Duke 77, Tech 81 Post Game Thread

[TywinBlue]

I always thought the KenPom "Luck" index was ridiculous--not anymore.

Coach K said in November that there shouldn't be a season, he knew what was coming.

The individual parts of this team never jelled all season.

Except for Matt Hurt's shooting and Mark Williams' development it was a lost year.

Our freshman guards were correctly benched tonight by K; both need to grow up in the off season.

Sorry to say, this team has no business going to any postseason tournament.

[jipops]

One of the worst things about watching this team is that they are just good enough to compete with just about any team they face, but inevitably they lose control of the game, make careless turnovers, or go into impressively bad offensive droughts that lose them the game. It's maddening to see the same thing happen time after time.

Sidenote - we really need Roach and Steward to grow tremendously before next season to get back to status quo. We've been so spoiled by Tyus and Tre (and even Duval to an extent) that we haven't had routine guard starters hit the wall this hard in recent history. Hopefully they can learn and get better from the experience.

Next play.

Don’t develop too much amnesia on Tre’s freshman season. Remember the ball was terrified of the hoop when he shot it.

[SouthernDukie]

I am not sure I understand this sentiment. Georgia Tech is better than UNC this year, and we had a very real shot at beating them. UNC lost to Marquette at home. We can absolutely beat UNC.

Would we be favored. Nope. But we have a 40+% chance I would guess.

All I can say is I wish I shared your confidence. But I just don’t see it. Not impossible, but no way would I put it at 40%. I’d say no better than a 15% chance of winning.

[Chicago 1995]

Just not physically strong enough to win against competition like this when the game is this physical. Roach and Steward got bullied again tonight. Both of them needs to get stronger this offseason and learn to play through more contact. Wendell had a good night, be he needs to be a lot stronger at the rim in traffic as well.

Really, the whole darn team needs to get stronger and learn to play and finish through contact.

At least Mark Williams is getting real minutes and is developing. That’s encouraging for next year — or it will be until he gets beaten into submission by Louisville or Michigan State or someone else who embraces the more physical game that I despise.

[Billy Dat]

I agree that our freshmen guards have not been good these past two games, but DJ Steward is the leading freshman scorer in the ACC and they both played solid against Virginia and great against Syracuse. I feel very good with them in the backcourt next year, I think they are going to be very good.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

I feel bad for these guys. They've been bringing it and fighting their butts off, they just cant quite get over the top in close games. Not enough stops and not enough from our guards.

I hope these guys stick with it and come back next year!

[CDu]

All I can say is I wish I shared your confidence. But I just don’t see it. Not impossible, but no way would I put it at 40%. I’d say no better than a 15% chance of winning.

That is absolutely crazy. I realize you are emotionally down, but that is way off.

[SavDukeGrad]

There was a game several years ago where a halftime heave ended up being the difference, was it the St John’s game? Florida State, feel like it was a maroon-ish team.
Anyway, where that shot flipped the game, that halftime heave tonight gave me flashbacks to that shot, if that doesn’t go... well you can all do math.

It was the Syracuse game two years ago when Tre Jones got hurt. A 3/4 court heave before halftime. And yes, I thought about that, too, tonight.

A stuffed layup by Brakefield on one end, and a desperation three by their center on the other to end the half. A five point swing. They went into the half down 3 rather than down 8. Definitely made a difference. And gave them momentum when we had outplayed them in the first half. Although, once again, we had failed to take advantage of it.

[dukelifer]

DJ is having a normal freshman season as a talented, capable guard. Unfortunately the low points are happening now. I’m willing to cut the kid some slack. He’ll be a force in future days.

I agree. All normal Freshman wear down. Steward will get better and this game shows that he needs to stay at Duke.

[simplyluvin]

Mark kept us in the game in OT, but had he made even one more in regulation, we'd have a drastically different tone on this board. He'll learn to make those for the team in the future, but FT futility really hurt us.

[uh_no]

There was a game several years ago where a halftime heave ended up being the difference, was it the St John’s game? Florida State, feel like it was a maroon-ish team.
Anyway, where that shot flipped the game, that halftime heave tonight gave me flashbacks to that shot, if that doesn’t go... well you can all do math.

st johns, and it lead to the change in rule abuot shot clock violations being reviewable.

[SouthernDukie]

I agree that our freshmen guards have not been good these past two games, but DJ Steward is the leading freshman scorer in the ACC and they both played solid against Virginia and great against Syracuse. I feel very good with them in the backcourt next year, I think they are going to be very good.

Yes, I’m not ready to give up on DJ at all. He’s had a couple of rough games, but a good year. Roach on the other hand... let’s just say he needs to do a lot of work over the summer.

[UrinalCake]

I agree that our freshmen guards have not been good these past two games, but DJ Steward is the leading freshman scorer in the ACC and they both played solid against Virginia and great against Syracuse. I feel very good with them in the backcourt next year, I think they are going to be very good.

I don’t know what happened to Roach, Steward and Brakefield since that UVA game. Maybe that night was just a fluke. They have been a shell of themselves these last two games.

[CoachJ10]

Just not physically strong enough to win against competition like this when the game is this physical. Roach and Steward got bullied again tonight. Both of them needs to get stronger this offseason and learn to play through more contact. Wendell had a good night, be he needs to be a lot stronger at the rim in traffic as well.

Really, the whole darn team needs to get stronger and learn to play and finish through contact.

At least Mark Williams is getting real minutes and is developing. That’s encouraging for next year — or it will be until he gets beaten into submission by Louisville or Michigan State or someone else who embraces the more physical game that I despise.

This entire team (ex Henry) should do nothing but hit the weight room all summer long.

[rsvman]

Also, Hurt has to learn how to stop fouling out.

[DownEastDevil]

Williams is the only Freshman that hasn't hit the wall. Brakefield looked lost tonight along with Roach and Steward. This was another game like so many this year that we had a chance to win at the end.

[jipops]

I always thought the KenPom "Luck" index was ridiculous--not anymore.

Coach K said in November that there shouldn't be a season, he knew what was coming.

The individual parts of this team never jelled all season.

Except for Matt Hurt's shooting and Mark Williams' development it was a lost year.

Our freshman guards were correctly benched tonight by K; both need to grow up in the off season.

Sorry to say, this team has no business going to any postseason tournament.

If a team with a core of Roach, Steward, Moore, Williams, Brakefield, and a couple stud freshmen make the Final Four next year...are you really going to think of this season as a “lost” year? Doesn’t that miss the point?

[Dr. Maturin]

The Basketball Gods hate this team. They've been good to us for a long time, but this year has been excruciating.

I wouldn't be surprised if the team struggles to bounce back from two straight crushing defeats. We can still play spoiler and inflict some pain on the Heels Saturday night.

[lotusland]

I always thought the KenPom "Luck" index was ridiculous--not anymore.

Coach K said in November that there shouldn't be a season, he knew what was coming.

The individual parts of this team never jelled all season.

Except for Matt Hurt's shooting and Mark Williams' development it was a lost year.

Our freshman guards were correctly benched tonight by K; both need to grow up in the off season.

Sorry to say, this team has no business going to any postseason tournament.

Wendell grew into a solid player this year.

[CoachJ10]

Also, Hurt has to learn how to stop fouling out.

How is he supposed to stop Terrible Teddy and his criminally bad calls? Those were not Matt’s fault...