MBB: Duke @ Louisville (Tue, Feb 12, 9pm ET, ESPN) Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[TruBlu]

I was on the Quad that night. One of the saddest experiences of my life.

Screw Denny Crum and Never Nervous Pervis.

I was in Dallas that night. One of the drunkest experiences of my life. So I’ve been told.

[MrPoon]

I don't think we should vary our offensive strategy. Reddish and Barrett aren't post-up threats. Posting up is not an easy skill, and asking them to do something they aren't comfortable doing doesn't seem wise. Especially when we have a decided talent advantage. We should focus on doing what we do well, and see if we can force Louisville to adjust to us rather than the other way around.

On defense, I think we'll also do more of the same as usual. We will trap occasionally and Jones will apply light pressure all the way up the floor. But mainly, we'll harass the passing lanes and use our height/length advantage to make life difficult in the half-court.

The biggest advantage we have is that Louisville just has no idea how athletic we are. You can see it on tape, but you just don't know until you face it. Look at the first UVa game: UVa is as prepared and well-organized as any team in the country. But they were just not at all ready for Barrett and Zion attacking off the dribble. The second time around? They were ready for it, and basically eliminated that from the game (we won, obviously, thanks to unexpectedly phenomenal perimeter shooting). I think we let our athletes play their game, and see if Louisville can keep up.

Absolutly agree. Cam is starting to find his space on this team and picking his catch and shoot opportunities and drive opportunities nicely. Lets not change his approach one bit.

Barrett is interesting because while he isn’t a post player, his dribble drive is kind of the same. He uses size and strentgth against a player, gets them on his hip and takes them for a jog to the rim. Then, desperately they push him setting up an and one. The pack line is interesting because help is designed to stop that drive. UVa couldnt’ do it the first time. They were much better the second. Can Chris Mack set up his team to look like UVa’s second game without playing the first? Probably not.

I think Duke pulls away in this game assuming the get the balance right between drive and threes. If they play young and assume they’ve “fixed” the three problem the last few games, they’ll over shoot it. But if the balance is right, this is a 12ish game to me.

[BandAlum83]

"Too soon" to bring up the memory of Pervis catching an air ball and scoring the deciding basket...against the 37-2 Blue Devils, one of the all time great teams.

Definitely too soon to provide specifics; now you've triggered me, HBK!!! I'm ruined for at least until the final buzzer tonight and our 14 pt win.

[arnie]

My dad was on the quad that night, too. He tells me it's one of the worst memories of his life.

It was so bad, I think I'd rather hear Bilas announce a game than try to guard Purvis again.

[Rich]

I was on the Quad that night. One of the saddest experiences of my life.

Screw Denny Crum and Never Nervous Pervis.

Oh, the party we would’ve had! I remember people walking around the Quad like zombies that night after the game. It was surreal.

[ndkjr70]

I remembered (correctly, I guess) that Duke's had some difficulty in the Yum Center. The last two trips there were both losses, as #7 in 2017 and #20 in 2016. This will be a tough game, but I've got faith in the boys.

[fathippo]

I was in Dallas that night. One of the drunkest experiences of my life. So I’ve been told.

Does any Duke fan not remember where they were that night? Same with the Laettner shot. No game will be more painful than that loss.

I recently heard John Kerr tell the story of when Coach K talked to his team before the 1986 soccer championship. The first thing he said was the loss was his fault. He felt, with all the inherent distractions of a championship/final four, he did not have the team completely focused on the game. His advice was for the team to block out everything else and completely focus on the game because this is your one shot.

[Billy Dat]

Stuff I am looking for in this game:

This is a trap game. But then any of the coming 5 games where the opponents don't have a light blue tint could be considered a trap game. A major challenge during this stretch is maintaining/regaining emotional intensity.

I have been a believer that this squad is so mentally tough that they are quasi-immune to the trap game phenomenon. That doesn't mean we'll start like we did against UVA, but we do seem less immune to bad starts on the road. So, I am looking to see if we've got the killer edge I expect.

Anybody else thinking what I'm thinking? Marques Bolden, come on dooooooown!

I'd also like to see them not double Zion when we post him up.

