2019 East Region Thread (Duke #1)

[curtis325]

I understand that VT knows us but they are the 2nd 4th seed I would want to play. The first one is K State. K State is playing well this year but they haven't seen Duke before. I'd want to stay away from FSU and Kansas.

UCF looks hard based on their record but their OOC schedule is mediocre. Their best OOC games were St Joes, Bama, and Missouri. They lost to Mizzou in overtime. They did beat Houston and Cincy but also lost to them. The AAC wasn't very good this year.

In the end, Duke has to make 3s. I bet we see every team sagging the defense. They should play the FSU style defense. As long as opposing teams don't play FSU offense from the 2nd half and missed everything, the game should be close. If Duke makes 30-40% of their threes then they should win easily.

Pretty much the whole season negates the bolded take.

I hope Duke shoots lights-out from 3, but they don't have to do that to win.

[ChrisP]

Not to get too far ahead of things here, but I'm not super worried about either VCU or UCF as a potential second round matchup. Probably a tad more concerned about UCF though just given the familiarity factor with Johnny D as the coach. I haven't seen it mentioned - and was totally unaware myself until this morning - that Johnny's son, Aubrey starts (and is really good) for UCF. He had 36 points and 11 rebs (yikes!) in their final regular season loss at Temple. But everyone's supposed boogeyman, Tacko Fall had 2 pts, 5 rebs, 4 fouls and ZERO blocks in that game. In UCF's tourney loss to non-dancing Memphis, Dawkins only scored 7pts and Tacko had 12 and 10 boards to go along with 4 blocks.

I respect every opponent - as should the team - but I believe we can certainly make it to the 2nd weekend of the tourney even without Bolden and then hope like heck to get him back for the Sweet 16 (and, hopefully, beyond)

[roywhite]

Not to get too far ahead of things here, but I'm not super worried about either VCU or UCF as a potential second round matchup. Probably a tad more concerned about UCF though just given the familiarity factor with Johnny D as the coach. I haven't seen it mentioned - and was totally unaware myself until this morning - that Johnny's son, Aubrey starts (and is really good) for UCF. He had 36 points and 11 rebs (yikes!) in their final regular season loss at Temple. But everyone's supposed boogeyman, Tacko Fall had 2 pts, 5 rebs, 4 fouls and ZERO blocks in that game. In UCF's tourney loss to non-dancing Memphis, Dawkins only scored 7pts and Tacko had 12 and 10 boards to go along with 4 blocks.

I respect every opponent - as should the team - but I believe we can certainly make it to the 2nd weekend of the tourney even without Bolden and then hope like heck to get him back for the Sweet 16 (and, hopefully, beyond)

Yeah, Aubrey is a good player. Good shooter, esp. from 3. He's not a young guy; turns 24 this May and still has a year of eligibility left. Started at Michigan and transferred to UCF after 2 years when Johnny got the job.

Preview of UCF from the Duke Chronicle
https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...entral-florida

[wsb3]

I understand the concerns about Va Tech & I would rather not play anyone from our conference but I am not assuming that they will be there for a possible match up with us.

[gocanes0506]

Pretty much the whole season negates the bolded take.

I hope Duke shoots lights-out from 3, but they don't have to do that to win.

I understand that point. In a single elimination tournament, Duke will need to be firing on all cylinders. The defense and paint scoring carries the team. VT, Michigan St, and LSU will be hard to get by without shooting better than 2 for 14 like Saturday.

[OldPhiKap]

I understand the concerns about Va Tech & I would rather not play anyone from our conference but I am not assuming that they will be there for a possible match up with us.

Agreed. It is difficult to reintegrate a player who has been out for seven or so weeks right at the end. The team he is rejoining is not the team he left; they have evolved and improved.

Plus, they have not seen Zion in person. I get the feeling that there is a stark difference between knowing how fast/strong he is and actually trying to do something about it.

And I want nothing to do with another FSU match. So if we had to draw one of them, it's hard for me to complain too much.

