Duke @ Virginia Tech

• september63

  

  Duke lost because they got out rebounded!!
• karen lotz

  

  KR1245;693137 wrote:Duke relys on the 3 pt shot way too much. If those shots arent going down they can be beat. The brothers are solid players but they dont really have much of an inside presence

  
  
  In their 3 losses:
  
  FSU: 11/35
  St Johns: 5/26
  Tonight: 4/20
  
  20/81 for a stellar 24%
• september63

  

  Midstate01;693141 wrote:I'm pretty sure nobody thinks deibler is playing in the NBA. But you just compared a so called "duke great" to Jon deibler. Fail on your part

  
  Pretty much THIS!! Comparing a so-called All American to Diebler is a tribute to Diebler.
• CinciX12

  

  I'd rather be pissed on than be compared to Singler. F'ing fairy.
• Prescott

  If you knew anything you would see that they had more rebounds, more assists and regardless how many they missed, Duke only had 2 more makes. Dukes 20% on 3's lost it.

  I guess the dukies should have kept VT off of the offensive glass. But then again, VT wins by double digits if they make free throws at a normal rate and Delaney tries to be part of the offense.
• swamisez

  

  Not surprised by this result. VaTech was playing for their tournament life. Anytime Duke heads on the road teams amp up their play. At one point VaTech was shooting over 60% from the field getting nearly 133 offensive rtg. The defense was much better than it was at St.Johns, the Hokies were just on.
  
  Devils may learn something from this one, up 5 with 5 to play, they allow Singler to try to win the game by himself as he chucks four threes in three consecutive possessions. Traditionally K would pull the ball out and would shorten the game by extending possessions maybe getting Nolan Smith on an isolation or possibly finding a way to get Kelly with the ball underneath and an opportunity for FT's. I would imagine Kyle takes a hard look at his mindset there and lets the game come to him a bit more next time around. He has been pressing down the stretch, seeing the end sometimes makes you play with unnecessary urgency.
  
  All in all, its a road game. One that VaTech desperately needed, and one where Duke was really up against it. They played pretty well, just not well enough to win. Thankfully you don't play road games in the tournament. Delaney was in the game all night, just harassed all over the court. He hit a big shot when he rubbed off a screen six feet behind the line. Props to him for finally dropping one, it would happen eventually. The key player tonight was Allen. His two threes and one 18 footer really stretched the Duke D, and were an unexpected addition to the hokie offense when it was struggling to finish in the half court.
  
  As for VT winning by double digits, no way, they had to go on a 15-4? run down the stretch just to pull that one out. Even with FT's I would think that game would be just as close.
• Midstate01

  

  Are all 3 of dukes loses to unranked teams?
• swamisez

  

  yes,
  
  St.John's was unranked, but now is ranked.
  FSU was unranked, but at times this year was.
  VaTech struggled mightily out of the gate, but is still the third best team in ACC.
  Struggles in conference in early season kept most ACC teams from cracking top 25, justifiably so. VaTech never put it together all season to merit a ranking, same with FSU, BC.
  Granted I think those teams are equally as good as Minnesota, yet since Big Ten is judged as better, Minny has been ranked for most of the season.
• Midstate01

  

  Minny hasn't been ranked for a bit. And shouldn't be. Top 2 players are gone and they stink.
• Prescott

  Delaney was in the game all night, just harassed all over the court.

  Are you kidding ?? For 3/4 of the game he stood and watched.Hell, Diebler could have checked him.
  
  

  Minny hasn't been ranked for a bit.

  Minny has lost 6 of 7 . They can't be ranked. There are rumors circulating that indicate that Tubby might be leaving the Gophers.
• swamisez

  

  Cmon you are making it sound like the kid didn't even want to play. He was fighting hard all night. He was forced to take way too tough of shots to be a real factor, and his teammates, namely Terrence Bell picked up their games until he could find some rhythm.
  
  Delaney had 11 points, 4 assists, and 7 rebounds.
  
  more importantly he limited Nolan Smith in the second half to a mere 6 points, and only 6 shots. Smith didn't get an attempt in the final 3:30 and shot only once in the final 5:15. That is quite impressive given the job Smith has done all season. Hats off to the guy who stood and watched.
• ironman02

  Yeah, what was Delaney's deal tonight?
  
