Duke's NCAA Tourney Chances

[uh_no]

All of this discussion of how other teams losing makes us look better is discouraging. If you can only get in the tournament because other teams are worse, I would expect you won't last long. Duke needs to keep improving and to win games to make the resume better. If that doesn't happen, then so be it.

i don't think anyone is equating duke's chances of making the tournament with duke's chances of lasting long.

[budwom]

i don't think anyone is equating duke's chances of making the tournament with duke's chances of lasting long.

Undeniably true...but having said that, I can think of more touted Duke teams that have staggered into the tournament and departed quickly...if this team continues to improve (and shoot like demons) I could see this team winning a few tourney games..but that's a couple of very big ifs.

[throatybeard]

Hey good news, my season preview book from the Iron Dukes arrived in the mail today.

[jimsumner]

Hey good news, my season preview book from the Iron Dukes arrived in the mail today.

I know people who are still waiting for Christmas packages to arrive.

As an aside, is that the one where I wrote about Joey Baker breaking out or the one where I praised Jalen Johnson as Duke's next superstar?

[throatybeard]

I know people who are still waiting for Christmas packages to arrive.

As an aside, is that the one where I wrote about Joey Baker breaking out or the one where I praised Jalen Johnson as Duke's next superstar?

Joey. But don't worry, there's a lot of wrong stuff in there, like the media poll that said the men would finish in second place, and the working assumption that the women would have a season at all.

[Nugget]

Given that MSU has now won against two top-5 teams this week and are sitting at 13-9 with a win at Cameron over us, I don't think we want them winning either of the games against Michigan.

Had MSU lost either of the games against Illinois and Ohio State, I'd be on board. But a team with 3 wins over top-10 teams would probably jump ahead of us in the seeding race.

I think MSU will maintain their top-75 status even with losses in both of the Michigan games.

I mean, we are probably fine either way as long as we win 2 of our last 3 and at least one ACC tourney game. But no reason to encourage more difficulty.

Wouldn't Mich St. already be ahead of us? Their wins against Illinois and Ohio St. are both better than any of ours, they beat us head-to-head, they have no Q3 losses (whereas we have one) and the vastly stronger Big 10 is going to mean that our comparatively better conference record carries little weight.

[CDu]

Wouldn't Mich St. already be ahead of us? Their wins against Illinois and Ohio St. are both better than any of ours, they beat us head-to-head, they have no Q3 losses (whereas we have one) and the vastly stronger Big 10 is going to mean that our comparatively better conference record carries little weight.

They are currently a bit ahead of us. If they lose out and we take 2 or 3, we would pass them back. If they take 2 of 2, we probably stay behind them. Hence, we don’t them to beat Michigan.

[Bluedog]

Funny how not long ago people were writing off MSU because of their upcoming brutal schedule, while I was thinking that they get A LOT of opportunities for great wins. Obviously, they've still had to play very well, but clearly they've taken advantage of their opportunities so far. And for the record, the committee has explicitly stated they care ZERO about conference record or standings. They just care about wins and losses and who they were to. I think it was Nebraska a few years ago that had a very gaudy Big 10 record but didn't make the tournament because their schedule was loaded with conference bottom feeders...

[throatybeard]

Funny how not long ago people were writing off MSU because of their upcoming brutal schedule, while I was thinking that they get A LOT of opportunities for great wins. Obviously, they've still had to play very well, but clearly they've taken advantage of their opportunities so far. And for the record, the committee has explicitly stated they care ZERO about conference record or standings. They just care about wins and losses and who they were to. I think it was Nebraska a few years ago that had a very gaudy Big 10 record but didn't make the tournament because their schedule was loaded with conference bottom feeders...

I'm assuming you mean bottom dwellers. Nebraska sounds like the bottom feeder in that situation.

SLU is barely in the tournament discussion I suppose, but they just beat Richmond.

[Bluedog]

I'm assuming you mean bottom dwellers. Nebraska sounds like the bottom feeder in that situation.

SLU is barely in the tournament discussion I suppose, but they just beat Richmond.

Ha yes... apologies. Chose the wrong word.

[budwom]

I saw a wire service story today about all the blue bloods on the bubble...and it noted that two years ago, Duke was the top TV draw in the first, second and third rounds (yes, there was Zion). If it's close, I think we get in...

[uh_no]

I saw a wire service story today about all the blue bloods on the bubble...and it noted that two years ago, Duke was the top TV draw in the first, second and third rounds (yes, there was Zion). If it's close, I think we get in...

zion was a top draw. we don't have zion. if we were a top draw this year, we wouldn't have been getting relegated to weird time slots and ACCN instead of ESPN most of the conference season.

[jv001]

zion was a top draw. we don't have zion. if we were a top draw this year, we wouldn't have been getting relegated to weird time slots and ACCN instead of ESPN most of the conference season.

If we had Zion, we wouldn't be fighting for a bid to the NCAAT. He'd be the certain OAD that we are missing this season.

GoDuke!

[DukieInBrasil]

If we had Zion, we wouldn't be fighting for a bid to the NCAAT. He'd be the certain OAD that we are missing this season.

GoDuke!

I rather like that Duke is fighting for a bid to the NCAAT, considering where the team was a month ago. I like the changes Duke has made...

[jv001]

I rather like that Duke is fighting for a bid to the NCAAT, considering where the team was a month ago. I like the changes Duke has made...

Yeh, I love the way this team fights. Even in the games that we lost, well almost all the game we lost, they fought like heck to win. I think we're better by subtraction if you get my drift.

GoDuke!

[budwom]

zion was a top draw. we don't have zion. if we were a top draw this year, we wouldn't have been getting relegated to weird time slots and ACCN instead of ESPN most of the conference season.

CBS may well see things differently...we're still a huge draw come bracket time. Duke was awful to watch for most of the season, now we're fun to watch...

[dukelifer]

I rather like that Duke is fighting for a bid to the NCAAT, considering where the team was a month ago. I like the changes Duke has made...

This season is about next year. Getting to the tourney would be a great accomplishment and today is a big step toward that goal.

[Saratoga2]

This season is about next year. Getting to the tourney would be a great accomplishment and today is a big step toward that goal.

We have to play hard for 40 minutes. If we do that, and luck is also with us, there is a very good chance that we will make the tourney.

[scottdude8]

Games of interest for Duke’s tourney resume, besides the obvious:
Noon: Michigan v Indiana. Root for my Wolverines to potentially knock Indiana out of the tourney field!
Syracuse v GT. Even though they’re closer to us on the bubble, we probably want GT to win so that our upcoming road game against them is a solid Q1 opportunity.
Two o’clock: Clemson v Miami. Root for Clemson to avoid the upset and potentially creep into the NET top 30 to give us another Q1 win.
Notre Dame at BC: If the Irish finish strong our road win against them could be Q1, so root for Mike Brey’s squad.
2:30: Marquette vs UConn. UConn is still one of the last teams in, so let’s get some more help from Wojo!
4 o’clock: FSU vs UNC. Duh.
Wake vs Va Tech: Maybe the Demon Deacs get hot and raise the profile of our sweep of them.
5 o’clock: Creighton vs Xavier. Xavier is one of the last teams in, so root for Alex O’Connell and Creighton to help us out.
7 o’clock: Nebraska vs Minnesota. A loss to the B1G bottom feeders could knock the Golden Gophers out of the projected field.

[Kedsy]

7 o’clock: Nebraska vs Minnesota. A loss to the B1G bottom feeders could knock the Golden Gophers out of the projected field.

I think I'll be doing something else at 7pm tonight.