With our size advantage, I am interested to see if we'll feature any Zion-at-the-5 death line-ups, and how successful they will be. This is less likely as Jack has fallen down the rotation, and AOC's rotation status is fragile, but it would be fun to see what Z could do as the featured man in a less crowded paint. I'd also like to see us own the glass tonight to our massive advantage..push that shot attempt advantage to our advantage.

It is so odd having the #1 team in the nation in 3-point percentage in away games. Like, what is going on? Part of the explanation might be the coaching. Specifically, R.J. Barrett is stepping into his shot or taking set shots a lot more. I noticed in the UVA game that he would often pass to Tre, take a couple steps back and to the side for an open look, and then step into the three as Tre passed the ball back. Look at R.J. in this highlight package. He's not taking shots off the dribble anymore. Reddish is doing this, too, and it is starting to go in.

since starting the season 1-11 from 3, Zion is shooting 12-32 (37.5%) from 3, and is at 30% on the season.
30% for the season is ok, maybe good. But if he's a 37.5% shooter from 3 for the rest of the season, then that will bode very well for his and the team's success.

First off, nice observations of the evolved 3-point strategy of RJ and Cam, I will look out for those. Second, to buffer the last point, maybe if Zion is going to nail 3s above 35%, then a death line-up is less of a need. Overall, like everyone, I am hoping to see our team 3 point percentage continue to rise and to see if this odd "we shoot great away from home" phenomenon continues.

The biggest advantage we have is that Louisville just has no idea how athletic we are. You can see it on tape, but you just don't know until you face it. Look at the first UVa game: UVa is as prepared and well-organized as any team in the country. But they were just not at all ready for Barrett and Zion attacking off the dribble. The second time around? They were ready for it, and basically eliminated that from the game (we won, obviously, thanks to unexpectedly phenomenal perimeter shooting). I think we let our athletes play their game, and see if Louisville can keep up.

I agree with this, it's the equivalent of the old Mike Tyson saw of "Everyone has a plan until they get hit". As the game film on us builds up and we continue to face solid coaches, I am really interested to see how the "Duke rules" (the strategy for beating Duke) evolve.

Barrett is interesting because while he isn’t a post player, his dribble drive is kind of the same. He uses size and strentgth against a player, gets them on his hip and takes them for a jog to the rim. Then, desperately they push him setting up an and one. The pack line is interesting because help is designed to stop that drive. UVa couldnt’ do it the first time. They were much better the second. Can Chris Mack set up his team to look like UVa’s second game without playing the first? Probably not.

Good defenders ride RJ all the way to the rim and he often winds up chucking up awkward lay-ups without getting the whistle. I'd love to see him add a little plant and spin and the end of some of those drives...add some craft to his bull-rushes.

[DavidBenAkiva]

For those wondering what the game will look like, Louisville is having a "Blackout" for the game tonight against Duke. I presume that means the players and fans will all wear black. That's a bit of an issue for Duke as the team has grown fond of wearing the black road jerseys in ACC competition.

@ Wake Forest:


@ Florida State:


@ Pitt:


@ Notre Dame:


@ Virginia:
I can only include 4 photos, but I believe we all remember the game from Saturday.

This makes me wonder what the team will wear tonight. Will they don their road blues for a black & blue matchup or go with the home whites?

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I never liked the black unis....til I heard RJ's "funeral" reference. Then I liked them! Not gonna see um tonight...

[CDu]

For those wondering what the game will look like, Louisville is having a "Blackout" for the game tonight against Duke. I presume that means the players and fans will all wear black. That's a bit of an issue for Duke as the team has grown fond of wearing the black road jerseys in ACC competition.

This makes me wonder what the team will wear tonight. Will they don their road blues for a black & blue matchup or go with the home whites?

I suspect that this was in response to Barrett's comments following the UVa game. If so, I am not sure that this was a wise strategy on the part of Louisville to poke the bear. If the Cards didn't have Duke's attention before, they do now.

[DavidBenAkiva]

I suspect that this was in response to Barrett's comments following the UVa game. If so, I am not sure that this was a wise strategy on the part of Louisville to poke the bear. If the Cards didn't have Duke's attention before, they do now.

A quick internet search reveals that the host's athletic department announced this in late January, long before R.J.'s (in my opinion, very cool) proclamation. It appears U of L planned a "White Out" against UNC, a Blackout against Duke and a "Wear Red for Seniors" against Notre Dame in early March.

