MBB: Duke 70, ... Cheating Bastards 79 Post-Game Thread

[CDu]

26 points on 27 shots and3 FTA for Barrett. 23 points on 23 shots and 10 FTA for Reddish. It is hard to win when your two best players are both below 50% TS%.

Defense was good enough to win. Offense wasn’t.

Thank goodness UVa took care of business to hold UNC to just a share of the regular season and out of sole possession. Otherwise there is a good chance UNC would have put a firm grasp of a 1 seed. As of now, we at least have an outside chance at a 1 seed.

Tough loss. Expected loss, but still tough.

[devilsince1977]

1. 25% 3s

2. 34% FGs

3. No Z

4. No MB

5. PoS B1G reject ref, @#$% tv teddy

Roger Ayers isn't any better.

[Kedsy]

Duke was without it’s two best rebounders and paint players.

Losing Marques hurt in a lot of ways, but he's really our fourth best rebounder (5th best at defensive rebounds).

I don't know what happened with our inability to develop any semblance of a bench.

We have exactly one top 50 recruit outside our starting five, and Javin (#35 three years ago) played great. When almost all our top 50 recruits leave early or transfer if they don't play much as underclassmen, I'm not sure what more we can expect.

Not sure Duke has enough depth for a ACC tourney run.

In 2017 (i.e., two years ago), we played four ACC tournament games and won all four playing just seven guys (and our 7th man averaged only 11 mpg in the four games). Even if Marques doesn't play, this team is at least as deep as that one.

Oh, and UNC has less depth than Duke. Do they have enough for a run?

They may not win another game.

OK, you win the award for silliest comment of the week.

[bluenorth]

No, the ACC refs just suck. They have always sucked. All the way back to Dick Paparo(sp), Lenny Wirtz and others. The only good ref was Hank Nichols. GoDuke!

I have to admit that Valentine has never impressed me. And yet he seems to appear again and again in big games. There must be some younger guys that can be brought along.

[Saratoga2]

As far as the refereeing goes, you have to expect calls like that. Most block/charge situations could go either way, and refs being (somewhat) human, they tend to favor the home team. I can't quote the source, but there was a study done that showed that on a subconscious level this is what happens. The refs don't try to give the home team the benefit of the 50/50 calls, but it happens anyway.

There were questionable calls both ways. ON one Jack had a clear block called a foul while I'm sure we got lucky on some. I would refrain from using the refs as an excuse. We were shorthanded, the guys played hard. We reverted to forcing the ball at the end with two fatigued players and our decision making got bad. Clearly we need Zion to spread the offense and we need Marques to give us enough quality bodies to avoid being exhausted at the end, especially when playing in a high # of possessions game.

[Dukehky]

9 point loss down two starters and 0 points from our other "3 point shooters" in White and AOC.

Things could have been a lot worse.

I feel so badly for Bolden, I hope his season's not over.

[jv001]

I have to admit that Valentine has never impressed me. And yet he seems to appear again and again in big games. There must be some younger guys that can be brought along.

Yeh, it's all about Teddy when he's doing a game. GoDuke1

[Edouble]

There were questionable calls both ways. ON one Jack had a clear block called a foul while I'm sure we got lucky on some. I would refrain from using the refs as an excuse. We were shorthanded, the guys played hard. We reverted to forcing the ball at the end with two fatigued players and our decision making got bad. Clearly we need Zion to spread the offense and we need Marques to give us enough quality bodies to avoid being exhausted at the end, especially when playing in a high # of possessions game.

If we have Zion playing ~30 minutes though, we don't need Marques (or whoever) to give us another quality body as badly.

I'm a "never say never" type of fan, particularly with the history of occasional miracles from Duke basketball, but I don't see a scenario where we make it to the ACC championship game on Saturday without Zion back, if Marques is out for several weeks now.

[jipops]

It’s a lock that the media will give Roy ACC coy. This despite Bennett’s team winning at ufc and playing a far tougher road ACC schedule.

Roy’s team is darn good and he has them surging at the right time. But the light road schedule has been beneficial.

