MBB: GT at Duke (1/4, 7 pm, ESPN2) Pre Game and In Game Thread

[uh_no]

Enough about the VT shenanigans. We got a game in a couple days!

GT is obviously not great. several mediocre losses. Their best win is an OT win over #51 vcu...and they have wins against other cupcakes such as Wofford, NC AT, and UNC. Their SOS was one of the worst in the country...

The vast plurality of their time is played with

Justin Moore... 6'4 162(???) Is this kid missing an arm or something? yeesh. He doesn't appear to jump off the charts at anything, and doesn't appear to be able to shoot his way out of a paper bag, with a .464 FT% and a whopping 1-5 from 3.
Josh Okagie ...6-4 207.takes a few threes...though not prolific. He is one of the teams 4 main shot takers
Quinton Stephens...6-9 196 (???) not sure whether his or Moore's weight is worse. as a senior, you'd expect him to have bulked up a bit...but he's a stick. He's an awful shooter...converting just 38% from 2 and 28% form 3. He is the omong the teams 4 primary shot takers. He is a decent rebounder.
Ben lammers...6-10 227. Solid rebounder, solid scorer. solid shot blocker. probably the best player on the team

The SG spot seems to be split almost evenly between
Tadric Jackson...6-2...teams only reasonable 3 point shooter, and the last of the 4 primary shooters
Corey Heyward...6-1...in Kenpoms "nearly invisible" category...seems to get minutes because he's a senior? maybe he's good at defense?
Josh Heath...6-2...also a senior, also little to recommend him...but will pick up PG duties when moore takes a break. usually allowing jackson more minutes at the 2.

Abdoulaye is the last big man who eats minutes to the tune of 10 a game. It should be noted that heyward barely got any minutes vs UNC, and jackson was severly limited by foul trouble. So basically we're looking at 4 guards and 2 big men, with the 2 big men almost always on the floor.

As for what we'll do:

Given that their top 8 lineups have two big men in there, and given jackson's less than stellar performance last week, I wouldn't be surprised if chase or even perhaps harry got the start alongside amile. quinton's popsickle stick frame. That leaves jayson luke and matt to deal with the guards.

Jayson ought to be a matchup mightmare for them, as they have no players between 6'4 and 6'9 that play any meaningful minutes.

Given that they have two bigguns down low, i'm not sure we'll be able to make a killing simply getting layups as we did against VT.

Also fortunately, they're not a particularly prolific three point shooting team. Having only one good shooter.


I didn't watch the UNC game, but the two people that really beat them were Okogie and Heath, who combined for 17-19 from the free throw line and 41 points overall. The team as a whole scored 28 from the line. Given the foul trouble. Kepping GT off the line will be key given their relatively poor shooting from the floor. If we do that and rebound well, we SHOULD win this game. We also need to look to come out and score early. I'm tired of us taking 10 minutes to figure out how to attack the defense. I wouldn't be surprised to see us run some sets to get luke a couple looks from three early, as well as hopefully getting jayson some mismatch opportunities...as I'm not sure they have anyone that can guard him.

LGD

[Doria]

I didn't see the Carolina game either, but hopefully in the friendly confines of Cameron, we'll be able to hit some outside shots early to open up some scoring lanes on the interior. Also hopefully, from the start, we'll be able to establish another couple (few?!) scoring threats to go with Luke.

I assume their big men aren't particularly skilled, but this is a good chance for a couple of ours to step up alongside Amile. And I'd really like to see us stay with their perimeter shooters (at least those that are scoring threats at all).

It shouldn't be too complicated. Play as a team, and we should win, without any need for fuss. GoDuke!

[LasVegas]

Hopefully we win and look better. It's all about progress now. Baby steps. My hope is that they look a little more cohesive out there and Giles/Bolden get extended time. What has really been lost in all of this is Kennard being in a battle for POY. If this team can come close to their ceiling and his numbers stay close to the same, you have to REALLY like his chances.

[Bob Green]

The most important element of Wednesday's game against Georgia Tech is seeing how Duke responds. The team must display some grit and play with focused intensity.

[dukejim1]

The most important element of Wednesday's game against Georgia Tech is seeing how Duke responds. The team must display some grit and play with focused intensity.

That sums it up.

