Mad props to Carolina. They are bigger, lengthier and certainly more athletic. They simply are the more gifted team and just hammered Duke tonight. As I said earlier, I thought Duke would need 10 threes at the minimum and that if that didn't happen, and Carolina shot 55 percent from the field, Duke would be in major trouble. Well, that's exactly what happened and anyone who is remotely familiar with these two teams knew it was coming.

Duke can't compete with teams like Kentucky, Syracuse, UNC or even Ohio State without successfully utilizing the three-point shot. They're just not strong enough to beat those types of athletic front lines inside. Why Mason Plumlee was trying to take the game over like he was Kevin McHale in the final minutes is beyond me. Duke milked its possessions for inside looks entirely too long in the final five minutes. By that time, it literally was threes or die. And Duke died.

wildcats20;1104065 wrote:They won't play in the tournament. They never have. And they never will.

IF they meet in the ACCT, Carolina will beat them again.

See, I don't know much about which conferences plays tournaments or not, and I barely watch any till the NCAA tournament starts. But I play close attention to future NBA players.

Carolina with 3 double doubles tonight.

Zeller 19 and 10
Henson 13 and 10
Marshall 20 and 10 assists

ichsnjb;1104069 wrote:See, I don't know much about which conferences plays tournaments or not, and I barely watch any till the NCAA tournament starts. But I play close attention to future NBA players.

Maybe I missed something. But this makes no sense whatsoever. lol

wildcats20;1104071 wrote:Carolina with 3 double doubles tonight.

Zeller 19 and 10
Henson 13 and 10
Marshall 20 and 10 assists

Pretty impressive stats. Arn't going to lose many games, if any, with that going on.

Did I already mention how much I love Marshall's game?

wildcats20;1104071 wrote:Carolina with 3 double doubles tonight.

Zeller 19 and 10
Henson 13 and 10
Marshall 20 and 10 assists

Great effort by the entire team. Barnes had 16 despite some foul trouble, and hit some clutch shots when the Heels really needed them. Bullock did a great job on Rivers and made some big shots. McAdoo and Hairston made some big plays, and even White and Watts played well giving the other guys a breather.

If Carolina and Duke play again in the ACC Tournament, recent history says that Duke will avenge tonight's loss in Cameron Indoor and beat the Heels. Duke and Carolina have met in the ACC Tournament four times since 1999 and the Blue Devils have won each time (including three times in the ACC championship game).

Regardless of historical data, which obviously doesn't tell the story of what will happen this year, I think Duke will shoot really well in an NBA arena (the ACC is being held in Atlanta where the Hawks play) if they play the Heels again. I wouldn't bet against Coach K's ACC Tournament resume. He's 31-3 in the event since 1999. I also wouldn't bet against Carolina losing early, as they've been accustomed to doing under Roy.

centralbucksfan;1104073 wrote:Pretty impressive stats. Arn't going to lose many games, if any, with that going on.

Correct.

Marshall did have 4 TOs, but he played a great game.

The one thing that really stuck out to me was that after a pretty good first half, Harrison Barnes kinda disappeared. I mean he finished with 16, but he had 10 or 11 at half.

rec is probably right. Roy isn't a fan of the ACCT, so he won't put that much emphasis on it. The Heels will lose a game they shouldn't, Duke will win the ACCT and then they'll be able to call themselves the ACC Champions yet again. That's just how it works.

If that means a national championship, though, for Carolina, then have at it.

ironman02;1104080 wrote:rec is probably right. Roy isn't a fan of the ACCT, so he won't put that much emphasis on it. The Heels will lose a game they shouldn't, Duke will win the ACCT and then they'll be able to call themselves the ACC Champions yet again. That's just how it works.

If that means a national championship, though, for Carolina, then have at it.

If Carolina is able to find a way to bottle that intensity that they unleashed on Duke tonight and replicate it in the NCAAs, something that I think the Heels have struggled to play with consistently this year, then you will probably get your wish. That's not reverse psychology, either. That's me needing some barbs.

See you in Atlanta.

rec is probably right. Roy isn't a fan of the ACCT, so he won't put that much emphasis on it.

Cuz it doesn't mean squat.

reclegend22;1104081 wrote: See you in Atlanta.

I hope so. Usually I'm worried that I can't handle two Carolina/Duke games within a week or so, but I'm still bitter about the first meeting this year. I want more!

Prescott;1104083 wrote:Cuz it doesn't mean squat.

I tend to agree. Even with unbalanced conference shedules, I think three months of basketball is a much better indicator of a team's worth than a three day tournament, but that's not how the ACC rolls. The ACCT champ is THE ACC Champion, unfortunately.

wrote:Cuz it doesn't mean squat.

Unfortunately for you, your opinion on the matter is meaningless.

