MBB: Duke @ Syracuse (Sat 1830 EST, Espn) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[hurleyfor3]

Two weeks ago I was worried the season was over. Now I'm worried we're peaking too early.

Anyway, they're #2 writers/coaches/dorks (how often do those groups ever agree an anything?), allegedly undefeated, yada yada yada, and unlike the Super Bowl this game will actually be played in the state of New York.

[Edouble]

In hindsight, Pitt was probably not the best game for Dre to go off in. If 'Cuse didn't know before, they've gotta be hyper aware of his ability as a zone buster now. It was a pleasure to watch him destroy the Panthers, though.

Duke transfer of note, Michael Gbinije, is averaging about 7 minutes/game in conference play. A few years back many were ringing their hands over his transfer. He probably will not play a significant role in this contest.

[kAzE]

Easily the toughest game we will have played on the schedule thus far, with apologies to Arizona, that being a neutral site game.

Major factors in the outcome of this contest will include:

-Taking care of the ball. As ridiculous as it sounds, Syracuse's back court of Ennis and Cooney are #1 and #2 in the ACC in steals per game. Syracuse's long, athletic players are great at creating open court turnovers and converting them into fast break points.

- Will Dawkins be a factor with his shooting? We're a perfect 10-0 this year when Dawkins hits double figure scoring. If he's hitting shots in this game, that zone is going to have to stretch to account for the threat he presents. We won't win this game unless we have at least one or two guys getting a feel from deep.

- Coming up with an effective game plan to contain Tyler Ennis. It's no longer up for debate who the best point guard in the ACC is. Ennis is the man, coming in with an assist to turnover ratio of 3.86 . . . Quinn Cook has had a lot of trouble staying in front of opposing guards, so having a good plan to keep him from doing what he does is paramount.

- Offensive rebounding. It's no secret that one of the key weaknesses of the zone defense is the lack of box out responsibilities on the defensive boards. Can we exploit this and crash the boards like we did against FSU? If so, it will go a long way towards helping us win this game.

This team gets a ton of praise for it's stingy defense, but you might be surprised to learn that their offense is even better, coming in at #5 in adjusted offense. Ennis is one of the best PGs in the country, CJ Fair is among the best scorers in the league, and Cooney and Grant are very capable offensive players as well. It's going to be a massive, massive game, with 36,000 expected in attendance. The atmosphere should be intense, but I think we're going to be prepared.

My prediction is that we continue this hot streak that we are on. The season has been building toward this moment, and I believe we're ready. I predict Jabari has his best game of the season thus far and Duke wins 74-70 in a nail biter. GO DUKE!

[Troublemaker]

This might be a zone game where we see Jabari more involved at the FT line area than against past zones. Against weaker zones, he's been able to wreak havoc along the baseline with corner 3s, baseline 2s, and lobs. But if Cuse's back line is able to take those things away (we'll find out), then might as well flash Jabari to the FT line so he can threaten them with his midrange shot.

In hindsight, Pitt was probably not the best game for Dre to go off in. If 'Cuse didn't know before, they've gotta be hyper aware of his ability as a zone buster now. It was a pleasure to watch him destroy the Panthers, though.

If Cuse is hyperaware of Andre, hopefully it means he is stretching their zone out to its limits, creating gaps for Duke's other players to attack. The threat of Andre can be just as damaging as the actual swishes by Andre.

- Coming up with an effective game plan to contain Tyler Ennis. It's no longer up for debate who the best point guard in the ACC is. Ennis is the man, coming in with an assist to turnover ratio of 3.86 . . . Quinn Cook has had a lot of trouble staying in front of opposing guards, so having a good plan to keep him from doing what he does is paramount.

Great preview, kAzE. I think you've touched upon several factors people may not be aware of, such as Cuse's ability to force turnovers, especially their guards' ability to get steals. WRT Quinn vs Ennis, my gut feeling is Cook will surprise some folks here and win the matchup. Our junior PG has several days off to rest his gimpy ankles and will come out very determined to teach the frosh PG a lesson or two. (Side note: Is Ennis really going to go an entire season without a 3-4 game stretch of freshman struggles like Jabari experienced? If so, it would be surprising to me.)

- Offensive rebounding. It's no secret that one of the key weaknesses of the zone defense is the lack of box out responsibilities on the defensive boards. Can we exploit this and crash the boards like we did against FSU? If so, it will go a long way towards helping us win this game.

You are correct, as Cuse only ranks 138th in the country in defensive rebounding rate. Interestingly, though, Cuse fans are probably ecstatic with that figure. The Orange usually rank in the 200s and that 138th ranking is their second-best mark of the past 12 seasons.

[Kedsy]

In hindsight, Pitt was probably not the best game for Dre to go off in. If 'Cuse didn't know before, they've gotta be hyper aware of his ability as a zone buster now.

It could work to our advantage. While it would be great for Andre to drop another 20 on Syracuse, all he really needs to do is distort the zone enough for our other players to get good offensive opportunities.

