MBB: Duke 82, SMU 75 (January 10, 2026) Postgame Thread
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That’s what a lot of people saying “if they just had X” miss. If Boopie, for example, played to day, he would have taken 30+ minutes away from players that did very well. It might have been a net-positive, or it might have been a net- negative. It’s not as simple as adding his 20 points to SMU (‘or whatever his actual average is.)
DukieInBrasil
Member
Who is J Fos? There's a guy named C Fos on the Duke roster...
soflabluedevil
Member
Those teams aren’t as good as advertised preseason, but being 15-1 is great. Team is not as good now, nor will it be later than last year’s squad. Would not be surprised if one or more guys were under the weather today, but team continues to underperform on D. We will struggle with any quick team like SMU, who got lots of easy or open looks.
House P
Member
I like the way you think. However, I’d like to point out that the last two times Duke ended their season with a win were 2021 and 2020.As long as we our last game of the season, I'll be happy. I don't care if it's by 30 or by 1.
I doubt anyone here is rooting for this season to end the way those seasons ended.
I believe that some folks on this board do not understand the all-encompassing theory of "My Personal Super Bowl Against Duke" (MPSBAD). They should by all means avail themselves of the search function on this very site. MPSBAD goes very far in explaining why the guy who's 2 for 27 from the 3-point line suddenly is making 9 in a row against Duke.
Are you joking about this (honest question)?
Assuming not, we shot 78% from the free throw line against SMU. What exactly were you hoping for?
Fish80
Member
So sorry. I messed up. My bad.
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ragamuffin
Member
My non-revolutionary theory is that a fan’s positive or negative perception of the team and its future chances hinge on their expectations going into each game.
1). Expect to win. With this mindset, victory is likely assured so you focus on margin of victory and the reasons it wasn’t greater. And an unexpected loss is tragic. Only a significant upset or winning above the expected margin of victory is fulfilling. This emphasis on the negative plays - a possession by possession viewing with an eye towards what went wrong - emotionally extrapolates to thinking Duke is not as good as it could be and cannot prevail in the tournament. Sure the team’s good, but let’s not get full of ourselves, overconfident, and overly optimistic about our chances. Of course you appreciate the good plays, but you expected them to happen. The critical eye often results is a disgruntled, glass half empty fan. This is the perspective of an entitled fan, but as Duke fans our entitlement does not feel entirely baseless - our irrational expectations for the team almost appear justified by its past results. And I certainly want the team and coaches to have the “expect to win” attitude, where they dissect each possession for problems and what can be improved irrespective of the game result.
2) Expect to lose. With defeat likely you focus on what’s going well, impressed by our great play. And a win is monstrously uplifting. Of course you are angered by the negative plays, but you expected those to happen. The attention naturally shifts to good plays. The result is often happy to be winning, team finds a way, we’ve got a chance, great to be in this position attitudes. This is a bad mindset for a team (unless it leads to loose, nothing to lose play) but often a happier mindset for a fan. The problem is, it’s hard expect to lose as a Duke fan. But our high expectations are objectively irrational considering the variability inherent in basketball, post season tournaments and teenagers.
Our expectation are obviously variable within a season and between fans, with some fans expecting to win, or win bigger, in more games than other fans. I simply believe that if you expect Duke to lose in more/most games you actually have a more positive/hopeful view on the team than if you expect Duke to win in more/most games. I draw no judgments. I watch Duke games for the heart pounding induced by stress, anger, joy and excitement - and bragging rights. There’s no right or wrong ways to fan - each fan derives a unique enjoyment from following the games, team and season, from casual viewer, full immersion (all of us), Monday morning coach, celebrator, ref complainer, to stat cruncher and many others. I’ve made a concerted effort to expect a loss for all my teams (helps that I cheer for Cleveland teams) so I could experience only joy from sports, with little anger/angst after the game ends. That’s how I prefer to fan and it has worked. By expecting to lose to Houston, I was still happier that we made the final four than I was unhappy to lose to Houston - and that was heartbreaking.
1). Expect to win. With this mindset, victory is likely assured so you focus on margin of victory and the reasons it wasn’t greater. And an unexpected loss is tragic. Only a significant upset or winning above the expected margin of victory is fulfilling. This emphasis on the negative plays - a possession by possession viewing with an eye towards what went wrong - emotionally extrapolates to thinking Duke is not as good as it could be and cannot prevail in the tournament. Sure the team’s good, but let’s not get full of ourselves, overconfident, and overly optimistic about our chances. Of course you appreciate the good plays, but you expected them to happen. The critical eye often results is a disgruntled, glass half empty fan. This is the perspective of an entitled fan, but as Duke fans our entitlement does not feel entirely baseless - our irrational expectations for the team almost appear justified by its past results. And I certainly want the team and coaches to have the “expect to win” attitude, where they dissect each possession for problems and what can be improved irrespective of the game result.
