Duke vs Tennessee

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
43,767
66,606
113
Duke is unstoppable. The exhibition season has now given us no reason for the season. Let’s shut this thing down. Only football threads from this point forward. Close down the bridges and let’s see if Damon Stoudamire is available to coach next season.
 
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TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,366
11,839
108
Hate to say it but Duke looks like they'd body us at this juncture
Their 2nd unit would! Folks, the NIL era was custom made for Duke, make no mistake!

It’s just a matter of how long before Duke passes both UK and UCLA in titles, and they will eventually pass everyone else in all the other notable categories.

And, it will happen with Scheyer at the helm, because they’re not firing a guy who loses less than 5 games a season.
 
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TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,366
11,839
108
Duke’s Achilles Heel going forward will be that they will routinely be the betting favorite to win the National Championship, and that might be the ONLY thing that keeps them from dominating the sport in terms of championships going forward!

This year’s team looks like they could toy with 2015 UK, and that’s coming from a lifelong homer!
 
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VC99

Senior
Sep 16, 2025
317
742
93
I told all you moronic Pope pumpers, Duke is ACTUALLY building rosters like a blue blood and almost guaranteeing their success yearly.

Meanwhile we are having to justify HALF OUR TEAM taking ridiculous jumps to reach a sweet 16 or elite eight. GO GET THE BEST PLAYERS. YOU'RE KENTUCKY.
 

AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,950
6,535
93
Duke is staying near the top every year. Too bad we didn’t keep up. Papaw Mitch wasn’t prepared for this new age of college sports and we
Duke's NIL war chest is way more than speculated and Scheyer can recruit. Meanwhile, we are lost in a state of obscurity.
 
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*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
48,257
88,704
113
Like I said last year when I watched Duke play their first game: they're so much better than us its like they're in another higher division. They could just name their score.

Depressing but true.
I remember those days, like 2012, 2014/2015. Good times. Hopefully we get a coach soon enough that can make us competitive again with them. Does anyone really think Pope could assemble a team like that? I mean maybe not quite as deep because of money, but still. He couldn’t assemble talent like that even at 2/3rds the level. That is an issue from the start. Forget everything else.
 

UKFootball78

All-Conference
Sep 1, 2013
1,109
1,760
76
Looks like most of the posters in this thread need to go the Duke board, since you are all such huge duke fans. Go hug their nuts where it will be appreciated.
 
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AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,950
6,535
93
Never got the hype for UT all offseason. Lot of talent on the roster, but much of it is redundant. Also built the exact opposite direction of what Rick Barnes has had success with in recent past.
NIL era has plenty of coaches trying to reinvent their style rather than construct a roster around what they typically need.
Pope did it last season. This season he wasn't able to land enough of the primary targets or should I say elite talent. My initial knee jerk response is we're deep, but with mediocre talent.
 

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
43,767
66,606
113
Michigan over UConn
Florida over Houston
UConn over Purdue
UConn over San Diego State
Kansas over UNC
Baylor over the Zags
UVA over Texas Tech
Villanova over Michigan
UNC over the Zags.
Nova over UNC
 
Jul 6, 2025
2,817
7,570
113
Dukes gonna win multiple titles the next decade. The only question will be who the coach is. The current one cant keep choking year after year n the ncaa. Close loss after closeloss is on the coach.

Their awful coach is the only reason they haven't one two or three more in just the last few years. If they make a change to even a decent coach, they could literally go on a ucla esque mini run.
 

ScWildcat3

All-Conference
Sep 27, 2005
1,393
2,062
113
Duke has more money and resources than any other school. Having team USA and head of NBA in your corner pushing players to you along with Nike makes it easy for them. We can think Cal for pissing Nike off when he refused to be in Phil Knights tourney. Also Duke hired an Ex Nike employee to be their GM.
 
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JakeKx

All-Conference
Oct 5, 2023
1,353
2,607
112
Two things we know are true regardless of the score.

Duke will find a way to blow it regardless of their season.

Tennessee will never make a final four.
 

