reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 30, 2013 2:23am
Seth Curry was ridiculous tonight. He went for 29 points and hit six straight threes at one point. He just destroyed Michigan State.
As great as Louisville's defense has been in the tournament, Duke's defense has been just as good. The Blue Devils held the best shooting team percentage-wise in the country in Creighton to just 16-of-53 shooting and 2-of-19 from beyond the arc. Duke also held the Bluejays, the seventh-highest scoring team in the country, to its lowest offensive total of the year at 50 points.
Tonight, Duke held Michigan State to just one basket in a 15 minute stretch in the second half and just 3-of-12 shooting from three. And Kelly and Plumlee just shut the interior down for MSU. They were magnificent defending the goal.
As great as Louisville's defense has been in the tournament, Duke's defense has been just as good. The Blue Devils held the best shooting team percentage-wise in the country in Creighton to just 16-of-53 shooting and 2-of-19 from beyond the arc. Duke also held the Bluejays, the seventh-highest scoring team in the country, to its lowest offensive total of the year at 50 points.
Tonight, Duke held Michigan State to just one basket in a 15 minute stretch in the second half and just 3-of-12 shooting from three. And Kelly and Plumlee just shut the interior down for MSU. They were magnificent defending the goal.
P
Prescott
Posts: 2,569
Mar 30, 2013 12:45pm
duke has re-established themselves as the team to beat in this tournament. I don't see anyone containing their backcourt and they have already proven they can beat the bext best team,Louisville.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 30, 2013 6:16pm
I'm not sure if Duke is the team to beat in the tournament, but they are proving that they were without a doubt number one seed quality and probably should have gotten one over Gonzaga or Kansas.
Duke's body of work this season in the non-conference cannot be disputed at this point. Duke had a 4-1 record against this year's Sweet 16 teams and is 2-0 in games against this year's Elite Eight participants. I look forward to a great game with Louisville, but I fear that Seth Curry playing on short rest with his leg injuries will ultimately doom the Devils. His turnaround time just isn't there.
Duke's body of work this season in the non-conference cannot be disputed at this point. Duke had a 4-1 record against this year's Sweet 16 teams and is 2-0 in games against this year's Elite Eight participants. I look forward to a great game with Louisville, but I fear that Seth Curry playing on short rest with his leg injuries will ultimately doom the Devils. His turnaround time just isn't there.
DeyDurkie5
Posts: 11,324
Mar 30, 2013 6:18pm
Duke will, without a doubt, get beat by louisville. Louisville is the team to beat. Take off the blinders big guy.reclegend22;1417016 wrote:I'm not sure if Duke is the team to beat in the tournament, but they are proving that they were without a doubt number one seed quality and probably should have gotten one over Gonzaga or Kansas.
Duke's body of work this season in the non-conference cannot be disputed at this point. Duke had a 4-1 record against this year's Sweet 16 teams and is 2-0 in games against this year's Elite Eight participants. I look forward to a great game with Louisville, but I fear that Seth Curry playing on short rest with his leg injuries will ultimately doom the Devils. His turnaround time just isn't there.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 30, 2013 6:56pm
Which is why I said I disagreed with the idea of Duke being the team to beat.
So your point? Other than hating Duke fans..
So your point? Other than hating Duke fans..
G
georgemc80
Posts: 983
Mar 30, 2013 8:15pm
Blinders? I'm not sure you read his post. Try again then repost.DeyDurkie5;1417019 wrote:Duke will, without a doubt, get beat by louisville. Louisville is the team to beat. Take off the blinders big guy.
Iliketurtles
Posts: 8,191
Mar 30, 2013 8:29pm
Yeah like how Michigan State was better and Duke would lose to them?DeyDurkie5;1417019 wrote:Duke will, without a doubt, get beat by louisville. Louisville is the team to beat. Take off the blinders big guy.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 31, 2013 12:50am
Coach K is 11-1 in NCAA regional finals. When he gets there, he closes the deal. I'm not confident that Duke is going to win, but I am confident in the man at the helm.
Rick Pitino is a great coach, though, too, and that's why tomorrow will likely be the best game of the whole tournament. To date. It should be national championship caliber.
Rick Pitino is a great coach, though, too, and that's why tomorrow will likely be the best game of the whole tournament. To date. It should be national championship caliber.
Crimson streak
Posts: 9,002
Mar 31, 2013 9:20am
ccrunner609;1417311 wrote:I guess some people forget that Duke beat UL earlier. The first meeting, Duke had all 5 starters in double digits and was better at almost every position on the floor. UL pressure led to alot of fouls and Duke hit their FT's.
