OSU @ Duke - Big Ten ACC Challenge

• slingshot4ever

  Wednesday night at 930. With the football season over all focus shifts to the top 5 team that isn't on probation....
• Ironman92

  

  Great matchup!
  
  At Cameron Duke should win by 3-5 but OSU kicked their tail last year so who knows.
• wildcats20

  

  ccrunner609;1328811 wrote:this duke team is tested so far. they have played and won games they would of lost. Plumlee and Kelly offer a matchup nightmare. Duke by 8.

  
  You've done so well in the past at picking this game too.
  
  
  Can't wait to hear the excuse of being tired from traveling if they lose again this year.
• wildcats20

  

  ccrunner609;1328819 wrote:last time it was from Hawaii and the next day ti cbus . this time they get to stay at home.

  LOL they had 5 days off between games last year. Nice try though.
• reclegend22

  

  Duke is riding a 96-game home court winning streak against non-conference opponents, and that mark will be in serious jeopardy with the No. 3 team in the country visiting Cameron.
  
  So far this season, Duke has two wins versus top three teams. Ohio State has yet to play a ranked opponent. So it is very hard to gauge where both of these teams actually stand at the moment. Wins against ranked teams as a measuring stick aren't necessarily indicative of anything, as we saw that last year after Duke defeated two top 15 teams in Michigan and Kansas to win the Maui Invite and then lose handedly to Ohio State. The NCAA Tournament-like environment Duke navigated to win the Battle 4 Atlantis, however, can't hurt the team's experience and confidence heading into Big Ten Challenge. I suspect Ohio State is perhaps not a top five team just yet. Even though Deshaun Thomas is playing out of his mind to start the year, and may be better than Willie Buford, and Aaron Craft appears to have improved his scoring and shooting since last year, averaging 14 points a game and shooting 46% from three, I'm not sure the Buckeyes are as balanced an attack yet as teams like Indiana or Duke. I do believe the Buckeyes will be there by the end of the year and after last year's WCW beat down in Columbus, I do not take Matta and company lightly in the least bit.
  
  Team Records/Results
  
  Duke:
  Georgia State W 74-55
  #3 Kentucky W 75-68
  Florida Gulf Coast W 88-67
  Minnesota W 89-71
  VCU W 67-58
  #2 Louisville W 76-71
  
  Ohio State:
  Marquette CANCELED
  Albany W 82-60
  Rhode Island W 69-58
  Washington W 77-66
  University of Missouri Kansas City W 91-45
  
  Leading Scorers
  
  Duke - Mason Plumlee 19.7, Seth Curry 17.0, Rasheed Sulaimon 12.0, Ryan Kelly 11.8, Quinn Cook 10.7
  
  Ohio State - Deshaun Thomas 24.0, Aaron Craft 14.3, Lenzelle Smith, Jr. 11.5, Shannon Scott 7.3, LaQuinton Ross 6.3
• wildcats20

  

  It's going to be the best game to date on the young season.
  
  And with it being at CIS, I would expect the Dookies to prevail. But you never know...
• reclegend22

  

  wildcats20;1328835 wrote:It's going to be the best game to date on the young season.
  
  And with it being at CIS, I would expect the Dookies to prevail. But you never know...

  As you point out, Duke is extraordinarily tough to beat in Cameron Indoor, owning a 4-0 record there in the Big Ten Challenge, with victories over #6 Michigan State in 2010, #20 Wisconsin in 2007, Indiana in 2006 and #9 Michigan State in 2004. As mentioned, the Blue Devils have not lost a home game to a non-ACC team in Cameron since February of 2000, when the Devils dropped one to Bootsy Thornton and St. John's.
  
  But, after last year's horror movie in Ohio, I'm going to be worried until the final buzzer sounds.
• swamisez

  

  The late start will certainly help the Devils out this go round. They got back from the Bahamas today, so rest on Monday and Tuesday is certainly welcomed. Real proud of how well they battled in the tournament this weekend. The game vs. VCU was an absolute war and I had real doubts about whether they had gas in the tank to beat Lousiville. Thankfully the Cards were just as tired. Both teams hit the wall with about 6 minutes left in the game.
  
  Over the years by my estimation Cameron Indoor Stadium gives Duke an 11 point edge. So any team that loses by 7-11 points is basically a coin flip on a neutral court and any team that wins or loses by less than 7 at Duke is a surefire winner on a neutral court.
  