  I missed a good chunk of the game. Did they say he was sick or anything? He looked dead tired and just kept standing around on the offensive end.
• swamisez

  

  Prescott;693172 wrote:Minny has lost 6 of 7 . They can't be ranked. There are rumors circulating that indicate that Tubby might be leaving the Gophers.

  
  Minnesota is no longer ranked, but they were ranked for much of the season. Hovering around 14-21 for a majority of their games. Unjustifiably so given their lack in consistency.
• Midstate01

  

  swamisez;693179 wrote:Minnesota is no longer ranked, but they were ranked for much of the season. Hovering around 14-21 for a majority of their games. Unjustifiably so given their lack in consistency.

  
  Minny had some really good early wins. But injuries and players leaving killed that
• swamisez

  

  Midstate01;693180 wrote:Minny had some really good early wins. But injuries and players leaving killed that

  
  Much in the same way VaTech has been. Greenberg has done a great job getting his guys to compete night in night out despite the personnel losses they have suffered. The three game losing streak in early december would have sunk most teams but Seth has really kept his guys working.
• Midstate01

  

  Well it is the ACC but I know what your saying.
• devil1197

  Good job Duke.
  
  Have fun with a 2 seed, this year you won't have a fast track to the title.
• wildcats20

  

  karen lotz;693145 wrote:In their 3 losses:
  
  FSU: 11/35
  St Johns: 5/26
  Tonight: 4/20
  
  20/81 for a stellar 24%

  
  But Roy gets shit for not being a good in-game coach....
  
  K refuses to change his ways with the 3 ball. It will KILL you more than it will save you, but yet he lets his teams chuck it up miss after miss.
• karen lotz

  

  Yep, it bit them for the first half of the Carolina game too. Luckily for them they started falling in the second half.
• centralbucksfan

  wildcats20;693307 wrote:But Roy gets shit for not being a good in-game coach....
  
  K refuses to change his ways with the 3 ball. It will KILL you more than it will save you, but yet he lets his teams chuck it up miss after miss.

  
  Not going to get into the K vs Roy thing...but you are correct about K. I have seen this over the years with him and it has cost his teams. BUT...I think part of the issue with this, is the lack of a true legit post player to have the option to go inside.
• swamisez

  

  He gives his players lost of freedom on the floor. Sometimes that is great other times shot selection becomes an issue. I tend to give him benefit Of the doubt because it looks like this may be helping him recruit. I am reticent to lay much blame on k knowing how much freedom he has Extended singler and smith. I think by now they know what good shots are and how to react when up 5 at the under 5
• Prescott

  Cmon you are making it sound like the kid didn't even want to play. He was fighting hard all night.

  I have to be honest here, at times Delaney looked like he didn't want the ball.For a player whose team relies on him to score, he didn't do much to get him self open. Yes, he made a huge (3). Imagine what he could have done had he not decided to be a decoy on offense.
• reclegend22

  

  wildcats wrote:K refuses to change his ways with the 3 ball. It will KILL you more than it will save you, but yet he lets his teams chuck it up miss after miss.

  A timeless, failed argument. Four national championships, 11 Final Fours, most wins all-time, most NCAA tournament wins all-time, best tourney win percentage, most 30-win seasons, et cetera. Come on.
  
  As swami stated, Coach K believes firmly in generating spacing on the court with a cast of good shooters, which allows players the room to create using their natural basketball talents and instincts. And with the kind of players he usually puts on the floor -- quick guards and wings that are versatile scorers on both the drive and the outside jumper -- allowing a lot of threes to be taken creates that necessary spacing and opens up a lot of offensive opportunities. Sometimes this kind of freedom will haunt you. But for Duke, more times than not, it will not. This is indicative by the numbers above.
• georgemc80

  devil1197;693271 wrote:Good job Duke.
  
  Have fun with a 2 seed, this year you won't have a fast track to the title.

  
  Still a 1 seed if they win out....so you're wrong.
  
  btw, winning six in a row is still winning six in a row
• ironman02

  VT is following up their performance against Duke with a stellar effort against BC tonight.
  
  They're down by 20 at home with less than 8 minutes to go. Looks like Vitale may have jumped the gun on VT being a "lock" for the tournament. Seth Greenberg always finds a way to be squarely on the bubble.