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Duke vs. Gonzaga

MdWIldcat55

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,572
86,844
113
If Duke beats Gonzaga Friday, as I suspect they will, does that change your perception of Kentucky as a potential Final Four quality team?

The Cats were ahead of Duke fairly late, and likely win the game with a normal performance by TyTy and if Wheeler was on top of his turnovers. Duke didn't play a perfect game either obviously, and shot poorly from outside, but probably played closer to their March potential than Kentucky in the single digit win. While both teams will improve, we know Cal's teams will get much better defensively, and the guards will cut way down on turnovers, and that's not including a potential boost from uber-athletic Sharpe.

I'll be very interested to see how Duke matches up with the Zags, and from that extrapolate a little about Kentucky. If Duke wins, they'll be #1, so we'll know how the Cats match up on the court with the #1 team.
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Son_Of_Saul

Hall of Famer
Dec 7, 2007
45,833
101,568
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What I took away from the Duke-Kentucky game is that they have players who can make NBA-level plays in the halfcourt offense, and we presently don't. It was really as simple as that. Banchero and Keels could make those plays, and we didn't have anyone who could match that.

Sharpe could change that. Maybe Washington can also become that type of player by the end of the season. Right now, we don't have that. If we're going to make a Final Four run, we'll need someone who can make those types of plays.
 
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T

TJ-Cat

Junior
Mar 13, 2009
345
349
63
I already think Kentucky CAN be a Final 4 team. Duke playing Gonzaga close or beating them would give a little more credence to that thought. I believe as long as you get are a top 12 team and get a 1-3 seed, then you have positioned yourself for a deep run. You are either the 1 seed or avoid the 1 until the Elite 8 game. By the Sweet 16 and beyond it's all about matchups, who is playing good and which team gets a lucky bounce or whistle one way or the other. I believe Kentucky can be at least a 3 seed this season, after that you just have to throw the ball up and let it all play out.
 
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B

BigCat241

All-Conference
May 3, 2021
1,719
1,653
0
Think Gonzaga wins but Duke prob has the best chance of beating them in the country, just because they have multiple legit NBA dudes.
 
A

akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
82,014
126,142
93
MdWIldcat55 said:
If Duke beats Gonzaga Friday, as I suspect they will, or plays them very close, does that change your perception of Kentucky as a potential Final Four quality team?

The Cats were ahead of Duke fairly late, and likely win the game with a normal performance by TyTy and if Wheeler was on top of his turnovers. Duke didn't play a perfect game either obviously, and shot poorly from outside, but probably played closer to their March potential than Kentucky in the single digit win. While both teams will improve, we know Cal's teams will get much better defensively, and the guards will cut way down on turnovers, and that's not including a potential boost from uber-athletic Sharpe.

I'll be very interested to see how Duke matches up with the Zags, and from that extrapolate a little about Kentucky.
Click to expand...
I know some people would love to see the Zags crush Duke, and normally I would, but if Duke loses close or upsets them, it compliments UK.
 
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K

kl40504_rivals

Heisman
Oct 5, 2018
15,258
11,184
0
MdWIldcat55 said:
If Duke beats Gonzaga Friday, as I suspect they will, or plays them very close, does that change your perception of Kentucky as a potential Final Four quality team?

The Cats were ahead of Duke fairly late, and likely win the game with a normal performance by TyTy and if Wheeler was on top of his turnovers. Duke didn't play a perfect game either obviously, and shot poorly from outside, but probably played closer to their March potential than Kentucky in the single digit win. While both teams will improve, we know Cal's teams will get much better defensively, and the guards will cut way down on turnovers, and that's not including a potential boost from uber-athletic Sharpe.

I'll be very interested to see how Duke matches up with the Zags, and from that extrapolate a little about Kentucky.
Click to expand...
The Zags will beat Duke in my opinion
 
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ftp000

ftp000

All-American
Mar 26, 2009
6,589
6,564
113
Oh look, more Gonzaga slurping! Somebody just change this cesspool into a Zags board already. Year after year they get more love here than the team this board professes to represent. Call it Zagschokerafters
 
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K

kl40504_rivals

Heisman
Oct 5, 2018
15,258
11,184
0
ftp000 said:
Oh look, more Gonzaga slurping! Somebody just change this cesspool into a Zags board already. Year after year they get more love here than the team this board professes to represent. Call it Zagschokerafters
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Some people Zig Zag on their opinion.
 
