Duke MBB @ UNC (2/4, 6:30 PM EST, ESPN) Pre-game and In-game Thread

[jv001]

With so many truly despicable choices, how could Love hope to compete?

"What's Love got to do with it"? ha, ha.
On MtnDevils list I saw Montross. To me he's good human being and for that reason, I can't put him on my most disliked Cheat list.

GoDuke!

[JayZee]

I wonder if the coaches will apply the same uncharacteristic uptempo approach this time like they did for the game in Cameron? I think that that strange and unexpected wrinkle, along with Lively's block party, were the main reasons for the win.

This time it might not take them by surprise, though. Maybe the coaches have some other new trick up their collective sleeves.

Excellent point. Said another way, our coaches also seem to be really hitting their stride. We are a very different team than we were 4-6 weeks ago. I fully expect us to have an excellent game plan for today.

[MChambers]

I wonder if the coaches will apply the same uncharacteristic uptempo approach this time like they did for the game in Cameron? I think that that strange and unexpected wrinkle, along with Lively's block party, were the main reasons for the win.

This time it might not take them by surprise, though. Maybe the coaches have some other new trick up their collective sleeves.

Even if it doesn't take them by surprise, it is probably a tactic that needs to be used. Nance and Bacot aren't that quick. Also, Hubert likes to rely on his starters, so we should make them run as hard as possible.

[MartyClark]

Some Duke hate being propounded on College Game Day. Eric Church is now on my list of most hated country singers.

[bshrader]

Some Duke hate being propounded on College Game Day. Eric Church is now on my list of most hated country singers.

The game is in the Dean Dome, of course the coverage is going to favor Carolina.

[MartyClark]

The game is in the Dean Dome, of course the coverage is going to favor Carolina.

Yeah, I understand that. I just don't like it.

[SkyBrickey]

No post on this thread in over 2 hours? Bump.

I guess we are just ready to play the game. Let’s knock the crowd out of it early and bulldoze these cheaters.

[duke2x]

No post on this thread in over 2 hours? Bump.

I guess we are just ready to play the game. Let’s knock the crowd out of it early and bulldoze these cheaters.

9F. I'm watching baseball, WBB, and box scores to see where the bad ACC refs are. So far I'm happy.

[Billy Dat]

From John Feinstein's "A March to Madness" - Chapter 18 - "We're Winning on Wednesday"

"Close isn't good enough. It's just not good enough. What you guys don't understand is that one of my strengths as a coach is that I hate to lose. I HATE IT! When I was a kid I got into all sorts of trouble because I had such a bad temper when I lost at something. I'd go crazy. I don't think any of you is like that."

He turned aroud, took a blue Magic Marker and drew a line across the marking board on the wall. "This is what I'm talking about, "he said, pointing to the line. "None of you has ever drawn this line and said, 'That's it. That's as far as you go. You will have to kill me to cross this line. I mean kill me. North Carolina, you want to cross this line? No f%#$ing way!' You guys have never done that. We haven't done that this year, we didn't do it last year, and we certainly didn't do it the year before that."

He pointed to the blue line again. "This is it, right now. This is the turning point in our season. We have to draw the line here, right now. We have to go out there with the idea that there is only one alternative on Wednesday: winning the game. That's it. We're winning on Wednesday. I am going to find the guys in this room who will draw that line. I don't care who they are, but I am going to find them. Because one way or another, we're winning on Wednesday. There is no alternative. None."

1/29/97
Duke 80
UNC 73

[MartyClark]

From John Feinstein's "A March to Madness" - Chapter 18 - "We're Winning on Wednesday"

"Close isn't good enough. It's just not good enough. What you guys don't understand is that one of my strengths as a coach is that I hate to lose. I HATE IT! When I was a kid I got into all sorts of trouble because I had such a bad temper when I lost at something. I'd go crazy. I don't think any of you is like that."

He turned aroud, took a blue Magic Marker and drew a line across the marking board on the wall. "This is what I'm talking about, "he said, pointing to the line. "None of you has ever drawn this line and said, 'That's it. That's as far as you go. You will have to kill me to cross this line. I mean kill me. North Carolina, you want to cross this line? No f%#$ing way!' You guys have never done that. We haven't done that this year, we didn't do it last year, and we certainly didn't do it the year before that."