[tmoon78]

I don’t understand why everyone is so distraught over this game. I know it’s UNC so everything hurts a little more but honestly this game matters very little in the grand scheme of things. This was a 5 point game with two minutes to go in chapel hill on senior night, minus two starters, including one who is the clear npoy and with R.J. Barrett getting called for 3 ridiculous charge calls that basically made him a jump shooter for the entire second half. This Duke team has lost exactly one game with its entire roster and that was in November by two points to the number one team in the nation on its 3rd game in three nights. Do you not remember how a month ago we were the clear number one team by everybody’s ranking system including everybody’s darling Kenpom? How we just manhandled UVA on their homecourt and had one of the greatest comebacks against Louisville two days later? You can’t lose a generational talent on both ends of the court and not expect a little fallback. The last three weeks without Zion have basically been all about survival and Duke did just that. The only thing Duke lost in those three weeks was the meaningless unbalanced ACC regular season. Get Zion back next Thursday and the number one seed is still ours to lose and we go into the NCAA tournament as the prohibitive favorite.

[WakeDevil]

As far as the refereeing goes, you have to expect calls like that. Most block/charge situations could go either way, and refs being (somewhat) human, they tend to favor the home team. I can't quote the source, but there was a study done that showed that on a subconscious level this is what happens. The refs don't try to give the home team the benefit of the 50/50 calls, but it happens anyway.

I know Covington because he attends our local clinics. Next October, I am going to ask him, "Why do you guys hate RJ Barrett so much?"

[Troublemaker]

26 points on 27 shots and3 FTA for Barrett. 23 points on 23 shots and 10 FTA for Reddish. It is hard to win when your two best players are both below 50% TS%.

Defense was good enough to win. Offense wasn’t.

Thank goodness UVa took care of business to hold UNC to just a share of the regular season and out of sole possession. Otherwise there is a good chance UNC would have put a firm grasp of a 1 seed. As of now, we at least have an outside chance at a 1 seed.

Tough loss. Expected loss, but still tough.

I suspect Duke still has a 1 seed even after this loss, but we obviously need to play well in the ACCT when Zion returns.

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/ - the fourth #1 seed, Tennessee, lost today so they're moving down. Next in line is Kentucky, a team Duke blew out. UNC probably moves up to the 1-line, replacing Tennessee, but it's at least arguable whether they're ahead of Duke having not played us at full-strength.

If I had to guess - the overall ranking of 1-seeds right now is: UVA, Gonzaga, Duke, UNC. But even if you flip UNC and Duke, who cares as long as Zion is back? UNC's placement is temporary unless they can beat Duke with Zion.

[Dukehky]

It’s a lock that the media will give Roy ACC coy. This despite Bennett’s team winning at ufc and playing a far tougher road ACC schedule.

Roy’s team is darn good and he has them surging at the right time. But the light road schedule has been beneficial.

I think this is Roy's best coaching job, honestly. This is the first time his team is not loaded with upper class McDonald's all Americans. Maye Johnson and Williams turned into really solid players, he's gotten some stuff from Brooks who is generally garbage, and he's integrated a turnover prone freshman PG. This all without their real blue chipper being any good.

I still hate them and everything they stand for, but this has been his best job.

[freshmanjs]

I don’t understand why everyone is so distraught over this game. I know it’s UNC so everything hurts a little more but honestly this game matters very little in the grand scheme of things. This was a 5 point game with two minutes to go in chapel hill on senior night, minus two starters, including one who is the clear npoy and with R.J. Barrett getting called for 3 ridiculous charge calls that basically made him a jump shooter for the entire second half. This Duke team has lost exactly one game with its entire roster and that was in November by two points to the number one team in the nation on its 3rd game in three nights. Do you not remember how a month ago we were the clear number one team by everybody’s ranking system including everybody’s darling Kenpom? How we just manhandled UVA on their homecourt and had one of the greatest comebacks against Louisville two days later? You can’t lose a generational talent on both ends of the court and not expect a little fallback. The last three weeks without Zion have basically been all about survival and Duke did just that. The only thing Duke lost in those three weeks was the meaningless unbalanced ACC regular season. Get Zion back next Thursday and the number one seed is still ours to lose and we go into the NCAA tournament as the prohibitive favorite.

