Thoughts about our boys after this weekend?

[crazyduke3]

So what are you thinking after these first two games now?

Loved the focus for both halves and more importantly when's the last time we saw a duke team put their foot on a teams throat and not let up? I saw somebody say it but that loss to UNC may be what this team needed (barf.)

 

[duke0527]

I think they’ve played really well. Took care of business easily like 2010 through first two rounds

 

[tripleb71]

We keep playing like this, we'll cut down the nets. We probably still need to value possessions better and have less turnovers.

 

[The Optimist]

They are certainly focused and playing as a cohesive unit. I think the next game will be real test for them but I now have a good feeling about our chances.

 

[LONMUNU]

I am way more optimistic about winning six after this weekend than going in. That was an impressive two games.

 

[DukeDenver]

Nova #1, Duke #2, everyone else. Duval is doing very well so far.

 

[acc hoops]

Duval and Allen did a great job running the team. Team chemistry was there for 40 minutes.

 

[christophero]

I've already stated this but they looked like a veteran team. Everyone is playing great and we are utilizing our depth in the post. Next weekend will be harder but I am very impressed so far. Everyone said RI would be a tough matchup for us and we ran them out of the gym. We were already playing better but had 2 starters hobbled against UNC.

 

[Ioliva]

i kinda feel like we're very similar to last years unc team. There a lot of teams out there that do not match with us well. We lost in the same round as they did last year and have been completely dominate. my only concern is that maybe URI just wasn't very good. They messed up a ton of shots, sucked towards the end of the season and just weren't built to handle us. The good thing is that although they missed a lot of shots so did we in that first half. We got every shot we really wanted and thats a really good sign. This team is rolling and it'll be interesting to see what happens if we play against mich state. Izzo has already said he's pissed he can't beat us so that makes me very nervous if we have to see them again. hopefully we draw the cuse

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

We're damn good, and we're playing that way. Our defense is light years ahead of where it was earlier in the season, and our offense is still good enough for #3 in Kenpom. Duke can score inside and out. I don't see anyone better than us, doesn't mean we'll win, but it means we're not going down easily. I like our chances.

OFC

 

[christophero]

The dream would be to play Syracuse and whoever plays Kansas. I think we can handle those 2.(MSU and Kansas) But that's Final Four type competition.

 

[FearTheBeard_rivals208808]

They are playing their best at the right time.

 

[Baller224]

Nova & Duke are in a league of their own, but if I had to pick a new Final 4 it would be UK-UNC-Nova-Duke. Duke needs to continue limiting the turnovers and they’ll be fine. When Duke starts turning the ball over or missing shots and teams start running they don’t have time to set the defense up is when they’re vulnerable. I said before the tournament that I wouldn’t pick any other team to win this thing other than Duke, and the same holds true after the first 2 games.

 

[2 skerz 3_rivals208847]

Play like this and we will surely beat Syracuse!

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

Is this the best Duval has played in a Duke uniform, or atleast since preseason?

 

[pinecreek]

Nova living off Fools Gold. 3's don't always fall.

 

[nets on nets on nets]

This is the year....we are gonna get Duke versus UNC or UK in the title game.

Great year for it, we would be favorites.

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

This is the year....we are gonna get Duke versus UNC or UK in the title game.

Great year for it, we would be favorites.

I hope not, my heart is getting to old for that.

 

[dbav]

I like us moving forward.

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

Limiting turnovers and rebounding well makes this team ridiculously good. Keep that up and I like us.

 

[SoCal_Dukie3]

Any idea if we play Thursday or Friday in the S16?

 

[SwatX1]

This is the year....we are gonna get Duke versus UNC or UK in the title game.

Great year for it, we would be favorites.

Nothing would be more satisfying to me than beating uk in the finals. And no controversial calls that they can hang the loss on. Unc I would a little nervous about, but still like us to win. Uk, I really don't think can beat us without a LOT of help from us. We limit turnovers, shoot just decent from outside, and I think we beat them by 10+

 

[nets on nets on nets]

Any idea if we play Thursday or Friday in the S16?

Fri/Sun next week.

 

[SwatX1]

I am going to the champions classic this year. It would be sweet to kick uk's *** in the finals this year, then watch Zion put on a Dominique clinic on them in November!!!

 

[SoCal_Dukie3]

Fri/Sun next week.

Thank you.

Phew, going to a concert Thursday night so I was worried I'd have to dvr without actually looking at my phone (next to impossible)!!

 

[500HP_Devil]

Looking great so far but we have to run thru the GAUNTLET to get the crystal:

MSU
KANSAS
NOVA

Then either

Loyola Chicago / Cinn
Or
Xavier / Zags / Michigan

 

[nets on nets on nets]

Looking great so far but we have to run thru the GAUNTLET to get the crystal:

MSU
KANSAS
NOVA

Then either

Loyola Chicago / Cinn
Or
Xavier / Zags / Michigan

Yep. The championship game would be our easiest game left.

