has made the guys so comfortable. They know they’re assignments and they play them with intensity. So great to see a Duke team starting to click on all cylinders. When MBIII is back, watch out!!!

[AtlDuke72]

Grayson is garbage. Should of gone pro

What is that supposed to mean?

[DukeWarhead]

Yes, it is rather silly to say that Duke is better without MB III. But.... hot damn!

[duke4ever19]

Grayson is garbage. Should of gone pro

There's no way you are serious, so next time put this face :rolleyes: which signifies sarcasm/roll of the eyes.

[arnie]

I think we’re gonna play a complete 40 minute game tonight.

[TheOldBattleship]

Wow. This has turned into just a complete beatdown of a legitimately solid team. Granted, Louisville has had a... tough week, let's say, but still. You don't often win games like this against tournament teams late in the ACC season. We've played outrageously well. The scary thing is that there's a lot of things that are easy to point to that HAVEN'T gone perfectly for us, too. But when Allen and Carter can play like this, saying we're impressive is an understatement.

[rsvman]

How many hands does Carter use when rebounding the ball again, Jay? It slipped my mind.

[CDu]

Wow. This has turned into just a complete beatdown of a legitimately solid team. Granted, Louisville has had a... tough week, let's say, but still. You don't often win games like this against tournament teams late in the ACC season. We've played outrageously well. The scary thing is that there's a lot of things that are easy to point to that HAVEN'T gone perfectly for us, too. But when Allen and Carter can play like this, saying we're impressive is an understatement.

To be fair, Louisville is a bubble team. But yeah, we have dominated tonight.

[DukeWarhead]

Yes, it is rather silly to say that Duke is better without MB III. But... hot damn!

...And just as I post that, Louisville goes on a bit of a roll. So no, there is no full 40 minutes played tonight. Last two have been garbage. Yes, nitpicky.

[jjredickrules]

Everyone is dunking tonight. Wow. And this is without our top dunker? Scary for everyone else!

[TheOldBattleship]

To be fair, Louisville is a bubble team. But yeah, we have dominated tonight.

Oof, yeah, just looked at their games down the stretch, and they are going to have to figure some stuff out to get to .500 in ACC play. They've got @VaTech, UVA at home, and @NCState. Would not even be remotely surprised if they went 0-3 through that stretch, which would put them at 8-10 in the ACC. If that happens, gotta think they'd have to do something special in the ACC tourney to make the Big Dance.

[DukeWarhead]

...And just as I post that, Louisville goes on a bit of a roll. So no, there is no full 40 minutes played tonight. Last two have been garbage. Yes, nitpicky.

Okay, not nitpicky.. currently 13 of 14 from the stripe. Nice indeed.

[ndkjr70]

Domination from 15:00 left onwards. What a win.

[TheOldBattleship]

Lots going well for us tonight, but the fact that Carter (and, to some extent, Bolden and the zone) completely erased Anas Mahmoud from this game is a key factor. Mahmoud has given us fits in the past with his shot-blocking and ability to handle the ball, but tonight? Absolutely not a factor.