BookofMormon

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
1,101
1,442
113
Duke has more money and resources than any other school. Having team USA and head of NBA in your corner pushing players to you along with Nike makes it easy for them. We can think Cal for pissing Nike off when he refused to be in Phil Knights tourney. Also Duke hired an Ex Nike employee to be their GM.
It's everything, NIL, narrative, the Brotherhood, a wealth network assuring kids jobs after basketball, Cameron indoor, exposure.

They are set up to dominate CBB.

As of now, they have what will probably be 3 5* riding pine this year. Williams, Howard and one of Rippey or Boozer is not getting much time by end of year and will be in the portal. When kids want to join your esteemed club so badly they are willing to foresake playing time, you know there is something going on that unlevels the playing field.

It's almost like they bring in a 5*, take a whif and if you're not top of the line, they recruit over you immediately. He already has Asa Montgomery, Kager Kneuppel and likely Colton Hiller to take the job next year.

If the lightbulb clicks with Scheyer, he can runaway with the sport over the next 5 years. The only coach I hold any chance of getting in his way would be Hurley, who builds well-schooled tough teams with A- talent that can punch the softies of Duke in the mouth. I think if Hurley realized he can't compete with Duke, he jets to the NBA.

The only thing stopping them is:

Scheyer
The annual softness of growing up at Duke
Unrest in the clubhouse when top kids are riding pine
 

ScWildcat3

All-Conference
Sep 27, 2005
1,393
2,062
113
It's everything, NIL, narrative, the Brotherhood, a wealth network assuring kids jobs after basketball, Cameron indoor, exposure.

They are set up to dominate CBB.

As of now, they have what will probably be 3 5* riding pine this year. Williams, Howard and one of Rippey or Boozer is not getting much time by end of year and will be in the portal. When kids want to join your esteemed club so badly they are willing to foresake playing time, you know there is something going on that unlevels the playing field.

It's almost like they bring in a 5*, take a whif and if you're not top of the line, they recruit over you immediately. He already has Asa Montgomery, Kager Kneuppel and likely Colton Hiller to take the job next year.

If the lightbulb clicks with Scheyer, he can runaway with the sport over the next 5 years. The only coach I hold any chance of getting in his way would be Hurley, who builds well-schooled tough teams with A- talent that can punch the softies of Duke in the mouth. I think if Hurley realized he can't compete with Duke, he jets to the NBA.

The only thing stopping them is:

Scheyer
The annual softness of growing up at Duke
Unrest in the clubhouse when top kids are riding pine
Coach K definitely left them in a great spot unlike Calipari with us. Scheyer is an average coach but I expect him to grow every year and he will be there a long time. Hate seeing them at this level talent wise but that’s what happens when the proper things are put in place.

We are trying to get back in good with Nike by adding Mo Williams. He’s a well respected Nike person. Also adding aboya will or should help with the influx of African talent coming up the pipeline. Pope has made 2 great hires with those 2. Now comes down to can he hang around long enough to see it through.

Not going to get into was he the right choice or not. We all know he wasn’t but it was late and we had no other options. He was dealt a losing hand from the start with 0 rostered players unfortunately. Also if the 5 for 5 was in play after his 1st year then that team would’ve all came back and he would’ve been set up for a huge year. I hope he can and believe he will have a good year this year. Also think with Mo and aboya we add 2 more studs to Hampton and build from there with guys coming back and portal.
 

Runt#1969

All-American
Dec 13, 2010
21,533
9,447
113
Just watched the Vols and pUKe.

First of all, Most exhibition games are just that - a meaningless exhibition. Sometimes, they mean a little more than that. SOMETIMES, A LOT MORE.

Overreations or not, this was a lot more.

Tennessee wanted to play a pre season game to get the guys acclimated to a hostile environment against the best. pUKe at Cameron qualifies every time. It's how you react and the effort you give, along with the execution, defense, and all other aspects of how the game is played that coaches want to see how their teams will perform in those circumstances.

Vols failed again in every single respect of the game. This is not to bash UT, or to say pUKe is an unstoppable force of nature. Blue Devils have the #1 team in the country in my preseason mind. So there's that.

