NCAAM: Duke 52, Tennessee 65 Post-Game Thread

[SouthernDukie]

Unfortunately, this game is the result of getting a 5 seed as opposed to a 2 or 3. We had to play an Elite 8 quality game in the second round. And against an Elite 8 quality team, it’s hard to win with a surprise injury, foul trouble to your most indispensable player, and a bad shooting team making tough 3s all game.

This! Many folk took it for granted that getting screwed by the committee wouldn't matter. It did.

[weezie]

I'm going to miss these guys

[Furniture]

Bummer.

[Bob Green]

…but it’s been a fun ride.

I enjoyed the season and am looking forward to next year. Go Duke!

[kaufmjo]

I want to make sure I say this up front: I’m so freaking proud of this team. They could’ve folded a dozen different times in this game, with everything that was going wrong (both forced and unforced), and they kept fighting. The game was competitive to the end, and it could’ve easily gotten out of hand. That’s a testament to this team’s toughness and grit.

Unfortunately, this game is the result of getting a 5 seed as opposed to a 2 or 3. We had to play an Elite 8 quality game in the second round. And against an Elite 8 quality team, it’s hard to win with a surprise injury, foul trouble to your most indispensable player, and a bad shooting team making tough 3s all game.

It sucks that we’ll be forever wondering if this would’ve been different with Mark, or with an even slightly different whistle. But that’s the nature of the tournament

I think with the benefit of hindsight we’re going to remember this team very fondly. Despite arguably the worst injury luck of any team in recent memory, this team swept UNC, won the ACC and had a real shot to make March noise. But we got a tough draw and a game where everything that could go wrong did. Still, Jon has shown that he can coach, and that the program is set up for the long term.

I’m tremendously sad right now, because I wasn’t ready for this ride to end. But it was a great ride, all the more so considering how many thought it was going to go off the rails.

P.S. On an analysis side, the fourth foul on Roach changed the game in more ways than the obvious. The biggest: we had to lose our defensive identity that had carried us all year. Tennessee beat us, but the whistle certainly helped.

A lot of excuses in this post. They didn’t have their point guard and brought the physicality and Duke withered under it. Don’t blame refs, injuries and draw seeding. You either win and advance or lose and sit out. We lost. Doesn’t take away from team effort

[Acymetric]

One of the least enjoyable games I have ever watched. Atrocious officiating.

Proud of these guys, watching them come together and play like they have for the last few months was a joy to watch.

[jipops]

I want to make sure I say this up front: I’m so freaking proud of this team. They could’ve folded a dozen different times in this game, with everything that was going wrong (both forced and unforced), and they kept fighting. The game was competitive to the end, and it could’ve easily gotten out of hand. That’s a testament to this team’s toughness and grit.

Unfortunately, this game is the result of getting a 5 seed as opposed to a 2 or 3. We had to play an Elite 8 quality game in the second round. And against an Elite 8 quality team, it’s hard to win with a surprise injury, foul trouble to your most indispensable player, and a bad shooting team making tough 3s all game.

It sucks that we’ll be forever wondering if this would’ve been different with Mark, or with an even slightly different whistle. But that’s the nature of the tournament.

I think with the benefit of hindsight we’re going to remember this team very fondly. Despite arguably the worst injury luck of any team in recent memory, this team swept UNC, won the ACC and had a real shot to make March noise. But we got a tough draw and a game where everything that could go wrong did. Still, Jon has shown that he can coach, and that the program is set up for the long term.

I’m tremendously sad right now, because I wasn’t ready for this ride to end. But it was a great ride, all the more so considering how many thought it was going to go off the rails.

P.S. On an analysis side, the fourth foul on Roach changed the game in more ways than the obvious. The biggest: we had to lose our defensive identity that had carried us all year. Tennessee beat us, but the whistle certainly helped.

I think you nailed it about defensive identity. Not trying to make excuses but that was essentially gone with the loss of Mitchell. What optimism I had for this game was gone with the news at tipoff. Just a tough break for a team that dealt with them much of the season.

[tommy]

Team made huge progress from start of the season to the end. Props to Scheyer for developing them. Team
Played hard. Lost one game all year at full strength. Can’t complain about the effort or heart of these guys. Not the result we wanted or felt like we deserved but great job by all the guys and the coaches. The future is bright. Everyone should put on your Duke gear and fly the flag.

[simplyluvin]

Nothing but thanks for this team, but one criticism...we weren't completely ready for today's game. Hard to simulate that kind of pressure, but we just handled it very poorly. Lively had a sub-par game, and Roach started well but was stifled by fouls. One of our worst offensive halves to start the game just could not be overcome.

[uh_no]

Nothing but thanks for this team, but one criticism...we weren't completely ready for today's game. Hard to simulate that kind of pressure, but we just handled it very poorly. Lively had a sub-par game, and Roach started well but was stifled by fouls. One of our worst offensive halves to start the game just could not be overcome.

yeah. the refs didn't force us into the 5s call, for instance...after i think 3 straight inbounds where we barely beat the whistle.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Duke was never going to win a game officiated like this. Tennessee called for 10 total fouls. 3 in 2nd half. That is suboptimal for a young Duke team against a team of grown men. It's how the officials called it.

[JBDuke]

I had bad feelings when Duke trailed at halftime. I have a very sneaky suspicion we'll have a chance to even the score in Knoxville next December.

Winning a game in December does not "even the score" for a loss in March.

[Furniture]

One of the least enjoyable games I have ever watched. Atrocious officiating.

Proud of these guys, watching them come together and play like they have for the last few months was a joy to watch.

I did not watch the last 8 mins. I am going to miss these kids…

[Dukehk]

No ill will or criticism for this team.

They played to the best of their abilities.

It was a young team that was still figuring things out all the way up till March.

Glad they won the ACC tournament and really happy for most of the guys.

Hopefully we get some of them back next year.

[dyedwab]

This is a preemptive post to something that regularly irritates me here.

A bunch of people post things like "Don't blame the refs". And, I generally agree with that point. But what that ends up doing is taking the officiating out of the conversation.

So.

We did not play well. But the way the refs called the game - the amount of physical contact that went uncalled - affected the way we played to our disadvantage.

And it started with the elbow to Flip's face right at the beginning of the game that didn't get called an F1. It set the tone. And Tennessee benefitted.

So, yeah, we didn't play well and didn't really adjust to TN's defense. BUT. "Don't blame the refs" or "Bad calls tend to even out" or "We got the benefit of the calls" or any other cliche that regularly appears is a post-game analysis won't cut it.

We lost. We played poorly. But we also were disadvantaged by the officials allowing a huge amount of uncalled physical play.

Rant over.

[SouthernDukie]

Winning a game in December does not "even the score" for a loss in March.

Thank you. I was about to post that very thing.

[91devil]

Great season! Thank you for the memories.

We all enjoyed the improvement during the year.

[pamtar]

Outreffed, outplayed. Can’t overcome both. Super proud of this group. Me and my boys just did a round of high fives to celebrate a great year. Had to come to an end at some point and there’s so much to be happy about with this team and this coach. Onward and upward!

[Acymetric]

yeah. the refs didn't force us into the 5s call, for instance...after i think 3 straight inbounds where we barely beat the whistle.

Look, when Roach has 4 fouls while Tennessee has 3 on the half you can't pretend officiating didn't play a factor. I get the aversion, but an objective view here would say that TN benefitted from very loose officiating while Duke was not afforded that same opportunity.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I hate it when the season ends early. Next play, but that’s in November.