MBB: Duke 69, Virginia 65 -- Post-Game Thread

[JBDuke]

Put your post-game thoughts here.

[hurleyfor3]

Thoughts? My brain is blank. (Cue "so what else is new" comments.)

[ricks68]

Thoughts? My brain is blank. (Cue "so what else is new" comments.)

'cue? did someone say 'cue?

ricks

[Edouble]

Way to close out the game. I wanted the ball in 'Sheed's hands down the stretch and he delivered. He was incredible tonight!

[roywhite]

Good to win it at the end. That would have been crushing to have lost that game.

Rasheed and Amile --- co-men of the match.

[Billy Dat]

Good to win it at the end. That would have been crushing to have lost that game.

Rasheed and Amile --- co-men of the match.

THIS. As we set up for the possession that ended with Rasheed's soft bounce 3, I said to myself, "If we lose this game, this team might implode". But, between that Rasheed bounce and Amile's second free throw, and the fact that Harris missed that semi-bunny after Amile weirdly lost the ball on that steal, the basketball gods smiled on us.

Regardless of the near total and epic collapse, hopefully this is a shot in the arm. Maybe Rasheed has totally turned the corner...maybe. After being quiet all game, Cook carried us from 4 minutes left until 2 minutes left until he missed that foul shot and everything started to unravel.

We're just having a weird season. Jones starts, we go A team B team, we get carried by Rasheed despite his being re-demoted to the bench, dogs and cats living together...I don't know...

As hurleyfor3 said, my brain is blank.

[sporthenry]

I agree with some sentiments that a loss there could have possibly sent this team into a tailspin. While it was nice to see everyone happy for everyone else at the end, I hope K focuses them on the ending. I guess this team needed some good vibes and they get that with the win but that ending can't happen.

I also don't understand why Hood and Parker settle for so many 3's. Game is supposed to reward driving now yet Jabari especially seems hesitant to drive. I'm sick of that stepback 3 especially early in the shot clock. You can get that any time. Why not drive and just barrel into people b/c apparently charges are nonexistent.

[NashvilleDevil]

I agree with some sentiments that a loss there could have possibly sent this team into a tailspin. While it was nice to see everyone happy for everyone else at the end, I hope K focuses them on the ending. I guess this team needed some good vibes and they get that with the win but that ending can't happen.

I also don't understand why Hood and Parker settle for so many 3's. Game is supposed to reward driving now yet Jabari especially seems hesitant to drive. I'm sick of that stepback 3 especially early in the shot clock. You can get that any time. Why not drive and just barrel into people b/c apparently charges are nonexistent.

He's hesitant to drive because he hasn't gotten a call in two months. Refs are letting them play more now then they did in October and November. I don't think teams have adjusted how they play either. I think teams that play like UVA, Ohio St and Wisconsin decided they would continue to play the way they normally do and force the refs to call and so far the refs have not done that.

[roywhite]

Nice stretch coming up -- no game until Saturday, no travel, semester just starting -- perfect occason for some good practice time to digest these past few games, and make improvements.

[throatybeard]

Jefferson's rebounding is soup that eats like Amile.

[hurleyfor3]

Jefferson's rebounding is soup that eats like Amile.

You were saving that, weren't you. Jim Nantz's puns are more spontaneous.

[throatybeard]

You were saving that, weren't you. Jim Nantz's puns are more spontaneous.

I swear to God it sounded funnier in my head.

[azzefkram]

Wow, I'm glad we won or else oodles of people would be looking for some high buildings to jump off of. I was immensely encouraged by tonight's effort. We bent but didn't break. Were some bad plays made down the stretch? Yep, but the 2nd ranked D will do that to you. I loved the line change substitutions and I hope it's not a one game thing. We got positive minutes from everyone who played.

I had two minor quibbles about tonight's game. One, why go away from the substitution pattern when it was working so well? Two, given how tough Virginia is in the half court why didn't we try to run more?

I can be a debbie downer with the best of them, but for the life of me I don't get how people can be so down on this win. We led for all but about 20 seconds. We beat Kenpom's 16th ranked team. It's our best win of the season.