In other words, if they have to focus on stopping Andre, it will open up other holes in the zone. Then all we have to do is find those holes and exploit them. If they try to plug those holes, then either Andre's open again, or some other holes will surface. So, really, Andre doesn't even have to take a shot to help us against the zone. He just has to be an imposing enough presence to draw Syracuse's attention. And his Pitt performance should more or less guarantee that he will be.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Two weeks ago I was worried the season was over. Now I'm worried we're peaking too early.Anyway, they're #2 writers/coaches/dorks (how often do those groups ever agree an anything?), allegedly undefeated, yada yada yada, and unlike the Super Bowl this game will actually be played in the state of New York.

Peaking too early? I thought we always peaked in November, right?

Anyway, I expect us to play well, especially since we are clearly the underdog. Syracuse has stayed undefeated as of now, and that's worth something, for sure. However, they haven't exactly won in dominating fashion. So I feel they are "ripe" for a loss.

This year's Syracuse team reminds me of past Duke teams, actually, that started out with awesome records but you could just sense a loss was imminent after "squeaking by" in some close games with inferior opponents.

Syracuse's first loss is coming soon, hopefully Saturday(although it wouldn't shock me if it was tonight).

[luburch]

What's all this talk of zone? Syracuse plays zone?

[Troublemaker]

Peaking too early? I thought we always peaked in November, right?

Anyway, I expect us to play well, especially since we are clearly the underdog. Syracuse has stayed undefeated as of now, and that's worth something, for sure. However, they haven't exactly won in dominating fashion. So I feel they are "ripe" for a loss.

This year's Syracuse team reminds me of past Duke teams, actually, that started out with awesome records but you could just sense a loss was imminent after "squeaking by" in some close games with inferior opponents.

Syracuse's first loss is coming soon, hopefully Saturday(although it wouldn't shock me if it was tonight).

I honestly can see Syracuse going 7-5 to finish the season. Outside chance of 6-6 even.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

What's all this talk of zone? Syracuse plays zone?

Why, yes they do, believe it or not.

And did you know that Jim Boeheim has the most wins at any one school?

And that he doesn't like the idea of the ACCT being played in Greensboro?

Oh, here's another shocking factoid, Jerome Bettis is from Detroit.

[Rickshaw]

I don't remember the last time Andre had 2 hot
shooting nights in a row

[Matches]

What's all this talk of zone? Syracuse plays zone?

Also, when Syracuse loses a few games in a row, is there a contingent of fans who insist that Boeheim is being "stubborn" for refusing to play MTM?

[Kedsy]

I don't remember the last time Andre had 2 hot
shooting nights in a row

How about this week? He was 3 for 6 from three against FSU and 6 for 7 against Pitt (7 for 9 overall).

Or against Eastern Michigan (6 for 10 from three) and Elon (5 for 7). Or Michigan (2 for 2 from three; 3 for 3 overall) and Gardner-Webb (4 for 8 from three; 6 for 10 overall). Or Florida Atlantic (5 for 8 from three; 6 for 9 overall) and UNCA (3 for 6 from three; 4 for 7 overall).

Sometimes the narrative gets in the way of the truth.

[flyingdutchdevil]

We have one insanely important advantage over other teams: Coach K knows how to beat the Orange Zone. And it's not because Coach K is the best X&Os coach (I actually think there are a few better out there). It's because he hired Boeheim as a Team USA Assistant Coach for the sole purpose of learning how to break down a zone defense.

On the flip side, Boeheim has a better understanding of how Coach K thinks and operates than 99% of the headcoaches out there.

Regardless, I think that this will be one of the best coaching battles in a long, long time.

Go Duke, and give Orange hell.

[GGLC]

I don't remember the last time Andre had 2 hot
shooting nights in a row

Looks like Eastern Michigan (20 points, 6-10 from behind the arc) and Elon (15 points and 5-7) a month ago.

[slower]

Is the Carrier Dome known to be a shooter-friendly venue? Somehow, it's in my brain that (like other domed stadiums) it's not usually a favorable shooter's environment.

To follow on above comments, Dre will definitely get their attention. Fortunately, we have the luxury of having several threats from 3 - could be a night where Rodney shoots the lights out. And it seems like Amile is now ready for the big time.

Of course, it's impossible to know what will happen. It seems as if we (Duke fans) may be just a tad over-confident of our chances here, based on the Pitt game. OTOH, it could just mean that we're back in the national picture (something that, frankly, seemed impossible to me not so long ago).

For me, there's no result that seems implausible here.

[Native]

I predict that I'm going to need a large pitcher of some variety of beer to get through this one. Nail-biter.

[jv001]

Easily the toughest game we will have played on the schedule thus far, with apologies to Arizona, that being a neutral site game.

Major factors in the outcome of this contest will include:

-Taking care of the ball. As ridiculous as it sounds, Syracuse's back court of Ennis and Cooney are #1 and #2 in the ACC in steals per game. Syracuse's long, athletic players are great at creating open court turnovers and converting them into fast break points.

