Someone please explain this...

[Kewlswim]

Hi,

I can't seem to find a pundit picking Duke to win. Yet, Duke is a higher seed than VCU and is favored by 7 points. How can one be a higher seed and favored to win (presumably this is from Vegas folks so I don't know how tied they are to the pundits) and yet I can't seem to find a pundit saying Duke is going to win?

I find articles about the NCAA tournament either saying nothing about this game or that they are picking VCU in an upset. Also, the upset is often based on a player who put VCU on his back and was able to almost single-handidly beat George Mason. Didn't Duke beat George Mason rather easily, albeit at Cameron, earlier this season? Maybe I am misreading the articles. Please note, I am not woofing, I am just a bit perplexed. Is this all a lot of "wishful" thinking on the part of those basketball writers? If Duke wins will it be from them, "Oh well, they were a higher seed." If VCU wins they will jump up and down and talk about how precient they were in picking the outcome?

GO DUKE!

[Kewlswim]

Hi,

I think VCU has a really good chace to win this game, but it is based on how Duke has been playing. I think that the Devils need to step up their game or they are toast. However, that would be true no matter who they were playing. I don't think, again no woof against VCU, that if Duke plays as it has shown it is capable of playing that VCU would be able to beat them. In other words, VCU has to play at the top of its game, Duke has to play at the middle or lower reaches of its game and it will be one and done for the Devils. Writers don't seem to talk about that. They take it for granted that Duke can/will EVER play well again this season. It is as if they have thrown out all the wins against tournament teams and only think about the teams struggles. They just seem to talk about how great VCU is and don't talk much about the Duke players at all. It is rather odd analysis, since it does take two teams to make a game.

If you can point me to an article giving really good analysis, whether the writer thinks Duke will win or lose, about this game please send it my way. I've read DBR posters analysis and I think it is often better than the pros.

GO DUKE!

[bhd28]

Since it is "expected," people don't mention it. Other than picking VCU to win as an "upset," you will find a few writers predicting an interesting Duke/Pit game, and that's it. Since Duke isn't expected to advance past the sweet 16 (or possibly to the sweet 16), there are no "Duke's path to the FF" stories. Writing a story on "...Duke expected to beat a lower seed before bowing out after the first (or second) game..." isn't really seen as that newsworthy. You may see one or two lines here and there on "Don't sleep on Duke... they have a good coach and have had some close losses this year," but that is likely all you will see. I say, enjoy being an underdog... as long as it doesn't last too long. :)

[JBDuke]

Kornheiser picked us into the Sweet 16. (link (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/03/12/GR2007031200023.html)) Of course, this is the kiss of death.

Mike Wise picked us, too. (link) (http://asap.washingtonpost.com/tourneytracker/bracket.html?wp-ZO62)

[Kewlswim]

Hi,

Thank you for the responses. I hope we make it to the Sweet 16 (and beyond) both to show the world we can still play a little basketball down there at Duke and because the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games that correspond to Duke's bracket are in San Jose. I don't live too far from San Jose. It would be an honor and a privelege to watch the team play live. WOO HOO

GO DUKE! I'll go a step farther: LOVE DUKE!! :D

[Cameron]

^^The world will be sick of us once again next season when we invade college basketball as the hated DUKE of old:)

As for this season, however, we can make some noise. Elite Eight is my guess. What a wonderful way to the end this long season it would be, too.

[Clipsfan]

As for this season, however, we can make some noise. Elite Eight is my guess. What a wonderful way to the end this long season it would be, too.

I think that in order to get to the elite eight, we'd have to go through UCLA. Considering that UCLA is a much better team than Duke, and that they're playing in their home state, that would be quite an upset. However, if the two teams do meet in San Jose I think I'll have to buy tickets.

[mgtr]

As Dionne Warwick famously asked, "Do you know the way to San Jose?"