2) Expect to lose. With defeat likely you focus on what’s going well, impressed by our great play. And a win is monstrously uplifting. Of course you are angered by the negative plays, but you expected those to happen. The attention naturally shifts to good plays. The result is often happy to be winning, team finds a way, we’ve got a chance, great to be in this position attitudes. This is a bad mindset for a team (unless it leads to loose, nothing to lose play) but often a happier mindset for a fan. The problem is, it’s hard expect to lose as a Duke fan. But our high expectations are objectively irrational considering the variability inherent in basketball, post season tournaments and teenagers.
Our expectation are obviously variable within a season and between fans, with some fans expecting to win, or win bigger, in more games than other fans. I simply believe that if you expect Duke to lose in more/most games you actually have a more positive/hopeful view on the team than if you expect Duke to win in more/most games. I draw no judgments. I watch Duke games for the heart pounding induced by stress, anger, joy and excitement - and bragging rights. There’s no right or wrong ways to fan - each fan derives a unique enjoyment from following the games, team and season, from casual viewer, full immersion (all of us), Monday morning coach, celebrator, ref complainer, to stat cruncher and many others. I’ve made a concerted effort to expect a loss for all my teams (helps that I cheer for Cleveland teams) so I could experience only joy from sports, with little anger/angst after the game ends. That’s how I prefer to fan and it has worked. By expecting to lose to Houston, I was still happier that we made the final four than I was unhappy to lose to Houston - and that was heartbreaking.
peteandpete
Member
Respectfully, that doesn't take into account missing 3 (I think) front ends.
This the kind of Duke fan that has his/her priorities in order. I would hate to be the kind of Duke fan that previously said so many negative things about this Duke team. It's ok to discuss a player that had a bad game but do it in a positive manner. These players are in their teens and have a long way to go in sports and life. Give them some slack. I hope the former poster saw that Michigan lost at home yesterday. They had been playing very well. I don't think I saw the poster give credit to even one of our young players. I hope he enjoys his vacation. Good job, mods.
GoDuke!
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
Member
Counterpoint - this coaching staff is excellent at seeing the patterns and tendencies of opponents and implementing changes that lead to very successful second halves
SMU came out hot (both in shooting and in defense), and we came out a little cold. Interestingly, our team was back on the floor with 8 minutes in the halftime break to practice shooting. SMU came out with barely 3 minutes left and didn’t take many shots. Not sure if it made a difference in 2nd half shooting stats….someone else can give that info.
SMU was incredibly aggressive on O and D. They are very fast. I thought the refs were letting them get away with too much contact…especially #24 who is a dirty player (IMHO). But SMU shot really well (sometimes crazy good shots) and guarded us very closely. We did turn the ball over sometimes when we shouldn’t have, but hopefully learned some things, and we beat an aggressive trap at the end.
Jon really tinkered with the lineup, sometimes with odd combinations. Maybe he was looking for a spark, or maybe some were not feeling great (or were gassed). I give him credit for trying to find a solution.
We won! And Carlos wore XXXXXL pants.
Jon really tinkered with the lineup, sometimes with odd combinations. Maybe he was looking for a spark, or maybe some were not feeling great (or were gassed). I give him credit for trying to find a solution.
We won! And Carlos wore XXXXXL pants.
Yeah, front ends have not been our friend. I’m relieved whenever the other team commits their 10th foul as it seems we rarely miss both throws near end of game.
Maybe my concern is bad karma imposed on the shooters.
Something I haven't seen posted yet and apologies to anyone who's already mentioned it, but CamB is a complete liability on defense and it causes problems for the other 4 trying to cover up that short coming. SMU did the smart thing early and went right at him and got easy, uncontested bucket after easy, uncontested bucket.
Felt like I was watching Jabari Parker out there. Easy to see why teams shoot high percentages against this team, 4 on 5 on defense will do that.
Felt like I was watching Jabari Parker out there. Easy to see why teams shoot high percentages against this team, 4 on 5 on defense will do that.
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
Member
Here's someone's individual rankings from a months ago (only played a few games since then) that suggests Cam is absolutely elite on defense. And offense.
A vacuum would have no commentary. I think you’re trying to say an “echo chamber.” But an echo chamber wouldn’t have the number of horse bludgeonings this board tends to have. I think posters are trying to point out that well reasoned, insightful criticism is preferable to… whatever it is (terping?) you’re trying to do here. Having said that, I shall reiterate—we really need a facepalm emoji in the reactions… it might fix some of the back and forth in cases like this.
Really? The pregame thread noted that Duke ranks #363 in experience (per Bart Torvik).