2017-2018 NC Hoops

Greg29fan

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Duke has had arguably their two best defensive games with Bagley hugging the pine the last two games, and Grayson Allen suddenly looks like he knows how to play basketball again. Interesting.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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Dec 22, 2005
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Duke has had arguably their two best defensive games with Bagley hugging the pine the last two games, and Grayson Allen suddenly looks like he knows how to play basketball again. Interesting.
Well it was coming off two straight losses so no surprise if the practices were a bit more uh, spirited, than usual.

They also have been playing much more zone the past two games and K said it would be the strategy going forward, so that's also changed.

But in 2015 when Duke won the natty they were better on D with Jahlil Okafor on the bench. An 18 year old not great at picking up a defensive system would be a) not a new thing and b) not an impediment to winning a title.
 

DukeSox

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Dec 22, 2005
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And beat the #2 team and lost to the #1 team by 2 points.

For all the commentary, it's a long season and this team has a lot of talent. That said, as reflective of all the top 10 losses this week to unranked teams, there will be no favorites in the tournament this year. No one really knows what Nova or Xavier are.
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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And beat the #2 team and lost to the #1 team by 2 points.

For all the commentary, it's a long season and this team has a lot of talent. That said, as reflective of all the top 10 losses this week to unranked teams, there will be no favorites in the tournament this year. No one really knows what Nova or Xavier are.
Xavier stinks. No nba talent just an old physical team with little talent. 22 year olds playing 18-19 year olds. Best win is against Cincinnati who is a mirror image of them. Getting waxed 3-4 in a season is not a good sign. Nova has its usual 4 guys who shoot 40 percent from three and they take over 50 percent of their shots from there. They defend, pass well and have experience and at least one nba guy in bridges and maybe two if you think Brunson can defend and can his shot off there. Nova has zero depth right now, however.

Agree it’s a wide open ncaa because there are not any really good teams. Unless Duke coaching staff can figure out a way to have them play as a team on D. Lots of mediocre in the top 16 it seems.
 

tims4wins

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Agree it’s a wide open ncaa because there are not any really good teams. Unless Duke coaching staff can figure out a way to have them play as a team on D. Lots of mediocre in the top 16 it seems.
One note on Duke's D: they are up to 43rd by kenpom after being below 100 for a while.

When they last won it all in 2015, they finished 11th overall, but were in the 40s heading into the tournament.

So it is trending positively.
 

DukeSox

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Lots of mediocre in the top 16 it seems.
It seems this has been the case in several of the past 5-7 years, and then what ends up happening is the sweet 16 is made up of 13 top 3j/4 seeds and a couple "cinderellas" who just knocked out a 3 mediocre top 3/4 seeds. It's parity within the top 16 but for a 8-15 seed to knock out 2 in a row to make the sweet 16 is challenging, so by the time the second weekend rolls around its the same old clowns who have been bouncing between number 5 and number 15 in the polls all season
 

Greg29fan

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Will be interesting to see how your defense looks tonight with him cause it's been really good with Carter and Bolden or another big. A 2-3 zone off!
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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Dec 22, 2005
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I had a dream last night that UNC wins at Cameron w a final score in the 100s-90s.
 

uk_sox_fan

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Really looking forward to this coming addition to the Duke-Carolina rivalry but KP has VT with a better chance of stealing a win in Blacksburg than the TarHeels getting one in Cameron.
 

tims4wins

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Given how Duke has played on the road this year that passes the smell test. Duke has one home loss, by 2, to UVA. They’ve basically destroyed everyone else in Cameron the last two months. But the other four losses are all true road losses to a fairly mediocre set of teams: BC, NCSU, St. John’s, and of course UNC.
 

tims4wins

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True, but A) this is a quick 48 hour turnaround and B) VT has beaten Clemson and UNC at home already, so I don't make too much of 4-4. They can show up. Duke is 6-3 in Blackburg since VT joined the ACC, they have had some struggles there.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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Dec 22, 2005
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This is a natural result of top tier talent in coaching flowing from mid major conferences (the big east) to the best conference (the acc). Buzz has done a masterful job at fixing this program and as a result has two wins over two of the top teams in the country in UVA and Duke. It’s great to see the stunning depth of the best conference play out night after night on national TV.
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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On a positive up to #13 in adjusted D. I'd rather have had a W though. May cost them a 1 seed.
I noticed Lunardi had Xavier and Villanova as 1 seeds? Xavier is awful. No pros, bunch of grad transfers, got waxed three times...is cbb really that bad this year???
 

uk_sox_fan

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I think with a win over Carolina and a loss in the ACCT finals Duke is a 2-seed. If they fall short of that they could fall to 3 and if they win out and one of the other Top 4 stumbles they could still get a 1.

Great win for VT. Buzz is a very likeable coach (his interview before the half was priceless!) Duke looked explosive in spots and sloppy in other spots - when VT moved out to defend the perimeter tighter they seemed to get rattled and they tried waaay too many lobs inside.
 

tims4wins

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I noticed Lunardi had Xavier and Villanova as 1 seeds? Xavier is awful. No pros, bunch of grad transfers, got waxed three times...is cbb really that bad this year???
Yeah kind of. Some of the top dogs have lost more than expected. Nova has beaten Xavier twice which helps Xavier from a paper resume perspective but fails the eye test.

I think with a win over Carolina and a loss in the ACCT finals Duke is a 2-seed. If they fall short of that they could fall to 3 and if they win out and one of the other Top 4 stumbles they could still get a 1.
Agree with this
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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Yeah kind of. Some of the top dogs have lost more than expected. Nova has beaten Xavier twice which helps Xavier from a paper resume perspective but fails the eye test.



Agree with this
thanks. I watched Xavier play Villanova for about 8 minutes. They literally couldn't compete any position athletically. And villanova is not exactly brimming with NBA talent.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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Dec 22, 2005
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Speaking of, last night a great rendition of "the Villanova"
 

DukeSox

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Dec 22, 2005
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Maybe a 3rd game to come for 2nd year in a row
 

Greg29fan

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Jul 14, 2005
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ACC Tourney schedule for the first two days

Tuesday
#12 Boston College v. #13 Georgia Tech (12 noon)
#10 Notre Dame v. #15 Pittsburgh (2:30 pm)
#11 Syracuse v. #14 Wake Forest (7 pm)

Wednesday
#8 Florida State v. #9 Louisville (noon)
#5 North Carolina State v. Boston College or Georgia Tech (2:30 pm)
#7 Virginia Tech v. Notre Dame or Pittsburgh (7 pm)
#6 North Carolina v. Syracuse or Wake Forest (9:30 pm)
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Yeah they are gonna play again in the semis. Although I could see Notre Dame making a run. If Duke wins this thing it could mean wins over UNC and UVA which would be a big time boost to 1 seed chances
 

uk_sox_fan

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As inconsistent as Duke’s season has been they’re now the only team in KenPom’s top 10 in both Offense and Defense. Also #2 in Sagarin and a hair’s breath behind Nova at that.

Watched the first half Saturday night (until 2:20am here) and watched the 2nd half Sunday morning without knowing the outcome. The difference in play was staggering. I think they looked as bad as any point all year that 1st half and then somehow got it together (Duval and Bagley being the keys with Trent’s 3 3’s getting honourable mention)

No idea how they’ll do in the tournaments. They can beat anyone but can also lose at any time. Keeps you watching though!