 

[SwatX1]

I really think if we make the finals, we win. I think we are hands down better than whoever comes from the other side of the bracket, but we certainly have no easy road getting there

 

[Dattier]

There is nothing specific to how we played in Pittsburgh that gives me any significant concerns moving forward. My two major concerns overall are that we are likely to ply MSU in the next round and that we don't get to play again until Friday.

MSU is one of a handful of teams in the country whose A-game is a toss-up against our A-game. As well as we played in our first two games, we're young and inconsistent, so 6 days off could help us get ready or throw our rhythm off.

 

[WI#1Dukie22]

One Game at a time is my mindset. I just honestly don’t get into cheeeing for team x in order to avoid team y. With the make up of this team.... I just worry about Duke bringing it. They had all the parts coming into the tourney. The question was how they would handle the big stage. A++ all around!! K was locked in and it showed on the court. I’m feeling good, but I never once wasn’t this season!!!!

Couple handful of posters who need to forfeit the right to cheer the rest of the way! Remember.... we didn’t have a chance to make the 2nd weekend. Remember ...Duval is garbage.

Duval is a damn beast!!! Keep on keeping on son!!!!

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Duval has been key. We need him at his best penetrating the lane and finishing at the rim or finding open teammates. If he knocks down open 3s that is a huge bonus.

I think I am more worried about MSU than any other game, even Nova, mostly because they have enough talent to make the revenge factor real. The good news is they didn’t face our zone the first time, the bad news is they will have had 40 minutes against Syracuse and then a whole week to practice against it.

 

[christophero]

We are finally playing to our potential. The giant has awoken. I posted a few weeks back that Coach threw these guys in the deep end early and now they are experienced. I like his go for broke attitude, it involved some ups and downs along the way but we are gelling at the right time. If we keep this up it will be a magical run. Go Cuse!

 

[Duke Bluu]

Four left feels better than six

 

[WI#1Dukie22]

Duval has been key. We need him at his best penetrating the lane and finishing at the rim or finding open teammates. If he knocks down open 3s that is a huge bonus.

I think I am more worried about MSU than any other game, even Nova, mostly because they have enough talent to make the revenge factor real. The good news is they didn’t face our zone the first time, the bad news is they will have had 40 minutes against Syracuse and then a whole week to practice against it.

We actually zoned almost that entire game. Which is why it was frustrating we didn’t fully commit to it earlier then we did after that game

 

[dukesince91]

We actually zoned almost that entire game. Which is why it was frustrating we didn’t fully commit to it earlier then we did after that game

That's what I was thinking.

 

[AlanInNJ]

Feeling good about beating anyone in our path if we continue to play the way we played this weekend. So many positives, so few negatives. Locked in and engaged for 2 x 40 minute games, pushed thru a scoring drought in the first half yesterday, put the hammer down in both games to demolish all hope for our competitors.

No question we have a lot of good teams ahead of us, and nothing is a given, but I'm feelin' good right now.

I have to say its also a pretty good feeling to sit back and watch all the Saturday evening games and all the Sunday games with my hands folded behind my head, knowing we are playing next weekend, and that we are playing some really good basketball right now!

Go Duke!

Alan

 

[chov1125]

There is nothing specific to how we played in Pittsburgh that gives me any significant concerns moving forward. My two major concerns overall are that we are likely to ply MSU in the next round and that we don't get to play again until Friday.

MSU is one of a handful of teams in the country whose A-game is a toss-up against our A-game. As well as we played in our first two games, we're young and inconsistent, so 6 days off could help us get ready or throw our rhythm off.

I agree with this. Most of this board gets too high and too low, the truth is generally much more down the middle. We played 2 inferior teams and we handled them with class as we should. If anything should concern us it is that we also have the ability to look like a Jekyll and Hyde type. Outside of some upsets we are about to take a major step up in class and there are no guarantees how we are going to handle that. The margin for error is about to shrink way down and it will come down to one of two scenarios; either we continue to play with class or we revert to old habits.

The only slight disagreement I have is that I think if we both play our A games, we still beat Michigan St by 8-10 points. I still believe that we are the cream of the crop, it still comes down to keeping it all together and handling the pressure moments to come with poise and class. Character is not revealed in these blowouts, it is still to come. I hope to see us be special.

 

[hart2chesson]

The thing I liked about the RI game was we never allowed the crack of the window to raise and let them back in the game. Talented as this team is, it needs to continue to play w/that HUNGER.

LETS GO CUUUUSE!!
LETS GO A&M!!!

OFC

 

[dbav]

I thought that the biggest takeaway was that our regular rotation was engaged just about the entire time on the floor. Given these were not necessarily top 25 teams, but we didn't seem to have any truly significant lapses in focus.

I'm hoping this means everything has clicked and we are going to see something great.

 

[christophero]

Rhode Island over Duke was the trendy upset pick of the weekend. Now that we destroyed them the experts are saying Rhode Island was not that good. We looked the most focused I've seen us all season. They were a good experienced team and we made them look bad.