- Will Dawkins be a factor with his shooting? We're a perfect 10-0 this year when Dawkins hits double figure scoring. If he's hitting shots in this game, that zone is going to have to stretch to account for the threat he presents. We won't win this game unless we have at least one or two guys getting a feel from deep.

- Coming up with an effective game plan to contain Tyler Ennis. It's no longer up for debate who the best point guard in the ACC is. Ennis is the man, coming in with an assist to turnover ratio of 3.86 . . . Quinn Cook has had a lot of trouble staying in front of opposing guards, so having a good plan to keep him from doing what he does is paramount.

- Offensive rebounding. It's no secret that one of the key weaknesses of the zone defense is the lack of box out responsibilities on the defensive boards. Can we exploit this and crash the boards like we did against FSU? If so, it will go a long way towards helping us win this game.

This team gets a ton of praise for it's stingy defense, but you might be surprised to learn that their offense is even better, coming in at #5 in adjusted offense. Ennis is one of the best PGs in the country, CJ Fair is among the best scorers in the league, and Cooney and Grant are very capable offensive players as well. It's going to be a massive, massive game, with 36,000 expected in attendance. The atmosphere should be intense, but I think we're going to be prepared.

My prediction is that we continue this hot streak that we are on. The season has been building toward this moment, and I believe we're ready. I predict Jabari has his best game of the season thus far and Duke wins 74-70 in a nail biter. GO DUKE!

I like kAzE's take on this game.
1. Taking care of the ball against Syracuse guards Ennis and Cooney. Quinn and Rasheed have had a problem with sloppy passes out front that have led to turnovers or just missed being a turnover. Duke will have to take care of the ball. No sloppy play from our guards.
2. Dawkins from 3. If the Orange game plan to take Andre out of the game, then I hope Rodney and Quinn in particular take up the slack and can make the 3 ball. Quinn if healthy, I think may be the difference maker in this game. Hey, you heard it here first, lol.
3. Ennis is a very, very good point guard. Of all our guards, I believe Rasheed and Matt have the best chance of containing him. We can't let Tyler get into the lane and score or dish for easy baskets. Coach K will have a plan to best defend Ennis.
4. Duke's offensive rebounding. I look for Duke to continue to have success in rebounding our missed shots against their zone. Amile, Jabari and MPIII have a knack of getting us 2nd chance shots.
5. Their offense against our improving defense. I believe our guys have bought into Coach K's man to man and they see how it takes everyone being involved. No weak links. I think we have another good defensive effort.
6. My point...Foul Trouble. Lately this has not been a problem. I think that's because of the Line Change/Depth of our team. A tired player can get lazy and make silly/stupid fouls. I hope Coach K continues to use his bench because I believe that has been one of the reasons for Duke's improved play. If Jabari, Rodney and Amile stay out of foul trouble, I believe we leave with a win. Good points kAzE. GoDuke!

[Stevie_the_Lid]

How about this week? He was 3 for 6 from three against FSU and 6 for 7 against Pitt (7 for 9 overall).

Or against Eastern Michigan (6 for 10 from three) and Elon (5 for 7). Or Michigan (2 for 2 from three; 3 for 3 overall) and Gardner-Webb (4 for 8 from three; 6 for 10 overall). Or Florida Atlantic (5 for 8 from three; 6 for 9 overall) and UNCA (3 for 6 from three; 4 for 7 overall).

Sometimes the narrative gets in the way of the truth.

So statistically, he's not due another hot shooting night.

STL

[Stevie_the_Lid]

Peaking too early? I thought we always peaked in November, right?

Anyway, I expect us to play well, especially since we are clearly the underdog. Syracuse has stayed undefeated as of now, and that's worth something, for sure. However, they haven't exactly won in dominating fashion. So I feel they are "ripe" for a loss.

This year's Syracuse team reminds me of past Duke teams, actually, that started out with awesome records but you could just sense a loss was imminent after "squeaking by" in some close games with inferior opponents.

Syracuse's first loss is coming soon, hopefully Saturday(although it wouldn't shock me if it was tonight).

You don't want 'Cuse to lose tonight. They would be pissed off and more determined Saturday.

STL

[Stevie_the_Lid]

I honestly can see Syracuse going 7-5 to finish the season. Outside chance of 6-6 even.

No way, no how. Name the 5 losses, let alone 6? Lets' see what happens tonight. The ACC teams have not figured out the zone yet. Pitt stands the best chance to avenge their loss. Syracuse's defense is getting better and better, even with the loss of their big man in the center. Coleman never played more than the first opening minutes. Nice to have his body and fouls available, but not a huge hole to fill. Syracuse's front court must be one of the largest in the ACC. Parker will not like it amongst the trees on the back line. Our sub, a 6'10" senior is a shot blocker and holds down the middle as well due to his familiarity with the zone. Dawkins will have to hit a couple to pull 'Cuse out and extend. He's a streaky shooter. Syracuse will have their eye on him, but he'll have to make a couple. I'm not sure the 36,000 will affect the Blue Devils much. They are used to the big stage, but it's an experience none the less. The largest on campus crowd in the history of the NCAA.

STL