One reason is that we are unlikely to play another game at full strength until at least the sw16, possibly the final four. That makes things a lot tougher.

[subzero02]

Yes my sentiments exactly. Not sure subzero is the sharpest tool in the shed

Would you please elaborate on your argument that having Zion on the court would not have changed the outcome of this game?

[Edouble]

I don’t understand why everyone is so distraught over this game. I know it’s UNC so everything hurts a little more but honestly this game matters very little in the grand scheme of things. This was a 5 point game with two minutes to go in chapel hill on senior night, minus two starters, including one who is the clear npoy and with R.J. Barrett getting called for 3 ridiculous charge calls that basically made him a jump shooter for the entire second half. This Duke team has lost exactly one game with its entire roster and that was in November by two points to the number one team in the nation on its 3rd game in three nights. Do you not remember how a month ago we were the clear number one team by everybody’s ranking system including everybody’s darling Kenpom? How we just manhandled UVA on their homecourt and had one of the greatest comebacks against Louisville two days later? You can’t lose a generational talent on both ends of the court and not expect a little fallback. The last three weeks without Zion have basically been all about survival and Duke did just that. The only thing Duke lost in those three weeks was the meaningless unbalanced ACC regular season. Get Zion back next Thursday and the number one seed is still ours to lose and we go into the NCAA tournament as the prohibitive favorite.

We just got swept in the regular season by our most hated rival.

We lost Bolden. We are now down to 3 of 5 starters.

[Dukehky]

We just got swept in the regular season by our most hated rival.

We lost Bolden. We are now down to 3 of 5 starters.

Bolden's rim protection has been so crucial in the games he played well. I'm not totally sure that we'll need him until the sweet sixteen though if the other beast is back.

I still think if we play them next Friday, the winner gets the 1 seed.

[Troublemaker]

I don’t understand why everyone is so distraught over this game. I know it’s UNC so everything hurts a little more but honestly this game matters very little in the grand scheme of things. This was a 5 point game with two minutes to go in chapel hill on senior night, minus two starters, including one who is the clear npoy and with R.J. Barrett getting called for 3 ridiculous charge calls that basically made him a jump shooter for the entire second half. This Duke team has lost exactly one game with its entire roster and that was in November by two points to the number one team in the nation on its 3rd game in three nights. Do you not remember how a month ago we were the clear number one team by everybody’s ranking system including everybody’s darling Kenpom? How we just manhandled UVA on their homecourt and had one of the greatest comebacks against Louisville two days later? You can’t lose a generational talent on both ends of the court and not expect a little fallback. The last three weeks without Zion have basically been all about survival and Duke did just that. The only thing Duke lost in those three weeks was the meaningless unbalanced ACC regular season. Get Zion back next Thursday and the number one seed is still ours to lose and we go into the NCAA tournament as the prohibitive favorite.

I think people are reacting pretty well, actually. (Although it's possible the mods have deleted many posts). It just stinks that UNC swept us.

[tmoon78]

We just got swept in the regular season by our most hated rival.

We lost Bolden. We are now down to 3 of 5 starters.

Zion is back Thursday. The Bolden loss does suck but this loss will be forgotten when Duke defeats Unc next Friday.

[dukelifer]

Losing Marques hurt in a lot of ways, but he's really our fourth best rebounder (5th best at defensive rebounds).



We have exactly one top 50 recruit outside our starting five, and Javin (#35 three years ago) played great. When almost all our top 50 recruits leave early or transfer if they don't play much as underclassmen, I'm not sure what more we can expect.



In 2017 (i.e., two years ago), we played four ACC tournament games and won all four playing just seven guys (and our 7th man averaged only 11 mpg in the four games). Even if Marques doesn't play, this team is at least as deep as that one.

Oh, and UNC has less depth than Duke. Do they have enough for a run?



OK, you win the award for silliest comment of the week.

I am also assuming Zion is not able to go all three games at 35 minutes/game. That 2017 team's run was impressive but they had a ton of experience as does this years UNC team. This Duke team does not.