Personally, I am hoping to see Duke in their road blues. The road blues are quite bright with white striping and will really pop against the home team. At least it will look interesting, something we may not see again or for a very long time.

I am having trouble finding two teams that matched up "color vs. color" with black and blue being the primary colors. Here's the closest comparison I could find, of Marvin and Trevon from last year. If U of L goes with a very dark motif, the Duke blue will really pop. It could work!

[uh_no]

I never liked the black unis...til I heard RJ's "funeral" reference. Then I liked them! Not gonna see um tonight...

miracle minute was in black.

[kmspeaks]

I never liked the black unis...til I heard RJ's "funeral" reference. Then I liked them! Not gonna see um tonight...

A quick internet search reveals that the host's athletic department announced this in late January, long before R.J.'s (in my opinion, very cool) proclamation. It appears U of L planned a "White Out" against UNC, a Blackout against Duke and a "Wear Red for Seniors" against Notre Dame in early March.

I get why some fans don't like the black uniforms but as a player I always loved wearing black. I don't know why, but it just makes you feel more like a "Nate James" (since I think the term I want to use would get me wankered).

This will never happen because basketball players kind of have to wear different color uniforms but for our senior night in college, I was a softball player, we did a black out. Since the home team usually wears white we informed our opponent of our plans ahead of time but they still showed up in their all black road uniforms. I can promise you've never seen a more pissed off group of 22 year old women. We scored 6 runs in our half of the first inning before they we able to record an out. Here's hoping Louisville is wearing black to their own funeral tonight!

[DevilYouKnow]

My dad was on the quad that night, too. He tells me it's one of the worst memories of his life.

I was on the quad that night as well. Context: I had been watching Duke since the mid 60s. I was used to Duke getting close, touching the brass ring, but no grab. It felt awful when we lost with what should have been a team of destiny. Then again, it felt very familiar.

Luckily, that familiar feeling has long dissipated.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I was on the quad that night as well. Context: I had been watching Duke since the mid 60s. I was used to Duke getting close, touching the brass ring, but no grab. It felt awful when we lost with what should have been a team of destiny. Then again, it felt very familiar.

Luckily, that familiar feeling has long dissipated.

It has, but of course, on that night in 86, nobody knew Duke was starting a march of 7 FFs in 9 years, including 5 in a row, with a couple of nattys. It felt like the climb had maybe ended...a great class that had been starters (mostly) for 4 years was now gone...having been the best team in the nation clearly, having beaten the second best team twice (Kansas)...having a 16 and a 21 game win streak IN THE SAME SEASON...still hurts.

[gotoguy]

I was on the Quad that night. One of the saddest experiences of my life.

Screw Denny Crum and Never Nervous Pervis.

OPK, if you were on the quad that night as a student then you can't be Old.

[kako]

You should. For many reasons. I won't get into them here. For me it all starts in 1986.

Generally agree.

The only times I root for Louisville are if they play UNC or Kentucky. I'm old enough to remember UK beating Duke in '78, so the older childhood wound trumps the later college one in '86. But I can still see Henderson's and JD's short misses coming down the stretch when we were down by 1, then Ellison's putback off the airball. All on that ugly puke green court. Whenever I see 72-69 (or whenever I see Duke stall with the lead), my stomach churns just a bit.

9F

[DukieInBrasil]

we haven't played Carolina yet... were not really in control until they pick up another loss or we beat them next week

Well, they've picked up their second loss, so we're in control. Split the series with Cheaters and we'll still be a game up on them, and we'll have the tie-break with UVA.

You should. For many reasons. I won't get into them here. For me it all starts in 1986.

There are a couple of painful tournament losses in the history, but it's not like they hired hookers to recruit players who never had to attend class and had their assignments done by other students or faculty. For decades.

Really? Check the standings again.

Check when i started this thread. It's even stated in the write-up.

[uh_no]

Well, they've picked up their second loss, so we're in control. Split the series with Cheaters and we'll still be a game up on them, and we'll have the tie-break with UVA.

while we technically control our own destiny, It's not really anything to hang a hat on since we still have two games against a team a game back. As you say, split the series and we're up, but we still need to pick up that one win to get the split...that's all i'm saying.