  Devils will still need to make contested shots to win the game wednesday. I think they can do this, but am worried the interior guys from OSU will be quite problematic (not necessarily in points but in rebounds and fouls drawn). Having not seen OSU yet this year, I can't speak on how they matchup but I can say that Thomas is a matchup problem for Duke. Suilamon will probably contest him which means Thomas needs to draw him down into the paint. If I were Thad Matta I would put Craft on Suilamon and force Cook to beat their secondary defender off the dribble. Suilamon is the Duke slasher that opens up the court offensively and if you neutralize him the team looks eerily like last year where it was stand around and watch Austin Rivers jack up horrendous shots.
• Red Rider Nation

  reclegend22;1328854 wrote:As you point out, Duke is extraordinarily tough to beat in Cameron Indoor, owning a 4-0 record there in the Big Ten Challenge, with victories over #6 Michigan State in 2010, #20 Wisconsin in 2007, Indiana in 2006 and #9 Michigan State in 2004. As mentioned, the Blue Devils have not lost a home game to a non-ACC team in Cameron since February of 2000, when the Devils dropped one to Bootsy Thornton and St. John's.
  
  But, after last year's horror movie in Ohio, I'm going to be worried until the final buzzer sounds.

  
  Duke wins this by 10 or more. OSU is NOT a Top 5 team.hate on me all you want but Duke is as good as anyone this year!
• wildcats20

  

  Red Rider Nation;1328908 wrote:Duke wins this by 10 or more. OSU is NOT a Top 5 team.hate on me all you want but Duke is as good as anyone this year!

  
  Lol you're back. Great.
• reclegend22

  

  Red Rider Nation;1328908 wrote:Duke wins this by 10 or more. OSU is NOT a Top 5 team.hate on me all you want but Duke is as good as anyone this year!

  I think you are probably right that Duke wins, but the game obviously has to be played and there are two very good players for the Buckeyes who in their own significant ways are game changers. Craft is one of the best defenders in the country, and will present a tremendous challenge for Cook (as well as Sulaimon and Curry if he is matched up with them at any point), and Thomas might just be the most prolific scorer in the Big Ten. Duke has yet to face an offensive juggernaut such as Thomas and it will be a great test for what to this point appears to be a very improved Blue Devil defense.
  
  Quinn Cook has been the key to Duke's success this season thus far. His relentless and energetic approach to the game has Duke moving at a more uptempo pace than last year, a season during which, as swami pointed out above, most games devolved into a stagnant, Harlem Globetrotter routine with Austin Rivers twirling the ball on his finger and doing his best impersonation of Meadowlark Lemon. This year, the Devils are running, scoring in transition off improved pressure defense, moving the ball around the perimeter, slashing and finding the open man for good looks inside. Mason Plumlee is averaging almost 20 points per game this year, and that's because he is receiving great looks this year, both in the open court, where he is one of the best finishers in the country alongside Indiana's Cody Zeller, and on the block. That transformation has been facilitated by the play of Cook, who has developed an excellent one-two punch with Plumlee and really works to get Plumlee the ball every trip down the floor. It's been fantastic.
• reclegend22

  

  So I guess half the Duke fans here think this will be a rout.
  
  Will be interesting to see how Buckeye fans, who have actually seen OSU play (I have not), think the game will play out.
• Terry_Tate

  

  After watching Duke play Kentucky I thought Ohio State would win by 5-8, but after Duke beat VCU and Louisville I think the Dukies win by around 5. I think Craft and D. Thomas can almost single handidly win this game, but with Ohio State's relative inexperience with their depth I think Duke wins, though just like Kentucky, I think it's a different story come March.
• Midstate01

  

  The key for duke IMO is to not let Thomas get hot. If he gets hot, it will open everything up.
  
  I still think duke wins. I see this being a game where craft is on the bench with foul trouble. K and duke get ALL the calls at duke and I expect him to make sure they call craft for anything.
• jordo212000

  

  Duke will need to bring their A-game defensively. Trying to take charges isn't going to get it done.
  
  Over / under on Duke defensive floor smacks on Wednesday? I will set it at 2.5
• Laley23

  

  I think Duke wins by around 13. Hope Im wrong. Would love the B1G to take the top match-ups this year.
• robj55

  

  Too early in the season for a prediction, think it will be a close game though, no blowout like last year.
• georgemc80

  I think Duke wins this game. How? I am not sure. They could come from behind, they could win it close after jumping out to s big lead. They could win it going away.
  
  
  I love the early scheduling. It reminds me of the late 80s and early 90s early matchups to galvanize a team. Even a loss in one of those games, still becomes a learning experience.
• Midstate01

  

  Delete... I posted on wrong thread
• Classyposter58

  

  reclegend22;1329075 wrote:So I guess half the Duke fans here think this will be a rout.
  