So the first thing I'd say is : The Vols starting PG Terrence Hill Jr left after only 5 minutes after rolling his ankle and out for the game at that point. Withi him in the game, they were still trailing 17-2. After 4 minutes.

That meant the Vols were destined to lose by at least 20 at that point, probably maybe even 30. BUt it was worse. They got down 40 and the junk minutes left, they got it under 40 for a respectable 39 point loss.

Loss isn't the word. Utter demolition. Castration. Embarrassment. Choose the word.

Just look at the box score. It tells it all. Vols got outscored in the paint 46 - 16. They had no interior presence defensively or offensively. Crushed on the board 29 - 44. It goes on and on and on.

In the past 50 minutes of basketball against X & pUKe, the Vols were outscored by 60 points.

It's not that dUKe is THAT GREAT. They are undeniably really good and deserving of a preseason #1. People are gonna look back at that later this year and although Florida is very very good, everyone is gonna say we shoulda' seen the Blue Devils as the #1 preseason team with that roster.

So that's all I'm saying about them.

But for the Vols ....

This game was so unlike any Barnes coached team I have EVER seen in the history of all his teams for 40 years .... not that I've been watching him for 40 years, but ... well ... you get it. His post game remarks were scathing. It inexplicable how he put together what, on paper, should be a top 15 team. I think everybody was thinking they were at least a top 15 - 20 team at worst. Many thought top 10.

The ceiling is not that high for this team.
The bottom is much lower.
They have so much to be "fixed" I am not even sure Barnes can get them anywhere near as good as everyone thought they would be this year.

They have a very favorable schedule, that doesn't change. But if they lose in the OOC against the Michigan states, NC state, Maryland, etc. ... then starting play against Vandy in Knoxville will be the bell weather game on if they even make the tournament. Surely they will not collapse that utterly.

But all signs point to it, if they are shaky in the OOC portion and then SEC play begins. It's going to be a bloodbath for them in the conference.

They have a final closed exhibiton game this saturday. Good thing it's closed to the public. Vol fans are aghast at what they're seeing. I can't beleive my eyes.

They got punched ion the mouth with a 15-0 run when it was 2-2, and looked lost the entire game. Go watch it, if you can stomach it.

There's hardly ever an exhibition game played that I remember for long. But I will have to say it's the most shocking exhibition performance and loss I have ever seen between what we think are going to be good teams. EVER. I won't forget this one.

And to be fair, if you take out the stud point guard on any team, for one game, for a stretch, or for a season (ahem...) that team is going to struggle. Pope coached his *** off just to keep things afloat the last two years because of that. Coached his *** off to keep us afloat, and it was far from good enough.

Hill Jr. shouldn't be out for long. The Vols got 3 cupcakes games before the michgan state game in Knoxville. Then notable games with :
@Maryland
home vs. Florida state
@ bridgestone arena vs. NC State
@ Purdue

That's a very light and easy OOC schedule.

Then after the OOC, it's Vandy in Knoxville to start off the conference slate. One would think they will look fine with that kind of schedule against that competition.

I can tell you one thing for certain.

They sure as hell aren't deserving of or anywhere near the #8 team in the country in the preseason rankings. It isn't even a top 25 team right now.

It's looking like Barnes put together a very good team on paper. But they havent p[layed anything together as a team. A halfway decent, experienced team can beat the Vols this year. Vols talent isn't that great.

Juke played 31 minutes and had ... ZERO rebounds. Two entire games and he has all of 2 rebounds. That's just one xample of how a good player on paper can struggle when you put him on a team with other good players, but they have no experience in playing together as a team. Relying on individual skill and a total lack of fight and urgency, hustle, determination.....

It's just unreal watching that game. You tell me. Gonna be an intersting year watching this Vols team. It looks ominous for how it will end up.

Enjoy your day !

Go Big Blue !
 

BookofMormon

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
1,101
1,442
113
Coach K definitely left them in a great spot unlike Calipari with us. Scheyer is an average coach but I expect him to grow every year and he will be there a long time. Hate seeing them at this level talent wise but that’s what happens when the proper things are put in place.