[UrinalCake]

I remember a couple seasons ago, GT was terrible shooting from deep, like last in the conference, yet they came into Cameron and shot something like 8 for 12 and almost pulled out a win. So anything can happen. You'd have to imagine their confidence is high after beating the CHeats and with the way we've been playing I definitely don't feel very comfortable. I'll be at the game, hope my fellow Crazies bring it because the team is going to need all the help they can get!

[Troublemaker]

GaTech plays a couple of zone defenses, a couple of pretty good ones to hold down UNC. If they play mostly the 2-3 zone, get ready for a barrage of Tatum free-throw line jumpers. Hope he makes them. And if he can make the right reads and either kick out for an open 3 or pass to an open man near the basket, even better.

Easily the biggest problem versus VaTech was transition defense, so hopefully we see improvement there.

[CDu]

Tech has two good players. Lammers is an All-ACC caliber big man. Okogie is a dangerous slasher on the wing. The rest are not ACC-starting quality. Tech beat UNC by playing zone and letting UNC shoot themselves out of the game (19% on 3s, 33% overall, 20 turnovers). Tech is not good.

They are small. Lammers plays a ton. But aside from him, they don't play anyone with real size. Stephens, McCormick, and Gueya are tall (6'8"-6'9") but skinny (190-210lb), and not very good. Stephens plays by far the most, and fancies himself a stretch 4 (though he doesn't shoot well). Heath and Moore are caretaking PGs. Heyward is a fire hydrant of a guard who looks more suited to play football than bball. He isn't a good player. Jackson has been an effective 3pt shooter this year, and can score.

But overall this isn't a team that should be able to compete with us in Cameron. Contain Lammers and Okogie and we should win big.

[jv001]

Tech has two good players. Lammers is an All-ACC caliber big man. Okogie is a dangerous slasher on the wing. The rest are not ACC-starting quality. Tech beat UNC by playing zone and letting UNC shoot themselves out of the game (19% on 3s, 33% overall, 20 turnovers). Tech is not good.

They are small. Lammers plays a ton. But aside from him, they don't play anyone with real size. Stephens, McCormick, and Gueya are tall (6'8"-6'9") but skinny (190-210lb), and not very good. Stephens plays by far the most, and fancies himself a stretch 4 (though he doesn't shoot well). Heath and Moore are caretaking PGs. Heyward is a fire hydrant of a guard who looks more suited to play football than bball. He isn't a good player. Jackson has been an effective 3pt shooter this year, and can score.

But overall this isn't a team that should be able to compete with us in Cameron. Contain Lammers and Okogie and we should win big.

But Duke is not good at this point in the season either. I'm more worried about Duke than I am GT. This group of young men need to come together as a team. Then I believe we'll be fine. The comments coming from Luke have me concerned. Looking for a good turn around and a sweet victory. GoDuke!

[OldPhiKap]

Elon should not have been able to hang at a Cameron.

GT played well against the Heels, and the Heels were cold from outside. We are at our worst when we just jack up shots without driving first and attacking.

We are not playing well right now. I am hoping the light clicks back on Wednesday

[CDu]

But Duke is not good at this point in the season either. I'm more worried about Duke than I am GT. This group of young men need to come together as a team. Then I believe we'll be fine. The comments coming from Luke have me concerned. Looking for a good turn around and a sweet victory. GoDuke!

We are not good relative to Duke's standards. Tech is just not good.

That is not to say we can't play worse and make this one stressful. But Tech is much worse than us, even as we are playing right now.

[CDu]

Elon should not have been able to hang at a Cameron.

GT played well against the Heels, and the Heels were cold from outside. We are at our worst when we just jack up shots without driving first and attacking.

We are not playing well right now. I am hoping the light clicks back on Wednesday

Technically Elon didn't hang with us in Cameron (Greensboro).

[OldPhiKap]

Technically Elon didn't hang with us in Cameron (Greensboro).

Fair point.

[CDu]

Fair point.

Though I guess you can just as well replace "Elon" with "Tennessee St.". I think Tennessee St is better than Tech. And that was our first game following exams, so some sloppiness is to be expected.

But yes, if we play awful basketball like UNC did (19% on 3s, 33% overall, 20 TOs) we could run into trouble with Tech. But we will have to try to lose. Tech got blown out by Tennessee and Georgia. They lost to Ohio and Penn St. They struggled to beat Sam Houston St, Wofford, and NC A&T. This is a game that even a struggling Duke team should win.

[Utley]

But Duke is not good at this point in the season either. I'm more worried about Duke than I am GT. This group of young men need to come together as a team. Then I believe we'll be fine. The comments coming from Luke have me concerned. Looking for a good turn around and a sweet victory. GoDuke!