The official ACC record book reads: Duke 19 ACC championships, North Carolina 17 ACC championships

And that's the way it is.

wildcats20;1104078 wrote:Correct.

Marshall did have 4 TOs, but he played a great game.

The one thing that really stuck out to me was that after a pretty good first half, Harrison Barnes kinda disappeared. I mean he finished with 16, but he had 10 or 11 at half.

I was really hoping to get Barnes on the Cavs, but I have watched him several times and each time I come away less and less impressed.

He just disappears. He also forced a lot and took some very bad shots in the 2nd half.

ironman02;1104085 wrote:I tend to agree. Even with unbalanced conference shedules, I think three months of basketball is a much better indicator of a team's worth than a three day tournament, but that's not how the ACC rolls. The ACCT champ is THE ACC Champion, unfortunately.

Here's the thing, though, you wouldn't think the ACC Tournament means "squat" if the situations were reversed and Carolina had 10 ACC titles in 13 years instead of Duke. The reason I know this true is because if the situations were actually reversed, and Duke only had two ACC titles since 1998 as Carolina does, I would be championing the regular-season crown like a crazed lunatic.

It's simply a matter of circumstance that you feel that way. Any Carolina fan would be throwing that 10 in 13 years stat around like it were gold if it were the other way around.

centralbucksfan;1104072 wrote:Maybe I missed something. But this makes no sense whatsoever. lol

You didn't miss anything--this is the norm for his posts. :rolleyes:

Barnes just isn't a good ball handler, and he doesn't have an explosive first step. He needs to work on his handle and quickness if he truly wants to be great at the next level. When he catches and shoots, or takes one dribble and shoots, he's about as good as a player can be at this level. Overall, I think he has made great strides since last year. He's scoring more, shooting a much better percentage from the field and from beyond the arc, rebounding a little better, and finally looking to get his teammates involved. Yeah, he sometimes take bad shots or forces things a bit, but that happens sometimes.

When it comes down to it, Barnes is probably a Top 5 pick if he leaves, but he was last year also. I believe he already said that if Carolina wins a title, that he's heading to the NBA. However, if that doesn't happen, I think we might see him back in Chapel Hill. He could finish his degree in three years, continue to work on the deficiencies in his game, and try to accomplish more of the individiual and team goals that he has set. The kid wants his jersey in the rafters, and that's not gonna happen after this season unless he leads the Heels to a title and earns FF MOP because he's probably not gonna be a 2nd Team All-American.

reclegend22;1104101 wrote:Here's the thing, though, you wouldn't think the ACC Tournament means "squat" if the situations were reversed and Carolina had 10 ACC titles in 13 years instead of Duke. The reason I know this true is because if the situations were actually reversed, and Duke only had two ACC titles since 1998 as Carolina does, I would be championing the regular-season crown like a crazed lunatic.

It's simply a matter of circumstance that you feel that way. Any Carolina fan would be throwing that 10 in 13 years stat around like it were gold if it were the other way around.

I see what you're saying, and you're right to an extent. We, as fans, will favor any argument that makes our team look better. But when it comes down to it, can you truly say that a 16 game conference schedule doesn't hold as much merit as a three day tournament? I just don't see how three days of basketball proves who the best team in the conference truly is, even with unbalanced schedules during the regular season. You can bet that I'd love it if Carolina had more ACCT championships than Duke, but at the same time, I really don't think it's the best indicator of a team's true value. Say that NC State gets hot and somehow wins the ACCT. Are they better than Carolina, Duke, or even FSU? No, absolutely not.

Barnes just isn't a good ball handler,

What do you think of his basketball IQ? Sometimes , I wonder about his decision making.

ccrunner609;1104118 wrote:I love how the Duke haters try to diminish the ACCT. They dont crown a regular season champ. The tourney champ gets the banner to hang in the gym and Duke has alot fo them as the best team in the ACC for almost 2 decades

Iron:

As I've said before, finishing first place in the ACC (or any conference's) standings for the regular-season is an incredible accomplishment, especially when taking into consideration all of the hostile arenas that your team must visit in games against heated rivals. It takes great staying power to sustain that level of success over a 10-week period of time. I get that.

But, if you're truly the best your conference has to offer, you also should be able to prove your weight in the post-season and win when it's all on the line. Winning a three or four-day tournament takes unbelievable focus, drive and preparation. When you're Duke and Carolina, everyone's goal in the ACC is to knock you off in the conference tournament. It's the showcase event and everyone in the nation is watching. As in the NCAAs, one bad five-minute stretch of basketball and the dream could be over. To think that Duke has been able to compile a 31-3 record in the event since 1999 despite being the hunted every single year is pretty amazing, if you ask me. Winning tournaments are never easy feats, especially against rival teams that know everything about you and are familiar with pretty much every aspect of your play. In that regard, winning against unfamiliar opponents in the NCAAs is sometimes an easier task.

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