We are trying to get back in good with Nike by adding Mo Williams. He’s a well respected Nike person. Also adding aboya will or should help with the influx of African talent coming up the pipeline. Pope has made 2 great hires with those 2. Now comes down to can he hang around long enough to see it through.

Not going to get into was he the right choice or not. We all know he wasn’t but it was late and we had no other options. He was dealt a losing hand from the start with 0 rostered players unfortunately. Also if the 5 for 5 was in play after his 1st year then that team would’ve all came back and he would’ve been set up for a huge year. I hope he can and believe he will have a good year this year. Also think with Mo and aboya we add 2 more studs to Hampton and build from there with guys coming back and portal.
Cal was in no place to leave UK in a good spot, he was pushed out.

NIL, the bluebloods all being down (other than UConn), leaves a large window for Duke to run wild.

This isn't 2013, when you were stuck with your 3-4 HS kids, sink or swim. This is every year you can basically recruit over every one of your players, and Duke is the destination ideal for every kid in America, so much they can build their bench with these kids. The only reason they don't go there is if the playing situation isn't right (Jordan Smith) for the top, top kids.

They had Alicia Keys kid there last night. That's where they are. Celebrity Mom's want their kids there. It is and will always be the "it" program.

Their fans are disgusting, pigs in a pen, all angling for the next great kid to go along with their 2-3 of studs deep at every position.

If Colton Hiller signs there, it's a sign. Why he would I do not know. Right now Florida would be wide open runway for him, and he could play with Daughtry and Awaka there. Duke would be going just to be part of Duke.
 

BookofMormon

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
1,101
1,442
113
Just watched the Vols and pUKe.

First of all, Most exhibition games are just that - a meaningless exhibition. Sometimes, they mean a little more than that. SOMETIMES, A LOT MORE.

Overreations or not, this was a lot more.

Tennessee wanted to play a pre season game to get the guys acclimated to a hostile environment against the best. pUKe at Cameron qualifies every time. It's how you react and the effort you give, along with the execution, defense, and all other aspects of how the game is played that coaches want to see how their teams will perform in those circumstances.

Vols failed again in every single respect of the game. This is not to bash UT, or to say pUKe is an unstoppable force of nature. Blue Devils have the #1 team in the country in my preseason mind. So there's that.

So the first thing I'd say is : The Vols starting PG Terrence Hill Jr left after only 5 minutes after rolling his ankle and out for the game at that point. Withi him in the game, they were still trailing 17-2. After 4 minutes.

That meant the Vols were destined to lose by at least 20 at that point, probably maybe even 30. BUt it was worse. They got down 40 and the junk minutes left, they got it under 40 for a respectable 39 point loss.

Loss isn't the word. Utter demolition. Castration. Embarrassment. Choose the word.

Just look at the box score. It tells it all. Vols got outscored in the paint 46 - 16. They had no interior presence defensively or offensively. Crushed on the board 29 - 44. It goes on and on and on.

In the past 50 minutes of basketball against X & pUKe, the Vols were outscored by 60 points.

It's not that dUKe is THAT GREAT. They are undeniably really good and deserving of a preseason #1. People are gonna look back at that later this year and although Florida is very very good, everyone is gonna say we shoulda' seen the Blue Devils as the #12 team with that roster.

So that's all I'm saying about them.

But for the Vols ....

This game was so unlike any Barnes coached team I have EVER seen in the history of all his teams for 40 years .... not that I've been watching him for 40 years, but ... well ... you get it. His post game remarks were scathing. It inexplicable how he put together what, on paper, should be a top 15 team. I think everybody was thinking they were at least a top 15 - 20 team at worst. Many thought top 10.

The ceiling is not that high for this team.
The bottom is much lower.
They have so much to be "fixed" I am not even sure Barnes can get them anywhere near as good as everyone thought they would be this year.

They have a very favorable schedule, that doesn't change. But if they lose in the OOC against the Michigan states, NC state, Maryland, etc. ... then starting play against Vandy in Knoxville will be the bell weather game on if they even make the tournament. Surely they will not collapse that utterly.

But all signs point to it, if they are shaky in the OOC portion and then SEC play begins. It's going to be a bloodbath for them in the conference.

