MOTM: Duke vs. UNC (Feb 8, 2012)

[westwall]

some time ago. You win as a team. One reason why I love 2010 so much.

However tonight I made an exception. What a performance!!!!!

SoCal

For the same reason I rarely vote on MOTM. However, Rivers shooting tonight was as nearly as impressive, on a big stage, and in the clutch, as that of Laettner against Kentucky.

[ricks68]

That shot will be replayed at least 1,000 times in my lifetime.........

I have already personally seen it tonight on ESPN replayed at least 25 times...with Stuart Scott showing it the most times. In fact, I just saw it again just now, twice------------and they are about to recap the game again with more views of it.

What a shot!!!

ricks

[Dukeface88]

Wasn't Mason unanimous in an earlier game this season?

Nope, one person voted for Ryan.

[elvis14]

The Austin Rivers that showed up tonight is the guy that we all were geeked about getting when he signed. I'm glad most of us have just appreciated his play and watched him get better each week. What a great kid. What a shot!

[Jim3k]

yeah, if you want to vote for tyler zeller :P

Exactly. I almost--almost, feel bad for the guy. How many Carolina players over the year can legitimately claim to have been Duke's MVP in a rivalry game?

I'll bet he'll be trouble in Durham.

[ricks68]

I have already personally seen it tonight on ESPN replayed at least 25 times...with Stuart Scott showing it the most times. In fact, I just saw it again just now, twice------------and they are about to recap the game again with more views of it.

What a shot!!!

ricks

Add another 10 times since the above post. We may hit over 100 by a little later in the am. And isn't it amazing how many posts are still being put up on different threads right now. There are going to be a heck of a lot of very, very tired Duke supporters at work tomorrow.

ricks

[greybeard]

It's got to be Rivers, but I have to ask, whom did Tyler guard in this game, maybe the 1 of 1 pick in the draft this year, and also the point guard. Like every game, Tyler left part of himself on the floor, part of himself in the eyes of every one of his teammates. Like always, he also left 5 fouls out there, never hesitating to do what is necessary, to go all out, even if it takes him out of play. And, Tyler will take that shot, the three that is important, without a moment's hesitation and has made more than his share; he nailed one tonight as the final charge up the hill began. I don't know what you call a guy like that, who gives of himself so freely and fiercely, who might be undertalented as some people say, but whether he is or not is hardly the point. We know the guy can shoot and get to the rim, he does those things sparingly. He guards a guy who has 7 inches and 40 lbs, and a million miles of talent over him, a job that no one else on this team could be deployed to undertake, not for the long haul like Tyler did.

no, Tyler was not the man of this match; Rivers was by yards. He was, as K himself said, born for the roll he played the entire evening. A master.

What Tyler was, what he has become, is the Man whom his teammates I have to believe have concluded they have no choice but to follow. No, not in lockstep, he ain't that kind of guy and does not have that kind of talent. He needs his teammates to want him to be the leader, want him to inspire, want him to empower, want him to exemplify fpr them and everyone else (that would be their oponents) how Duke rolls, each and every game, and each and every part of one. And, no, Tyler is no ideal, he is an intension, and so more and more his teammates are sharing it.

One other thing, I liked the way a lot of the players performed tonight, probably all of them. But, I really liked how Mason handled himself. To me, the one hand catch coming way from the block on the left hand side of the basket, the face up, beating the guy baseline and coming up the other side to sort of small-hook it in, said two things: (1) he had become an offensive threat of serious dimension; and (2) he will bring it at you given the chance until the very end. And, while NC had its way inside and on the offensive boards, every once in awhile, you had to shake your head at Mason's strength, his ups and timing. Did Mason's play have something to do with why Zeller had to sit almost the entire second half, why Hensen was relegated to almost exclusively shooting jump shots that half. And, did anyone but me notice how on that last play, it was Mason who passed the ball in from the baseline and then beat almost everyone down the court, only to come out to set a screen. I think that another leader is emerging, one with real talent but also one who won't let his temmates forget how it is that Duke is to play.

And, while te heads all seemed to be at a loss to understand how Zeller could not have had his arms and hands extended up as Rivers danced in front of him, I ain't. See, the heads missed the move, the move that froze Zeller like a statue until it was too late. The move was all about the eyes, Rivers' eyes and Zellers. Rivers made sure that his eyes caught Zellers, told Zeller that that was all there was, with the clock running down, with Curry screeming that Rivers needed to be doing something to get the thing in the basket, Rivers had Zeller captured, frozen, until it was too late. Heck, with Rivers eyes still fixed as if looking inhto Zeller's mind, dribbling and dancing as the clock was running out, Zeller had no choice but to stay transfixed. Yeap, Rivers pulled the Merlin move on old Zeller and the poor guy didn't have a chance. Mesmerizing, is what he was. I think that Zeller would agree if he ever put into concrete thought where he was in those precious moments, when everything stood still.