He pointed to the blue line again. "This is it, right now. This is the turning point in our season. We have to draw the line here, right now. We have to go out there with the idea that there is only one alternative on Wednesday: winning the game. That's it. We're winning on Wednesday. I am going to find the guys in this room who will draw that line. I don't care who they are, but I am going to find them. Because one way or another, we're winning on Wednesday. There is no alternative. None."

1/29/97
Duke 80
UNC 73

Amen

[Skydog]

Those are the odds that KenPom, T-Rank, and ESPN's BPI all give Duke in this one.

I expect the line will be roughly UNC -2 or -2.5. Typically, a home team gets a 3-point edge. Vegas will think of this one as a toss-up with Duke having an advantage on a neutral court.

Game started out as UNC -2.5, but moved to -3.5 today and even -4.5 on some sites. The line movement could be based on some rumor/news (is there any?) or just an attempt by bookies to balance the betting.

[dukelifer]

Game started out as UNC -2.5, but moved to -3.5 today and even -4.5 on some sites. The line movement could be based on some rumor/news (is there any?) or just an attempt by bookies to balance the betting.

They are in a must win situation.

[DavidBenAkiva]

I haven't seen any rumors or news out there. Probably just a lot of betting coming in for UNC to win, moving the line.

[Steven43]

Some Duke hate being propounded on College Game Day. Eric Church is now on my list of most hated country singers.

Hey, take it easy on ol’ Eric. My set of four individual brown leather home theater chairs were designed by him, and the front of each arm has cool stitching detail and small nail accents that mimic the neck of a guitar. One of them even has side mounted speakers with Bluetooth connectivity — and the speakers actually sound pretty damn good!

So I’m going to give Eric a break on his poor choice in choosing a favorite college (UNC).

[kidA]

Hey, take it easy on ol’ Eric. My set of four individual brown leather home theater chairs were designed by him, and the front of each arm has cool stitching detail and small nail accents that mimic the neck of a guitar. One of them even has side mounted speakers with Bluetooth connectivity — and the speakers actually sound pretty damn good!

So I’m going to give Eric a break on his poor choice in choosing a favorite college (UNC).

I think you need to get a new sofa and get your priorities in order.

Just kidding, about the sofa anyway. But seriously, no one who “chooses“ UNCheats as their favorite college deserves any fans.
Go Duke! 9F every day

[hsheffield]

Seth Greenberg chose Duke as the most likely ACC team to make the Final Four.

Jay Bilas chose Miami

[kako]

Game started out as UNC -2.5, but moved to -3.5 today and even -4.5 on some sites. The line movement could be based on some rumor/news (is there any?) or just an attempt by bookies to balance the betting.

For whatever reason, it's ALWAYS a move by the bookies to balance betting.

One last comment, which was my first comment:

Limit turnovers, Devils.

9F

[MartyClark]

Hey, take it easy on ol’ Eric. My set of four individual brown leather home theater chairs were designed by him, and the front of each arm has cool stitching detail and small nail accents that mimic the neck of a guitar. One of them even has side mounted speakers with Bluetooth connectivity — and the speakers actually sound pretty damn good!

So I’m going to give Eric a break on his poor choice in choosing a favorite college (UNC).

I'm not sure I can excuse you for your choice of chairs but I do excuse Eric for picking Carolina over the Hoosiers. Eric was a lock for the Hoosiers until Bobby Knight kept being Bobby Knight and messed with Eric's dad, a prominent products liability attorney.

[CDu]

I'm not sure I can excuse you for your choice of chairs but I do excuse Eric for picking Carolina over the Hoosiers. Eric was a lock for the Hoosiers until Bobby Knight kept being Bobby Knight and messed with Eric's dad, a prominent products liability attorney.

I think they were talking about Eric Church, not Eric Montross.

[-jk]

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Let's Go Duke!

Go to Hell!, carolina, Go to Hell!

-jk