MBB: Duke vs. NC State (Sat, Feb 6, 2 pm, ESPN) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[JBDuke]

Duke hosts NC State this Saturday afternoon in Cameron. More to come...

[moonpie23]

they are gonna want some pay-back...team needs to be focused...

would love to see a balanced effort win...


go duke!

[Troublemaker]

Obviously a must-win game for Duke. NCSU has some talent, but they are a bottom-5 (or third division) ACC team that Duke has already dispatched on the road. At home, we need to get the W to generate some momentum (2 wins in a row!) and confidence heading into the tough part of the schedule.

I would think Duke will test the waters some with m2m defense in this game. We probably will also play some 2-3 zone, but NCSU is going to be better prepared for it the second time around, and even towards the end of the previous game against them, NCSU was figuring it out a bit. Zone at certain points to rest and avoid fouls, and M2M to win. Derryck vs Cat will be fun to watch.

[devildeac]

It'll be interesting to watch the reffing in this game considering Gottfried's recent comments to the media and his invitation to the head of NCAA officials to watch some early season games with him along with some recent ones. I'm fine if Cat goes to the FT line 10-12 times but I want the same damn calls when Brandon, Grayson, Luke and Derryck drive the lane and get pushed/shoved/grabbed and hammered.

[CDu]

Same as the last time we played them. State can't shoot, but has lots of size and some quality inside. If we can limit Cat Barber, we stand a good chance of winning. State is a very "zoneable" team. We'll probably see a fair amount of the zone in this one with an emphasis on limiting Barber's easy driving opportunities. I'm willing to let State try to beat us with Rowan and Martin jacking up 3s.

We'll need to keep Abu from getting easy alleyoop chances and we'll need to limit State on the glass. If we can reasonably contain Barber and if we can keep State from dominating the glass, we should win. That's not easy, but that's the gameplan.

[Rich]

Same as the last time we played them. State can't shoot, but has lots of size and some quality inside. If we can limit Cat Barber, we stand a good chance of winning. State is a very "zoneable" team. We'll probably see a fair amount of the zone in this one with an emphasis on limiting Barber's easy driving opportunities. I'm willing to let State try to beat us with Rowan and Martin jacking up 3s.

We'll need to keep Abu from getting easy alleyoop chances and we'll need to limit State on the glass. If we can reasonably contain Barber and if we can keep State from dominating the glass, we should win. That's not easy, but that's the gameplan.

Where's the guarantee?

[CDu]

Where's the guarantee?

That's uh_oh's realm. I live in a world of uncertainty.

[Saratoga2]

Clearly Brandon, Grayson and Marshall will start and play big minutes. I expect Matt and Derryck to start as well with Luke coming off the bench. If will be interesting to see how PT is apportioned among those three. Also, Chase looked a little better at GT. Hope he can build on that game as it would help Marshall. Maybe even Vrank will also get a few minutes with NC State bigs being one of their strengths.

[uh_no]

That's uh_oh's realm. I live in a world of uncertainty.

I do not guarantee a win in this game. I am only very confident that we will win.

Will not bet the retirement, only the house.

[Olympic Fan]

Scary game ... NC State has played well on the road. They routed Pitt at Pitt (won by 17 and led by double digits almost the whole game) and they played well in their most recent road trip -- a close loss at FSU. They hung close to UNC for a long time in Chapel Hill (tied at the half).

We did a good job against their big men in Raleigh, plus Mav Rowan, a notoriously streaky 3-point shooter, hot a couple of 3s in the first half, then went ice cold in the second. Finally, there was Cat Barber, who had 19 points with 11 minutes to play, then bumped knees with a Duke player and didn't score at all down the stretch.

Not saying Duke won't win -- if we play well, we should. Just saying, don't dismiss the Pack because we beat them in Raleigh. They haven't won in Durham since 1995 ... they haven't beaten Coach K in Durham since 1988. But there have been some close calls during that span.

And Duke has lost two in a row at home -- that hasn't happened since 2007. Duke last lost three straight home games since 1995 (when Duke lost four straight at home). Coach K hasn't been on the bench for three straight home losses since 1984.

I don't want to see that happen Saturday.

[weezie]

It'll be interesting to watch the reffing in this game...

That's a nice way of putting it.

I'm a mysterious soothsaying witch and I say to you that the reffing will be maddeningly inconsistent yet irrefutable.
In my next life I will be born a ref and my whole family will bow down before my absolute correctness.

[jipops]

Agree that this is another must-win. The 4 game stretch after tomorrow is pretty brutal. It would be wonderful if we could take 2 of the next 3 (State, UL, UVA). That would put is in pretty good position heading in to the final stretch of the season.

[Neals384]

Will Coach K be back in the saddle?

[Channing]

My TV guide in Atlanta is telling me that college game day is on ESPN at 6 and I don't see the game listed on any ancillary ESPN channels. Anyone have an idea? Is it on espn3?

[Bob Green]

My TV guide in Atlanta is telling me that college game day is on ESPN at 6 and I don't see the game listed on any ancillary ESPN channels. Anyone have an idea? Is it on espn3?

The game is on ESPN at 2 pm.

[superdave]

So we play State twice before playing Carolina the first time. That is some real fancy scheduling, Swofford. I dont like this. We should be playing the teams in order, and not trying to shoehorn into Espn's favored tv schedule. (at least I assume the schedule is made for tv at their request)

I also dont like the turnaround to a quick Monday follow-up game. Saturday-Wednesday works much better.

Humbug!!!!

State's win over Miami shows you what they are capable of. But I dont think this team has the consistency to do that more than once in a row.

[arnie]

So we play State twice before playing Carolina the first time. That is some real fancy scheduling, Swofford. I dont like this. We should be playing the teams in order, and not trying to shoehorn into Espn's favored tv schedule. (at least I assume the schedule is made for tv at their request)

I also dont like the turnaround to a quick Monday follow-up game. Saturday-Wednesday works much better.

Humbug!!!!

State's win over Miami shows you what they are capable of. But I dont think this team has the consistency to do that more than once in a row.

State lost to FSU after beating Miami. But I agree, doubt they can play great 2 out of 3.

[Bob Green]

Duke is favored by 11 points in Vegas with the over/under set at 152. Duke 82, State 70.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-...dds/las-vegas/

[Furniture]

I have a hunch Jeter will continue his progression and he gets a few more minutes. Why not?

[Bob Green]

Why not?

Because he only gets five fouls. Against State's big interior players, Jeter will have a hard time playing defense.