The best and most darinhg move you will see all season. Even better than the shot itself, if you ask me, which is pretty freakin good.

Very, very cool game.

[licc85]

i nominate Tyler Zeller as a close 2nd choice . . pulled us to within 1 and then missed a free throw to help us steal the win.

[FerryFor50]

I have already personally seen it tonight on ESPN replayed at least 25 times...with Stuart Scott showing it the most times. In fact, I just saw it again just now, twice------------and they are about to recap the game again with more views of it.

What a shot!!!

ricks

I get the feeling that Stuart Scott lost a bet with Jay Bilas or Scott Van Pelt.

[magjayran]

It's got to be Rivers, but I have to ask, whom did Tyler guard in this game, maybe the 1 of 1 pick in the draft this year, and also the point guard. Like every game, Tyler left part of himself on the floor, part of himself in the eyes of every one of his teammates. Like always, he also left 5 fouls out there, never hesitating to do what is necessary, to go all out, even if it takes him out of play. And, Tyler will take that shot, the three that is important, without a moment's hesitation and has made more than his share; he nailed one tonight as the final charge up the hill began. I don't know what you call a guy like that, who gives of himself so freely and fiercely, who might be undertalented as some people say, but whether he is or not is hardly the point. We know the guy can shoot and get to the rim, he does those things sparingly. He guards a guy who has 7 inches and 40 lbs, and a million miles of talent over him, a job that no one else on this team could be deployed to undertake, not for the long haul like Tyler did.

no, Tyler was not the man of this match; Rivers was by yards. He was, as K himself said, born for the roll he played the entire evening. A master.

What Tyler was, what he has become, is the Man whom his teammates I have to believe have concluded they have no choice but to follow. No, not in lockstep, he ain't that kind of guy and does not have that kind of talent. He needs his teammates to want him to be the leader, want him to inspire, want him to empower, want him to exemplify fpr them and everyone else (that would be their oponents) how Duke rolls, each and every game, and each and every part of one. And, no, Tyler is no ideal, he is an intension, and so more and more his teammates are sharing it.

One other thing, I liked the way a lot of the players performed tonight, probably all of them. But, I really liked how Mason handled himself. To me, the one hand catch coming way from the block on the left hand side of the basket, the face up, beating the guy baseline and coming up the other side to sort of small-hook it in, said two things: (1) he had become an offensive threat of serious dimension; and (2) he will bring it at you given the chance until the very end. And, while NC had its way inside and on the offensive boards, every once in awhile, you had to shake your head at Mason's strength, his ups and timing. Did Mason's play have something to do with why Zeller had to sit almost the entire second half, why Hensen was relegated to almost exclusively shooting jump shots that half. And, did anyone but me notice how on that last play, it was Mason who passed the ball in from the baseline and then beat almost everyone down the court, only to come out to set a screen. I think that another leader is emerging, one with real talent but also one who won't let his temmates forget how it is that Duke is to play.

And, while te heads all seemed to be at a loss to understand how Zeller could not have had his arms and hands extended up as Rivers danced in front of him, I ain't. See, the heads missed the move, the move that froze Zeller like a statue until it was too late. The move was all about the eyes, Rivers' eyes and Zellers. Rivers made sure that his eyes caught Zellers, told Zeller that that was all there was, with the clock running down, with Curry screeming that Rivers needed to be doing something to get the thing in the basket, Rivers had Zeller captured, frozen, until it was too late. Heck, with Rivers eyes still fixed as if looking inhto Zeller's mind, dribbling and dancing as the clock was running out, Zeller had no choice but to stay transfixed. Yeap, Rivers pulled the Merlin move on old Zeller and the poor guy didn't have a chance. Mesmerizing, is what he was. I think that Zeller would agree if he ever put into concrete thought where he was in those precious moments, when everything stood still.

The best and most darinhg move you will see all season. Even better than the shot itself, if you ask me, which is pretty freakin good.

Very, very cool game.

Beautiful.

[OldPhiKap]

I get the feeling that Stuart Scott lost a bet with Jay Bilas or Scott Van Pelt.

I love it that when Jalen Rose came on to talk about the NBA, and they brought this game up first, Scott looked at Jalen and said --"hate to ask you about Duke, we're all crying about it" (or something to that effect).

Bwahahaha

[elvis14]

I get the feeling that Stuart Scott lost a bet with Jay Bilas or Scott Van Pelt.

I think that Scott, ASSumed that UNC@CH was going to win and thus requested to be on Sportscenter. Then after the Dean Dump became Three Rivers Stadium, he had to cover the loss...just another thing that was sweet about this win.

[PADukeMom]

Considering I watched the last 2 seconds of the game with my head under the pillow & I didn't get to see the actual shot in real time I cast my vote to Austin.

[CDu]

Wasn't Mason unanimous in an earlier game this season?

There have been numerous occasions in the past in which it probably should have been unanimous. But it has, to my knowledge, never happened. There are always 1 or 2 contrarians in the bunch. This year had been no exception.