They have a final closed exhibiton game this saturday. Good thing it's closed to the public. Vol fans are aghast at what they're seeing. I can't beleive my eyes.

They got punched ion the mouth with a 15-0 run when it was 2-2, and looked lost the entire game. Go watch it, if you can stomach it.

There's hardly ever an exhibition game played that I remember for long. But I will have to say it's the most shocking exhibition performance and loss I have ever seen between what we think are going to be good teams. EVER. I won't forget this one.

And to be fair, if you take out the stud point guard on any team, for one game, for a stretch, or for a season (ahem...) that team is going to struggle. Pope coached his *** off just to keep things afloat the last two years because of that. Coached his *** off to keep us afloat, and it was far from good enough.

Hill Jr. shouldn't be out for long. The Vols got 3 cupcakes games before the michgan state game in Knoxville. Then notable games with :
@Maryland
home vs. Florida state
@ bridgestone arena vs. NC State
@ Purdue

That's a very light and easy OOC schedule.

Then after the OOC, it's Vandy in Knoxville to start off the conference slate. One would think they will look fine with that kind of schedule against that competition.

I can tell you one thing for certain.

They sure as hell aren't deserving of or anywhere near the #8 team in the country in the preseason rankings. It isn't even a top 25 team right now.

It's looking like Barnes put together a very good team on paper. But they havent p[layed anything together as a team. A halfway decent, experienced team can beat the Vols this year. Vols talent is that great.

Juke played 31 minutes and had ... ZERO rebounds. Two entire games and he has all of 2 rebounds. That's just one xample of how a good player on paper can struggle when you put him on a team with other good players, but they have no experience in playing together as a team. Relying on individual skill and a total lack of fight and urgency, hustle, determination.....

It's just unreal watching that game. You tell me. Gonna be an intersting year watching this Vols team. It looks ominous for how it will end up.

Enjoy your day !

Go Big Blue !
I don't know what Barnes was doing this year by letting kids like Estrella go and going all portal. He's not designed for it. His entire system is built on defensive hackers.
 
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ScWildcat3

All-Conference
Sep 27, 2005
1,393
2,062
113
Cal was in no place to leave UK in a good spot, he was pushed out.

NIL, the bluebloods all being down (other than UConn), leaves a large window for Duke to run wild.

This isn't 2013, when you were stuck with your 3-4 HS kids, sink or swim. This is every year you can basically recruit over every one of your players, and Duke is the destination ideal for every kid in America, so much they can build their bench with these kids. The only reason they don't go there is if the playing situation isn't right (Jordan Smith) for the top, top kids.

They had Alicia Keys kid there last night. That's where they are. Celebrity Mom's want their kids there. It is and will always be the "it" program.

Their fans are disgusting, pigs in a pen, all angling for the next great kid to go along with their 2-3 of studs deep at every position.

If Colton Hiller signs there, it's a sign. Why he would I do not know. Right now Florida would be wide open runway for him, and he could play with Daughtry and Awaka there. Duke would be going just to be part of Duke.
Hiller would be dumb to go to Florida. Holden is 1 foot out the door imo and they lose everyone. Duke will return the best player in the country and I believe if hiller reclassed he would be a 2 year guy.

As for cal not having a choice. He definitely had a choice and everyone who knew him said it from the beginning. He would leave Kentucky in a mess if he ever left because that is who he is. He could’ve stayed at Uk but his feelings got hurt and his ego can’t stand it. He got offered the world by his Arkansas buddy and then still wanted to backtrack and couldn’t.
 

ScWildcat3

All-Conference
Sep 27, 2005
1,393
2,062
113
I don't know what Barnes was doing this year by letting kids like Estrella go and going all portal. He's not designed for it. His entire system is built on defensive hackers.
All offense makes no sense for sure. It is just like what pope did last year. Went completely against what his style is and we all saw how that ended up.
 
Jun 19, 2026
125
330
62
The longer we keep Pope the less UK brand actually means. Duke is now the premiere college basketball program. We’re stuck with a dork who wins 60% of his games just because he played here. 0% chance he would have ever sniffed being our coach if he didn’t play here. This is sickening.
 
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