L

Lempface

Heisman
Feb 16, 2009
12,159
20,638
98
STL_Cat said:
Also, it’s appalling to see that some UK fans are actually going to cheer for DUKE over Gonzaga? I mean what in the absolute ***?

I don’t even know what life is anymore.
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It's because I don't want them to go undefeated, and there aren't many chances for that to happen. Duke will flame out, I don't really see them as strong contenders in the long haul, but I want to make sure I don't have to hear about the Zags undefeated season for the next 20 years. Same reason I wanted UCLA to take them out in the FF even if it meant they were that much closer to getting 12.
 
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S

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
65,277
58,554
98
Lempface said:
It's because I don't want them to go undefeated, and there aren't many chances for that to happen. Duke will flame out, I don't really see them as strong contenders in the long haul, but I want to make sure I don't have to hear about the Zags undefeated season for the next 20 years. Same reason I wanted UCLA to take them out in the FF even if it meant they were that much closer to getting 12.
Click to expand...
It’s ****ing Duke, man.
 
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S

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
65,277
58,554
98
Lempface said:
Duke is sunsetting and the Zag's are primed to replace them as the douche-iest team in the land. An undefeated season and a championship will just make them that much worse.
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Lol, you’re not going to talk around this one with me although you’re entitled to your opinion. My lord times have changed
 
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L

Lempface

Heisman
Feb 16, 2009
12,159
20,638
98
STL_Cat said:
Lol, you’re not going to talk around this one with me although you’re entitled to your opinion. My lord times have changed
Click to expand...
It's just one game, Duke isn't gonna run the table. The useful idiots as it were.
 
C

CatPhight_rivals65113

Heisman
Nov 15, 2008
38,645
57,515
0
Rat vs. Scarecrow

 
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J

JonathanW_rivals

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
145,534
15,709
0
Caveman Catfan said:
I think the Zags win. Thanks for the reminder. Need to put this on the calendar.
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Agree, Zags win. I say 86-76, 4-8 pt game most of the way. Banchero best player on court. But Timme draws lots of fouls on Duke bigs, and Nemhardt plays well, was really impressed with him last night.

Holmgren is better than I thought, and he will go top 3, and probably get a GM fired, before exploding in his 4th-5th year. That body simply cannot play with Grown *** Men, even if stays on the outside. But once he fills out, and he may always be smaller than most every other 7-footer, he will be very good. But right now he makes Skal (while at UK) look like Dinner-bell-Mel (Turpin).

But Duke is legit. Top 5 team, imo better than KU.
Zags are clearly #1. And if the WCC is better this year like announcers kept saying, even at MAC level, so that they do get challenged some this year, they really could go undefeated (10-20% chance).
 
Runt#1969

Runt#1969

All-American
Dec 13, 2010
21,406
9,161
113
Although I feel like the Zags will beat Duke rather handily, a good performance by the dookies against the zags wouldn't necessarily alter my feelings about UK. The Zags deserve to have the target on their back, they're as good as any team in the college game this year, but that doesn't mean they're a shoe in for a title or even a FF.

Anything can happen, its a long season. For any team out there. I just want to see UK get to 100% health, get a full roster healthy and improve from there. I think we have great potential this year, a realistic elite eight ceiling, with some good matchups in the NCAAT, maybe a final four even.

Go Big Blue!
 
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*Fox2Monk*

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
47,142
86,251
113
Son_Of_Saul said:
What I took away from the Duke-Kentucky game is that they have players who can make NBA-level plays in the halfcourt offense, and we presently don't. It was really as simple as that. Banchero and Keels could make those plays, and we didn't have anyone who could match that.

Sharpe could change that. Maybe Washington can also become that type of player by the end of the season. Right now, we don't have that. If we're going to make a Final Four run, we'll need someone who can make those types of plays.
Click to expand...
I agree, you have to have some bucket getters in the half court in March.
 
TheDude73

TheDude73

Heisman
Jan 7, 2006
24,303
24,061
113
You guys are crazy. Don't forget this is K's going away party, so the refs will make 100% certain Puke and Golden K beats "#1" Gonzaga.

Besides, Gonzaga has plenty of games left - both non-con and their own patsy conference - to stay in the top 5. This game is more to get Puke back to the top 3 and lick K's behind than it is to see who's truly better.
 
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