[arnie]

Jefferson's rebounding is soup that eats like Amile.

He has become the Man. By the time he's a senior (or maybe next year) when he adds another 10-20 pounds, he could be best rebounder the league.

[kAzE]

I think Jones in the starting lineup is a good move. He's probably the best perimeter defender on the team, which is kind of unbelievable, but probably true. He's the one guy who actually can stay in front of his man. I think Sulaimon needs to come off the bench for his own good. He's way more effective when he's the first option. Liken it to how the OKC Thunder used Thabo Sefolosha as the starter, with James Harden (now Reggie Jackson, when Westbrook is healthy) off the bench as the #1 guy on the second unit.

Popint is, I think Jones should stay in the starting lineup. He's also got an uncanny knack at getting to the foul stripe. By my calculations, he makes more free throws per minute played than anyone else on the team. Easy points are nice.

[GGLC]

I think Jones in the starting lineup is a good move. He's probably the best perimeter defender on the team, which is kind of unbelievable, but probably true. He's the one guy who actually can stay in front of his man. I think Sulaimon needs to come off the bench for his own good. He's way more effective when he's the first option. Liken it to how the OKC Thunder used Thabo Sefolosha as the starter, with James Harden (now Reggie Jackson, when Westbrook is healthy) off the bench as the #1 guy on the second unit.

Popint is, I think Jones should stay in the starting lineup. He's also got an uncanny knack at getting to the foul stripe. By my calculations, he makes more free throws per minute played than anyone else on the team. Easy points are nice.

I completely agree with this.

[wsb3]

Relief more than anything. I just wish they would have put them away. But I will take it.

On another note I was expecting us to fall out of the rankings and I was curious when would be the last time Duke UNC neither one was ranked.

N&O had it up "Had the Blue Devils fallen out of the top 25, it would have been the first time since the Dec. 28, 1982 poll that Duke and North Carolina were unranked at the same time."

I think one of the most amazing stats in the rivalry is that it was 1955 since they played each other and neither was ranked. I realize I am one of the older people on here but that even out dates me.

[hustleplays]

I agree with some sentiments that a loss there could have possibly sent this team into a tailspin. While it was nice to see everyone happy for everyone else at the end, I hope K focuses them on the ending. I guess this team needed some good vibes and they get that with the win but that ending can't happen.

I also don't understand why Hood and Parker settle for so many 3's. Game is supposed to reward driving now yet Jabari especially seems hesitant to drive. I'm sick of that stepback 3 especially early in the shot clock. You can get that any time. Why not drive and just barrel into people b/c apparently charges are nonexistent.

IMO, Jabari is still adjusting to much better defense than he is used to. Can't drive so easily against single coverage, and good ACC defenses help double better. When he is stopped, he shoots. i don't think he's comfortable and skilled yet at dishing, kicking out. He will probably learn.

I like Hood shooting 3's, to a certain extent, because he's proficient. He also drives and scores well, so I'm happy when he drives, but he too can improve his kicking out.

[Dukehky]

I said Rasheed would be better coming off the bench since before the season started. Toot toot. For just the reasons Kedsy elaborated on. I wanted Dre to start, I'll take Jones. Sulaimon is a better passer off drives than Rodney or Jabari (kid can pass, he just doesn't enough IMO), and Dre doesn't get lost with Rasheed, so I'll take Jones in the starting line-up. Not sure if that will stick, but I thought he was great tonight.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

My head is still hurting, dear lord. Way too close but at the end of the day, it was a big win for the team's overall psyche and overall resume. Virginia is a good team and will be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

What was funny is after UVA took the lead 65-64 I was getting ready to post my complete distaste for this team and put the L squarely on Sulaimon's shoulders (giving up the 3pt play, throwing the ball awwy at mid-court, missing a big FT), but WOW was that a big 3.

"Just when I thought you couldnt get any dumber, you go and do something like this...and TOTALLY redeem yourself"

Way to go Rasheed!