  Will be interesting to see how Buckeye fans, who have actually seen OSU play (I have not), think the game will play out.

  Hard to say. I'm just not ready to give a good prediction on this team yet. They need to gel an awful lot IMO, cause right now it's a two man show
• Prescott

  The duke fans can give any excuse they like for the beat down that occurred last year. The fact remains that duke was embarrassed and humiliated in a way that rarely happens. Plumlee, Curry, Thornton, and other returnees want some revenge and they will probably get it. I have not watched duke, but I have watched OSU. Plumlee is going to create problems for OSU. Ravenal can't handle the size and Williams is just not disciplined enough to stay out of foul trouble.
  
  This game will be a measuring stick for OSU. Their schedule to date has been pretty pathetic. For OSU to win they will need to match duke's 3-point production and hope the refs don't let the dukies flop around the basket. That probably won't won't happen. duke pulls away late and win s by 12-15 points.
• Heretic

  

  reclegend22;1329075 wrote:So I guess half the Duke fans here think this will be a rout.
  
  Will be interesting to see how Buckeye fans, who have actually seen OSU play (I have not), think the game will play out.

  Well, of the two that seem to think it'll be a rout:
  
  1. A combination OSU football/Duke basketball fan who doesn't seem to have much knowledge about either sport. More of the "frontrunner knowledge" which revolves around trolling other teams as not being on the same level.
  
  2. Someone who only really appears to troll Ohio State fans...with supposedly being a Duke fan at least giving them a reason to for a few days.
  
  In other words, two people I wouldn't want associated with me as a fan of a program.
  
  
  As for the game, I would be shocked if OSU wins in another blowout and wouldn't be surprised if Duke won. I think Ohio State CAN be a Top 5 team this year, but I don't think they are one right now. They have a bunch of athletes, but I don't think they're all that cohesive yet, as there are guys who still have to grow into their roles and haven't had that immediate improvement from last year to this year yet.
  
  It'll be an interesting game that I'd expect to be closely contested.
• Automatik

  

  I've only seen the OSU/UW game, none of Duke's.
  
  Duke seems more tested, the game is at home, so I'm expected OSU to drop this one.
  
  I remember CC blaming last years ass beating on the refs. Good times! :laugh:
• Red Rider Nation

  Prescott;1329448 wrote:The duke fans can give any excuse they like for the beat down that occurred last year. The fact remains that duke was embarrassed and humiliated in a way that rarely happens. Plumlee, Curry, Thornton, and other returnees want some revenge and they will probably get it. I have not watched duke, but I have watched OSU. Plumlee is going to create problems for OSU. Ravenal can't handle the size and Williams is just not disciplined enough to stay out of foul trouble.
  
  This game will be a measuring stick for OSU. Their schedule to date has been pretty pathetic. For OSU to win they will need to match duke's 3-point production and hope the refs don't let the dukies flop around the basket. That probably won't won't happen. duke pulls away late and win s by 12-15 points.

  
  Typical Ohio st fan always talking about the previous year. Yes you beat us by a bunch so did Lehigh! We were not a good basketball team last year-we played very little defense and had selfish players a big one of which left. I have moved on from last year and so should you. Come Wednesday night at 930 that game won't matter to anyone! I can assure you Cameron Indoor will be in rare form. I'm sure though once we beat you that you will still refer back to last year because what else does an OSU basketball fan have to cheer about???
• Red Rider Nation

  Heretic;1329656 wrote:Well, of the two that seem to think it'll be a rout:
  
  1. A combination OSU football/Duke basketball fan who doesn't seem to have much knowledge about either sport. More of the "frontrunner knowledge" which revolves around trolling other teams as not being on the same level.
  
  2. Someone who only really appears to troll Ohio State fans...with supposedly being a Duke fan at least giving them a reason to for a few days.
  
  In other words, two people I wouldn't want associated with me as a fan of a program.
  
  
  As for the game, I would be shocked if OSU wins in another blowout and wouldn't be surprised if Duke won. I think Ohio State CAN be a Top 5 team this year, but I don't think they are one right now. They have a bunch of athletes, but I don't think they're all that cohesive yet, as there are guys who still have to grow into their roles and haven't had that immediate improvement from last year to this year yet.
  
  
  
  It'll be an interesting game that I'd expect to be closely contested.[/QUOTE
  
  
  
  I don't need your permission to be a fan of either. I can hold my own with knowledge and games been to for both.i was at the OSU national championship in Glendale and the Duke national championship in Indy! I don't dislike OSU in hoops they are just not my first love like Duke!