Duke retroactively awarded 2002 title

[vick]

Well, OK, not really, but Pomeroy added 2002 data, and Duke turned out to have the #1 offense and defense in the country that year (the only team in his database to accomplish this). Also would have been the second-highest tempo team in the country if they played this year--as it was they were 13th.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Well, OK, not really, but Pomeroy added 2002 data, and Duke turned out to have the #1 offense and defense in the country that year (the only team in his database to accomplish this).

Ahhh...I long for that once again.

[Kedsy]

Ahhh...I long for that once again.

The 2002 team's defensive acumen was entirely about forcing turnovers. That team was a poor defensive rebounding team (much worse than the 2014 team and, actually, worse than each of the past 8 Duke teams), decent but not outstanding at opposing free throw rate and opposing field goal percentage, but amazing at forcing turnovers (best Duke team at forcing to's in the past 17 years). We can talk about communication and rotation and staying in front of opposing guards and keeping opposing big men in check, but if we could have bettered our turnover pct from the 18.5% it was in 2014 (and 2012) to the 25.7% it was in 2002 -- while not doing anything else better on D or even being worse in the other factors -- and our defense would have been at least top 10 and probably top 5.

[Newton_14]

Ahhh...I long for that once again.

Sad part is that team as Kedsy alludes to below, was not exactly a defensive juggernaut by Duke standards, but man could those guys force turnovers, and know exactly what to do when said turnover became ball in their hands. Score, score, and score some more. Interior defense was weak though which is why they got torched in the second half against IU. The collapse was on them but by all rights, two Carlos Boozer free throws should have won that game dadgummit. Who knows if we beat Maryland in the title game or not but no doubt in my mind we play them for the title if a certain former Atlanta Braves catcher calls the very blatant foul against Boozer in his attempted putback of Jason's FT miss. Ah the pain. That game and the 04 UConn robbery will forever haunt me. Hosed both games.

The 2002 team's defensive acumen was entirely about forcing turnovers. That team was a poor defensive rebounding team (much worse than the 2014 team and, actually, worse than each of the past 8 Duke teams), decent but not outstanding at opposing free throw rate and opposing field goal percentage, but amazing at forcing turnovers (best Duke team at forcing to's in the past 17 years). We can talk about communication and rotation and staying in front of opposing guards and keeping opposing big men in check, but if we could have bettered our turnover pct from the 18.5% it was in 2014 (and 2012) to the 25.7% it was in 2002 -- while not doing anything else better on D or even being worse in the other factors -- and our defense would have been at least top 10 and probably top 5.

You are correct kind sir. Why the heck this past season's team could not force turnovers is one of those great mystery's. The Battier to Jason Williams teams were so much fun to watch when they pressed full court. Numerous games in Cameron were won before the first TV Timeout. They would score, force a TO in the backcourt, get a layup, dunk, or 3, and do it all over again. They would have a team down 10 points before you could blink and the best part of it all was they never let up. Complacency was not in their vocabulary. The deficit was never satisfactory for those guys. Fun times...

[Wander]

The 2002 team's defensive acumen was entirely about forcing turnovers. That team was a poor defensive rebounding team (much worse than the 2014 team and, actually, worse than each of the past 8 Duke teams)

This entire thing is sort of a nitpick, but: not only were they not much worse, I'm not sure they were worse at all. The 2002 team got about 66% of available defensive rebounds while the 2014 team got about 69%, but the 2002 team ranked 160th in the country and the 2014 ranked 167th. In ACC play only, the percentages of the two teams are almost equal, except by ranking the 2002 team was 4th best in the ACC and the 2014 team was 11th best. Probably the best piece of evidence is this: in 2002, the D-1 average was 65.9% and Duke got 65.9%. In 2014, the D-1 average was 68.6% and Duke got 68.7%. I don't know if the change in the D-1 average is due to rule changes or officiating changes or the one-and-done thing or what, but I think those Duke teams were basically equal in this area.

[Des Esseintes]

Sad part is that team as Kedsy alludes to below, was not exactly a defensive juggernaut by Duke standards, but man could those guys force turnovers, and know exactly what to do when said turnover became ball in their hands. Score, score, and score some more. Interior defense was weak though which is why they got torched in the second half against IU. The collapse was on them but by all rights, two Carlos Boozer free throws should have won that game dadgummit. Who knows if we beat Maryland in the title game or not but no doubt in my mind we play them for the title if a certain former Atlanta Braves catcher calls the very blatant foul against Boozer in his attempted putback of Jason's FT miss. Ah the pain. That game and the 04 UConn robbery will forever haunt me. Hosed both games.


You are correct kind sir. Why the heck this past season's team could not force turnovers is one of those great mystery's. The Battier to Jason Williams teams were so much fun to watch when they pressed full court. Numerous games in Cameron were won before the first TV Timeout. They would score, force a TO in the backcourt, get a layup, dunk, or 3, and do it all over again. They would have a team down 10 points before you could blink and the best part of it all was they never let up. Complacency was not in their vocabulary. The deficit was never satisfactory for those guys. Fun times...

Well, that's the sort of thing that happens when you have:

junior Carlos Boozer (NBA 12 & counting)
junior Mike Dunleavy (NBA 12 & counting
redshirt junior Dahntay Jones (NBA 10 years)
sophomore Chris Duhon (NBA 9 years)
junior Jason Williams (#2 overall pick and the best, most talented player on the team)

...as your starting five, bringing in freshman and future NBA player Daniel Ewing off the bench. Incroyable!

That kind of talent + that degree of veterancy... That's just not possible in this day and age, for Duke or anyone else.

[vick]

in 2002, the D-1 average was 65.9% and Duke got 65.9%. In 2014, the D-1 average was 68.6% and Duke got 68.7%. I don't know if the change in the D-1 average is due to rule changes or officiating changes or the one-and-done thing or what, but I think those Duke teams were basically equal in this area.

It's a trend across top-level basketball in general; the percentage of rebounds grabbed by the offense has fallen substantially in the NBA as well. In fact, five of the twelve lowest percentages in league history (since possession-based stats are available, I think from the late-70s) were recorded this year.

[Des Esseintes]

It's a trend across top-level basketball in general; the percentage of rebounds grabbed by the offense has fallen substantially in the NBA as well. In fact, five of the twelve lowest percentages in league history (since possession-based stats are available, I think from the late-70s) were recorded this year.

Because the numbers say they aren't worth the cost to transition D, right?

[Here is a Turtle]

Not going to lie, I saw the title and had a heart attack.

[Des Esseintes]

Not going to lie, I saw the title and had a heart attack.

Gary ran a clean program, and that was a team of champions. Nobody is taking anything from those guys, except maybe Lonny Baxter's conceal-and-carry license.

[vick]

Because the numbers say they aren't worth the cost to transition D, right?

That's my understanding, yeah. Could be some secondary effect of a higher percentage of threes, but I think it's a deliberate rotation strategy.

[lotusland]

Well, OK, not really, but Pomeroy added 2002 data, and Duke turned out to have the #1 offense and defense in the country that year (the only team in his database to accomplish this). Also would have been the second-highest tempo team in the country if they played this year--as it was they were 13th.

Can we hoist a banner at the Nose Dome when we play there next year?

[OldPhiKap]

Can we hoist a banner at the Nose Dome when we play there next year?

Pomeroy is no Helms.