[simplyluvin]

Like many posters here, I am not happy with MSU as the #2 in our region, but the silver lining to me is I'd rather have MSU than Tennessee or UK. Would rather see the latter two in the FF.

Absolutely not thrilled like others about VTech as a potential (likely) Sweet Sixteen matchup with the return of their JRob and two games under their belt to acclimate him back. VTech played FSU strong in the ACCT without Robinson.

LSU is a team with a lot of question marks and is mired in scandal, but they are a really good team and Tremont Waters is one of those guards that can go off in the tourney a la Kemba. Not to be overlooked.

[Duke31122]

I can get where the VT fear is coming from, but honestly I’m not worried about them. In the end we got a good draw. Also I take a healthy Duke team over anyone.

In the end if we do play VT in the Sweet 16, it’ll be a neutral game with a healthy Zion and a healthy RJ. Yes VT is not far away from DC, but I have a good feeling there will be plenty more Duke fans in the crowd in DC than were in the crowd at Blacksburg.

Plus I’d rather play VT who we’ve seen once than Florida State, a Big 12 champion Kansas State, or Kansas. Yes Kansas had a bad year, but there is still a ton of talent there.

At the end of the day we drew a favorable 3 seed since it looks like LSU is in the middle of a mess with their head coach and a favorable 5 seed as well.

Michigan State is a good team, and they could’ve been a one. At that point you’re playing a good team anyways or a team that is hot. I feel like Duke matches up better with them than a Tennessee or a Michigan team who has talent and played for the title last year.

I like our draw, a lot of other teams have more to be upset about. I love this team and I’ll take them over anyone. Good luck to all of the other teams and let’s go Duke!

[Billy Dat]

Fun fact! Of the top 16 teams in this tournament (the top 4 seeds in each region), only two won their conference tournament: Duke and Michigan State. I'm not complaining about this 2 seed, mind you, but the Selection Committee's choice to reward the overall #1 seed with the ONLY OTHER power conference tournament champion in the top 16 is bizarre and nonsensical. If you're wondering, the next automatic bid in this region is 12 seed Liberty.

What I find bizarre is how the narrative around Sparty being put into our bracket is how unfair it is to THEM. As the #1 overall seed, shouldn't we be getting some sympathy for being "rewarded" with the highest ranked 2 seed? Granted, we always seem to beat them (save for 2005)

[CDu]

I understand that point. In a single elimination tournament, Duke will need to be firing on all cylinders. The defense and paint scoring carries the team. VT, Michigan St, and LSU will be hard to get by without shooting better than 2 for 14 like Saturday.

A few counterpoints:
1. We'd only have to face, at most, one of MSU and LSU.
2. We just comfortably beat a team, without our starting center, that is better than LSU and comparable defensively to MSU despite shooting 2-14 from 3.
3. We just beat a #1 seed, without our starting center, despite shooting 5-20 from 3
4. We beat another #1 seed earlier this year, without our PG, despite shooting 2-14 from 3.

We don't HAVE to make 3s to win the tournament. Would hitting 3s at a high percentage make life easier? Absolutely. But it is not a requirement for this year's team.

[FerryFor50]

A few counterpoints:
1. We'd only have to face, at most, one of MSU and LSU.
2. We just comfortably beat a team, without our starting center, that is better than LSU and comparable defensively to MSU despite shooting 2-14 from 3.
3. We just beat a #1 seed, without our starting center, despite shooting 5-20 from 3
4. We beat another #1 seed earlier this year, without our PG, despite shooting 2-14 from 3.

We don't HAVE to make 3s to win the tournament. Would hitting 3s at a high percentage make life easier? Absolutely. But it is not a requirement for this year's team.

I think the only reason Duke would need to hit threes is if one of RJ or Zion gets saddled with foul trouble early.

[fan345678]

In the end if we do play VT in the Sweet 16, it’ll be a neutral game with a healthy Zion and a healthy RJ. Yes VT is not far away from DC, but I have a good feeling there will be plenty more Duke fans in the crowd in DC than were in the crowd at Blacksburg.

DC is VT's largest alumni base, but yes, much different than playing them in Blacksburg.

