2018-2019 NC Hoops

IdiotKicker

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 21, 2005
10,781
Somerville, MA
Final Four is in Minneapolis this year. Has always been kind to the Devils. Back in Indy in 2021 as well, so could be a 2 out of 3 situation.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2005
11,742
Wish bagley hadn’t reclassified
 

uk_sox_fan

Member
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Nov 11, 2006
1,273
London, England
Duke - Kentucky tonight! Damn, but I don't feel ready - it's like deciding to get back into running and doing an Iron Man on your first weekend.

But for my dream 'quintfecta' of a Sox WS, Pats SB, Duke NCAA Championship, Bruins Stanley Cup and Celtic Championship to take place I gotta get up to speed quickly...

All I know about these Wildcats is that they're big... (Richards, Washington, Travis and Montgomery anyways) and so could cause problems for Reddish, Williamson and Bolden. I would think that Bolden would be the 5th starter or quickly off the bench to give them some experience in the paint if O'Connell starts.

Duke seems long on star-power but short on depth, esp. for guards. After Tre Jones, Barrett (who's more of a wing-forward) and O'Connell you have Joey Baker (also a wing-forward type) and Jordan Goldwire - some great potential for sure but it could take a while for consistency to emerge.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2005
11,742
hey congrats to UNC-CH for overcoming their rival Wofford this year, 1-1 the past two years next year will be the rubber match
 

IdiotKicker

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 21, 2005
10,781
Somerville, MA
That was the most impressive Duke team I’ve seen since 2001. I have no idea if it holds up all season, and they surely won’t shoot that well, but that was a ridiculous amount of firepower.
 

uk_sox_fan

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 11, 2006
1,273
London, England
I can't ever remember being as shocked at their talent level in a season opener. I guess I wasn't paying attention to their tour de Canada because, you know, it was against patsy teams. But this was insane. The look on Cal's face pretty much throughout the game was priceless.
 

uk_sox_fan

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 11, 2006
1,273
London, England
hey congrats to UNC-CH for overcoming their rival Wofford this year, 1-1 the past two years next year will be the rubber match
Wofford made Zion Williamson his first scholarship offer 4 years ago when he was still 6'3" and playing PG. If he'd accepted Chapel Hill would have lost their 2nd straight to the Terriers!
 

Greg29fan

Member
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Jul 14, 2005
20,484
NC
At least when Carolina loses to a team from a mid major it's in a meaningless game in November and not the first game of the tournament like y'all.
 

Greg29fan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
20,484
NC
NC State is a lot better than they have been but not good enough to stop their daddy from racking up another W in Raleigh.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2005
11,742
Top 3 threads in port cellar are about Tatum, Zion, and Kyrie
 

azsoxpatsfan

Does not enjoy the go
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May 23, 2014
4,774
Virginia Tech just beat NC State 47-24. NC State put up 24 points in a full length college basketball game.
 

Greg29fan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
20,484
NC
Man is Wake Forest horrible...hope they get things figured out and can at least return to some semblance of respectability.
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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Aug 1, 2001
11,370
Man is Wake Forest horrible...hope they get things figured out and can at least return to some semblance of respectability.
There was an interesting article I espn or some other publication that schools like Wake realize they’ll never compete nationally in football and basketball anymore so they take their ACC tv money and build up secondary sports. Wake built all new facilities for several non-revenue sports in the last 12-18 months, etc.

Maybe vandy, BC etc should do same
 

Greg29fan

Member
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Jul 14, 2005
20,484
NC
Those Dave Odom teams in the 90s were some bad dudes too and broke my heart more than once, but having a conference team be that awful offers little benefit for beating them.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,054
Hingham, MA
Eh as long as Duke and UNC have each other at the top of the conference that's all that really matters. Having UVA up there, as well as Louisville, FSU, etc. means enough good competition to get ready for March.
 

ernieshore

Member
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Aug 24, 2006
2,283
The Camel City
I grew up as a Wake fan, went to undergrad there in the 90s during the Rodney Rogers, Childress and Duncan era - and then had season tickets for the Josh Howard and Chris Paul, and Teague/Aminu/Johnson tears. It’s awful how that program has declined. That place used to get rocking for a big game. I was there for a game in January and the coliseum is a morgue now.

I agree with what was alluded to above - the AD doesn’t give a shit about basketball anymore. And the school’s most influential Trustee is a huge tennis dude. I say to friends that Wake is now a soccer and tennis school - Wake Forest Country Day. And given how college basketball has changed in the last decade or so, it’s so much harder for a small school like Wake to come back. Even when they luck out and get a player like Collins - he’s only there a year or two and you can’t rejuvenate the program.

The basketball program is honestly the deciding factor why I went there over other non-ACC schools. Yeah - I’m bitter.
 

minischwab

New Member
Aug 1, 2006
594
West Hartford, CT
Saw this note yesterday: Danny Manning's 0-30 against UNC, Duke, Virginia, Notre Dame and Clemson. He has yet to win 20 games in a season at Wake (won't this year), and this will be his 4th time finishing below .500 overall in 5 seasons. OUCH.

ACC needs a young coach to break through soon. K, Roy and Boeheim are the only active ACC coaches with a Final Four (at their ACC school, so not counting Larranaga at George Mason), let alone a title. Add in Leonard Hamilton (1 Elite 8, 1 Sweet 16) and the ACC has 5 coaches over 68 years old. Plus Mike Brey at 59 who hasn't been to a FF either but does have a few recent Elite 8 appearances.

The "young" ACC coaches need to start doing more (sorted by youngest to oldest)
Pastner: Finishing year 3 at GT, no signs of improvement yet
Capel: Finishing year 1 at Pitt, too early to tell as he had nothing returning to be competitive this year
Buzz Williams: Headed for 3rd straight tournament, 5th year at school, hasn't been to a Round of 32 yet though
Kevin Keats: 2nd year at NC State, potentially 2nd straight tournament appearance
Chris Mack: 1st year at Louisville, promising start (though they need to finish games better)
Tony Bennett: 10th year at UVA, has dominated ACC reg season last 5 years. 1 Elite 8, 1 Sweet 16. Has to do more in the tournament SOON.
Brad Brownell: 9th year at Clemson. Went to Sweet 16 last yr but only 2 NCAA appearances so far and the other 1 was his 1st year.
Manning: Covered above. Likely done after this year.
Jim Christian: 5th year at school, zero tournament appearances. Also likely out soon.
 

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2005
11,742
Get-in cost of ticket for UNC-CH @ Duke tonight is more than the Super Bowl - currently $2,900 before stubhub fees
 

BigSoxFan

Member
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May 31, 2007
47,083
Imagine paying those prices and then not getting to see Zion. Ouch.

Hope it’s just a scare.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
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Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
They’re saying it’s his knee, which is potentially worse than the sprained ankle I thought it was.

Wonder what Nike’s liability will be if Zion is seriously hurt. Certainly looked like sneaker failure on replay.
No liability on Nike’s part. Shoe blowouts happen I’ve seen them in football a lot in my experience. But to happen in hoops like the way his did is rare. Shoes are made so light these days.