MBB: Duke vs. Gonzaga, Reg Final (Sun 5:05 pm ET, CBS) Pregame/Ingame Thread

[hurleyfor3]

On the doorstep of the promised land.

[BlueandWhite]

On the doorstep of the promised land.

They just posted that the Louisville/likely to be MSU game is the early game...

[brevity]

They just posted that the Louisville/likely to be MSU game is the early game...

Yep.

Patrick Stevens: Gonzaga-Duke tips off Sunday 5:05pm on CBS.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I'm expecting 8 pages of hand wringing and statistical analysis. If for no other reason than karmic consistence.

[hurleyfor3]

I'm expecting 8 pages of hand wringing

How does one literally hand-wring in writing, anyway?

[sagegrouse]

How does one literally hand-wring in writing, anyway?

Now that cursive is no longer taught, it's a big problem.

[brevity]

I'm expecting 8 pages of hand wringing and statistical analysis. If for no other reason than karmic consistence.

CBS Sports allows you to compare any 2 teams. It was for bracketology purposes, but I think we can gauge our Gonzaga concern by comparing them to North Florida. The Ospreys have 10 more wins against teams with an RPI of 200 or more, so there's that.

[jacone21]

I hope Few and every Zag player has terrible nightmares about Justise coming to get them. Kinda like the second Friday the 13th movie, but with Justise instead of Jason. Ki Ki Ki... Ma Ma Ma!


It's late and I'm delirious.


Go Duke!

[neemizzle]

I hope Few and every Zag player has terrible nightmares about Justise coming to get them. Kinda like the second Friday the 13th movie, but with Justise instead of Jason. Ki Ki Ki... Ma Ma Ma!


It's late and I'm delirious.


Go Duke!

This post wins on all levels.

[Edouble]

I hope Few and every Zag player has terrible nightmares about Justise coming to get them. Kinda like the second Friday the 13th movie, but with Justise instead of Jason. Ki Ki Ki... Ma Ma Ma!


It's late and I'm delirious.


Go Duke!

LOL! Who are you and why aren't we friends in real life?

[moonpie23]

we play another dumb final 3 min and we're toast...

[hurleyfor3]

...and statistical analysis.

I'll start.

[Wander]

I'll start.

Second: our defense is all the way up to 27th!

[uh_no]

Second: our defense is all the way up to 27th!

noticed that. big defensive performance over a highly ranked KP team will have a big effect on a relatively poor defense.

[Wander]

noticed that. big defensive performance over a highly ranked KP team will have a big effect on a relatively poor defense.

But it's also been trending upward for a while, and also matches everyone's "eye test" - including Coach K's - that the defense has in fact improved a lot lately.

[Son of Jarhead]

I'll start.

Let's hope we shoot 3's on Sunday the way we did against Baylor in 2010... 11 of 23 for 47.8%. (& that was with Kyle going 0-5)

We will have to play better than we did tonight to advance to the FF. Quin seemed really annoyed by something tonight... I'm expecting him to light it up on Sunday. Got to get the big guy untracked, too. Let's Go Duke!!!!!

[neemizzle]

So wait, we only made three 3's in that game? That's bananas man. If this was December, everyone here would be like "there's no chance we're going to the tournament!" or "we can't win that way!"

Interesting that the Zags made that same amount tonight.

Intrigued, nonetheless.

We finally get the matchup we talked about secretly though. Gonzaga finally has to play someone in a big setting with a big moment on the line for their program. Lots at stake for them, but also lots at stake for us. We have to shoot well, and they do too.

Matchups I'm looking forward to are that inside matchup with Zags big guys vs ours, Winslow and Wiltjer, and Pangos vs Tyus/Quinn.

MARCH!

[Newton_14]

The negativity around here is getting really annoying. This team blew out their opponents last weekend and handled their business tonight. Give it a rest already.

[neemizzle]

The negativity around here is getting really annoying. This team blew out their opponents last weekend and handled their business tonight. Give it a rest already.

I agree with you, 100%. They've done nothing but exceed media (and fans') expectations of them all year. If I remember correctly, everyone was ready to give up on them after State, then Miami, then after Notre Dame, then after Sheed's dismissing, and they've rose to the occasion.

In the end, it is just basketball. But I do agree, they're handling business. Let's hope it continues!

[MarkD83]

The negativity around here is getting really annoying. This team blew out their opponents last weekend and handled their business tonight. Give it a rest already.

In order to maintain my superstitious habit that I did not do in the Utah pregame thread, I do have to add one last piece of sarcastic negativity. "Brevity" said that we should compare Gonzaga to North Florida and they were the best 16th seed that we would have lost to if they hadn't lost to Robert Morris...so we are doomed... (See Robert Morris - North Florida thread for the genesis of this ritual.)

In fact I actually like where Duke is at this point. In the tournament, there is always one game or one segment of time in a game that a team has to respond to things not going well. Duke has done this multiple times and with each time I believe their confidence is growing.