[JayZee]

A few counterpoints:
1. We'd only have to face, at most, one of MSU and LSU.
2. We just comfortably beat a team, without our starting center, that is better than LSU and comparable defensively to MSU despite shooting 2-14 from 3.
3. We just beat a #1 seed, without our starting center, despite shooting 5-20 from 3
4. We beat another #1 seed earlier this year, without our PG, despite shooting 2-14 from 3.

We don't HAVE to make 3s to win the tournament. Would hitting 3s at a high percentage make life easier? Absolutely. But it is not a requirement for this year's team.

Exactly (about the 3s) - somewhat due to our D, but mostly that we shoot 58% from 2 (ZION!) which is 4th in the country, bringing our effective FG% to 53.4, which is higher than UNCs (though barely)

[CameronBornAndBred]

I like our bracket, a lot. My only question is what's up with having three ACC teams in our region? UVA and Cheaterlina don't have any ACC teams joining them in theirs, while Syracuse and FSU not only end up in the same region, they end up on the same side of the region.
I love having 7 ACC reps, but with the way we are all slotted, not many will be hanging around that long. A more even distribution would have been nice.

[TeacherTom]

Would anyone possibly have a tip about parking for Columbia on Friday? It is our spring break and I got lucky in that it’s on the way home to Fl. from Asheville where I spent the week. I can’t find a parking pass. Thanks!

[pfrduke]

First round schedule/Kenpom odds for the East:

Tuesday
[54]Belmont (-3) vs. [76]Temple (9:10, TruTV)

Wednesday
[199]North Dakota State (-5) vs. [303]North Carolina Central (6:40, TruTV)

Thursday
[17]Louisville (-5) vs. [47]Minnesota (12:15, CBS)
[18]LSU (-9) vs. [82]Yale (12:40, TruTV)
[4]Michigan State (-21) vs. [165]Bradley (2:45, CBS)
[24]Maryland vs. TBS (3:10, TruTV)

Friday
[3]Duke vs. TBD (7:10, CBS)
[21]Mississippi State (-6) vs. [63]Liberty (7:27, TruTV)
[37]VCU (-1) vs. [46]Central Florida (9:40, CBS)
[11]Virginia Tech (-11) vs. [104]St. Louis (9:57, TruTV)

[duke2x]

DC is VT's largest alumni base, but yes, much different than playing them in Blacksburg.

VT fans don't drive to Blacksburg from DC for basketball, particularly weeknight games. It's 4 hours each way per Google. They are much more likely to go 1 hour in town for the NCAA tournament. I agree Duke is the better team and should win. We haven't lost a road or semi-road game with Zion.

[Reddevil]

not to get too far ahead no jinx...

would you rather us play vcu or ucf?

VCU - I am still pissed at 2007 (and I went to VCU!)

Also, I think UCF is more dangerous, and Dawkins is there. I wish they had been placed in the South.

[House G]

A few counterpoints:
1. We'd only have to face, at most, one of MSU and LSU.
2. We just comfortably beat a team, without our starting center, that is better than LSU and comparable defensively to MSU despite shooting 2-14 from 3.
3. We just beat a #1 seed, without our starting center, despite shooting 5-20 from 3
4. We beat another #1 seed earlier this year, without our PG, despite shooting 2-14 from 3.

We don't HAVE to make 3s to win the tournament. Would hitting 3s at a high percentage make life easier? Absolutely. But it is not a requirement for this year's team.

I’m not sure Florida St is better than LSU. When they played on a “neutral” court in Florida in November, Fla St was down by 9 late and came back and won in OT. And like Duke, some of LSUs best players are freshmen, so they’ve gotten better as the season has gone on. I worry more about the talent/athleticism of LSU and their potential to make a deep run. Granted, they are playing without their coach, but I’m pretty sure they will have a “nothing to lose” approach.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Would anyone possibly have a tip about parking for Columbia on Friday? It is our spring break and I got lucky in that it’s on the way home to Fl. from Asheville where I spent the week. I can’t find a parking pass. Thanks!

You spent a week in Asheville - that's the lucky part!