MBB: Duke at Miami (2/6/2023, 7 pm ESPN) Pre-game & In-game Thread

[Bob Green]

Important road game in Coral Gables. ACC Regular Season Championship is in play. Discuss the game here.

[CDu]

This one was circled as a likely loss before the season. Closely following the fumes of the game in Cameron, against a well-coached team with some dynamite guards, it will be a big test of this team’s resilience. Hopefully they don’t come out flat.

That said, Lively began his surge with a strong - albeit abbreviated - performance against the Canes in Cameron. Hopefully he can keep his string of success going. If he can, I like our chances, as he really disrupts teams with strong guard play.

[SavDukeGrad]

Is hoping for another sinus infection for Isaiah Wong too much to ask?

Seriously, I feel like he will have something to prove in this one. Hope Mark Mitchell is up to the task again.

It seems like Wong has been at Miami forever. But it’s only his 4th year - he was in the class with Vernon Carey, Wendell Moore, etc. And Armando Bacot.

[CameronDuke]

Miami, FL is elite offensively (10 nationally on Kenpom in O). This is a huge test for Duke’s defense. I believe Larrañaga has coached and won many D1 games so I’m assuming he’ll run plays to keep the basketball away from Lively II as much as possible coupled with aggressive plays to try to get him into foul trouble. I think Young will play more minutes tomorrow than he did against UNC-CH. Lively II had 6 points 10 boards 5 blocks the first meeting. Flip had a monster offensive game against them the first time. Can Duke hit shots which they should get and can they get stops? Simple as that.

[AGDukesky]

This week has the two most difficult games left on the schedule- would love to win one but just hope the team competes well and Whitehead comes back.

[DukieInBrasil]

Miami, FL is elite offensively (10 nationally on Kenpom in O). This is a huge test for Duke’s defense. I believe Larrañaga has coached and won many D1 games so I’m assuming he’ll run plays to keep the basketball away from Lively II as much as possible coupled with aggressive plays to try to get him into foul trouble. I think Young will play more minutes tomorrow than he did against UNC-CH. Lively II had 6 points 10 boards 5 blocks the first meeting. Flip had a monster offensive game against them the first time. Can Duke hit shots which they should get and can they get stops? Simple as that.

Flip seemed to get the message that he was turning the ball over too much and really did a great job of limiting turns leading to a couple of really strong offensive performances. However, his last two games have seen him return to the turnover prone Fr. of low-efficiency ouput. If Duke can get Flip into good spots and get him to not dribble the ball it will go a long way towards making Duke's offense much more efficient. Part B of that is for Flip (and others) to stop taking wildly off-balance layups. Lively's Oboarding has gone way up lately so he can help mitigate that but better to make the shot to start with. In fact, if Duke can figure out how to take advantage of the massive height disparity for the whole 40 minues instead of for only 30 minutes like last time, Duke may be able to pull off the win.
Proctor has steadily solidified his role as the PG, and his play vs Miami round 1 was maybe just a little less dynamic than what he has done since. Continued improvement from him would be a big boost towards a win. Jeremy played but from the bench in round 1, and he has become much more consistent and less mistake prone now that he seems to have embraced the 2G role. More of that please.

[dukelifer]

This one was circled as a likely loss before the season. Closely following the fumes of the game in Cameron, against a well-coached team with some dynamite guards, it will be a big test of this team’s resilience. Hopefully they don’t come out flat.

That said, Lively began his surge with a strong - albeit abbreviated - performance against the Canes in Cameron. Hopefully he can keep his string of success going. If he can, I like our chances, as he really disrupts teams with strong guard play.

Last game against Miami, Lively played well as did Proctor, Roach Flip and Grandison. Unfortunately so did Whitehead. So Duke will need someone to step up- probably Mitchell. Otherwise this will be a very tough game for Duke-particularly with Wong playing better.

[CameronDuke]

Black threads tomorrow.

[scottdude8]

Black threads tomorrow.

It’s over

[Native]

Any chatter on Whitehead’s availability? May have missed it, but is it definitive that he’s out?

[MChambers]

Any chatter on Whitehead’s availability? May have missed it, but is it definitive that he’s out?

Not as far as I know, but with only limited practice time, it's hard to see how he would play tomorrow.

[CDu]

Last game against Miami, Lively played well as did Proctor, Roach Flip and Grandison. Unfortunately so did Whitehead. So Duke will need someone to step up- probably Mitchell. Otherwise this will be a very tough game for Duke-particularly with Wong playing better.

Last game Lively played just 18 minutes. Plenty of opportunity to get more from him.

Proctor played ok but not super great. Plenty of room for improvement.

And Whitehead didn’t play that well: 10 points on 9 FG attempts and 2 FT attempts. So it shouldn’t be that hard to replace (and who knows, he might play anyway).

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Any chatter on Whitehead’s availability? May have missed it, but is it definitive that he’s out?

No insider knowledge here, but I feel like if they thought he could possibly play on Monday, he would have been dressed for the UNC game 48 hours earlier in case of an emergency - I can't imagine much could change in the interim. I am hoping he is ready for the UVA game.

[dukelifer]

Last game Lively played just 18 minutes. Plenty of opportunity to get more from him.

Proctor played ok but not super great. Plenty of room for improvement.

And Whitehead didn’t play that well: 10 points on 9 FG attempts and 2 FT attempts. So it shouldn’t be that hard to replace (and who knows, he might play anyway).

Need to be more efficient for sure- but Whitehead was 2-3 from deep. Wong was 2-8 with 7 points and I don’t expect a repeat. Duke played a solid game and got a win. Hopefully they will get another win.

[SavDukeGrad]

Looks like the team was wheels up to Miami around 4:30 pm.

Edit: And looks like they have arrived.

[FUBARDoorBuster]

It’s over

Womens BB just won in black in an upset over a higher ranked, ND. Don't know how the rankings will come out Monday, but...
I have been thinking that Whitehead was held for this Miami game.
1. why come back for the UNC game when a good rotation has been set.
2. Need another player to pull minutes with the close turnaround.
3. Whitehead return can be the story, and teammates will be fired up to support him. Need the motivation in a 48 hr turnaround
4. Dude needs the spotlight. Focus can be on him, not UNC game. Perfect storm is being created, even a Duke cyclone!!

[DukieInBrasil]

Womens BB just won in black in an upset over a higher ranked, ND. Don't know how the rankings will come out Monday, but...
I have been thinking that Whitehead was held for this Miami game.
1. why come back for the UNC game when a good rotation has been set.
2. Need another player to pull minutes with the close turnaround.
3. Whitehead return can be the story, and teammates will be fired up to support him. Need the motivation in a 48 hr turnaround
4. Dude needs the spotlight. Focus can be on him, not UNC game. Perfect storm is being created, even a Duke cyclone!!

i like your thinking!

[dukelifer]

i like your thinking!

At the end of the game Whitehead jump in the air to bump Lively in celebration. He is probably close

[FUBARDoorBuster]

i like your thinking!

If we decide to be a fast break offense with Proctor running the point like Saturday, I think we see Whitehead in a new role, as the three point option on the break, or the slasher to receive the pass from the PG on the break. Jeremey, didn't run the break, but Proctor does. New mindset. Turn the page. Coach S promised the break. Coach Carawell delivered the gameplan. Go Duke. Hope springs eternal. It's 2015 vibes.

[tteettimes]

Vegas has Miami 3 1/2 points fav……