I should probably know these but were these comments from Luke post the Va Tech game? If so - what did he say? I know he made some comments about selfish play recently.

[Bob Green]

I should probably know these but were these comments from Luke post the Va Tech game? If so - what did he say? I know he made some comments about selfish play recently.

The comments were Elon post game.

[Eakane]

I know we're all dealing with other issues; Grayson, K, the drubbing we took from V.Tech., but I'd like to talk some basic X and O's for a moment. I'm seeing a pattern on the defensive side that is disturbing. It looks like opposing teams are running lay-up drills. And it wasn't just V.Tech, who couldn't miss. We saw it in the 2 warm up games last week, and we saw it with Florida and Rhode Island. Teams are getting out in transition and beating us back to the basket for an easy score. 3 thoughts to deal with this: 1. Get back. If we're pressing or going zone, get to your spot. If we're going man, then get the heck back. Usually I reserve my screaming at the TV to get back for the UNC game, and that ridiculous (but somehow effective) secondary break they run, but I'm losing me voice already and it's barely January. 2. I thought we had a few rim protectors this year? I realize we had some injuries early on, but I'm seeing a lot of standing around and watching. And 3. (and I expect to catch hell for this), no uncontested lay ups. I'm not advocating hurting anyone, but if you're not in position to take a charge, then no ticky tack Ole defense on a drive to the basket. I'd like to see some attention to this in Wednesday's game.

Finally, for all of you complaining about Matt, stop.

[gofurman]

I didn't see the Carolina game either, but hopefully in the friendly confines of Cameron, we'll be able to hit some outside shots early to open up some scoring lanes on the interior. Also hopefully, from the start, we'll be able to establish another couple (few?!) scoring threats to go with Luke.

I assume their big men aren't particularly skilled, but this is a good chance for a couple of ours to step up alongside Amile. And I'd really like to see us stay with their perimeter shooters (at least those that are scoring threats at all).

It shouldn't be too complicated. Play as a team, and we should win, without any need for fuss. GoDuke!

I would have to disagree that 'their big men aren''t particularly skilled'.. Lammers is pretty good. Not NBA talent perhaps but he has worked hard to make himself a good ACC player and I wish we had him

Maybe I am jaded after the last 3 games but this post seems to indicate we can win easily "without any fuss". I don't know that I feel we can win any game "without any fuss". We couldn't beat TSU or Elon without some fuss. And GT is better than TSU and ELon by some measures. ELon doesn't have a Lammers in the middle.

[NSDukeFan]

I know we're all dealing with other issues; Grayson, K, the drubbing we took from V.Tech., but I'd like to talk some basic X and O's for a moment. I'm seeing a pattern on the defensive side that is disturbing. It looks like opposing teams are running lay-up drills. And it wasn't just V.Tech, who couldn't miss. We saw it in the 2 warm up games last week, and we saw it with Florida and Rhode Island. Teams are getting out in transition and beating us back to the basket for an easy score. 3 thoughts to deal with this: 1. Get back. If we're pressing or going zone, get to your spot. If we're going man, then get the heck back. Usually I reserve my screaming at the TV to get back for the UNC game, and that ridiculous (but somehow effective) secondary break they run, but I'm losing me voice already and it's barely January. 2. I thought we had a few rim protectors this year? I realize we had some injuries early on, but I'm seeing a lot of standing around and watching. And 3. (and I expect to catch hell for this), no uncontested lay ups. I'm not advocating hurting anyone, but if you're not in position to take a charge, then no ticky tack Ole defense on a drive to the basket. I'd like to see some attention to this in Wednesday's game.

Finally, for all of you complaining about Matt, stop.

The problem with 3 is the last time someone stuck their leg (neck?) out, ESPN blew up. Just kidding.

[CDu]

I would have to disagree that 'their big men aren''t particularly skilled'.. Lammers is pretty good. Not NBA talent perhaps but he has worked hard to make himself a good ACC player and I wish we had him

Maybe I am jaded after the last 3 games but this post seems to indicate we can win easily "without any fuss". I don't know that I feel we can win any game "without any fuss". We couldn't beat TSU or Elon without some fuss. And GT is better than TSU and ELon by some measures. ELon doesn't have a Lammers in the middle.

I don't think Tech is better than TSU at all, actually. I would say those programs are pretty comparable this year.