Sive was the leading scorer for UL the first game and is struggling now to see any offense. If Sive scored in single digits, Duke wins by 20.
Lol. Really? Siva isn't a scorer at all. Never has been or never will be. Just bc duke beat Louisville back in November/December it doesn't mean anything. Duke and Louisville are 2 completely different teams then they were in the first game.
V
vball10set
Posts: 24,795
Mar 31, 2013 9:28am
This'll be a classic. I see Duke getting the W (by 3 points or less), and then destroying WSU. I'll wait to see who comes out of the other side of the bracket for my NC prediction.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 31, 2013 10:39am
^^Hope you are right. I just want to see a good game. If Curry is off, though, like I expect him to be due to his difficulty playing on his hampered legs on short rest, Ryan Kelly better reclaim his shooting touch or Duke is in major trouble.
I do think that Duke has played as good if not better defensively than any other team in the tournament, so that gives me some hope for good things.
I do think that Duke has played as good if not better defensively than any other team in the tournament, so that gives me some hope for good things.
M
MontyBrunswick
Mar 31, 2013 11:25am
Louisville by 10+
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 1:35pm
Am I the only one who thinks Wichita State will provide a tough out in the FF? They rebound the ball and play really tough defense. If its Louisville, I dont think they can score enough to keep it from being an easy Lville win. If its Duke, I think it will be single digits and a few breaks and WSU will have a shot.
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 1:37pm
Also, the game between these 2 from this year is meaningless today. Unless Georges Dieng decides he doesnt want to play, Louisville wont be close to the same. Russ Smith is their best player, Siva is their leader and arguably most important. But Dieng is easily the combination of the two (best player and most important). You can argue Louisville without Dieng is worse than Louisville without Siva or Smith.
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 1:39pm
And finally, I think Duke is a #1 seed on ability. But I just cant agree with them earning a #1 seed on merit. Maybe Gonzaga didnt deserve it for a few reasons, but I would have a hard time putting Duke in there ahead of Miami if that was the case.
M
MontyBrunswick
Mar 31, 2013 1:51pm
What difference does it make? The tournament is almost over with.Laley23;1417461 wrote:And finally, I think Duke is a #1 seed on ability.
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 2:05pm
Responding to Rec.dlazz;1417465 wrote:What difference does it make? The tournament is almost over with.
And also to point out that this game today versus Louisville SHOULD have happened. That Duke wasnt screwed by having to play them because they shoul dbe a 1 seed.
On ability, they are a top 4 team imo. But they didnt deserve it over Miami, LV, Kansas or IU imo.
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Mar 31, 2013 2:45pm
Laley23;1417459 wrote:Am I the only one who thinks Wichita State will provide a tough out in the FF? They rebound the ball and play really tough defense. If its Louisville, I dont think they can score enough to keep it from being an easy Lville win. If its Duke, I think it will be single digits and a few breaks and WSU will have a shot.
I think Louisville makes them look like a #9 seed.....but could see them beating Duke.
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Mar 31, 2013 2:49pm
I don't like the committee looking ahead on matchups so obviously. UNC got hosed....and also gave Kansas a tougher matchup.
Top seed Lville shouldn't have had Duke as their 2....it was done solely for the potential Pitino/Krzyzewski regional final matchup.
Top seed Lville shouldn't have had Duke as their 2....it was done solely for the potential Pitino/Krzyzewski regional final matchup.
I
ironman02
Posts: 4,989
Mar 31, 2013 2:56pm
But, but the committee doesn't do things like that! lolIronman92;1417480 wrote:I don't like the committee looking ahead on matchups so obviously. UNC got hosed....and also gave Kansas a tougher matchup.
Top seed Lville shouldn't have had Duke as their 2....it was done solely for the potential Pitino/Krzyzewski regional final matchup.
That stuff really pisses me off, and it happens every year in some fashion.
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 3:01pm
Well, having Georgetown kicked out of the East fucked with everything. But i do think OSU should have been in the MW and Duke in the West. But ideally, GT isnt a host team, and I think Duke ends up in the East in that case.Ironman92;1417480 wrote:I don't like the committee looking ahead on matchups so obviously. UNC got hosed....and also gave Kansas a tougher matchup.
Top seed Lville shouldn't have had Duke as their 2....it was done solely for the potential Pitino/Krzyzewski regional final matchup.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 31, 2013 3:14pm
I never said that I thought Duke got screwed by having to play Louisville in the Elite Eight. I simply said that Louisville and Duke will potentially play out like a national championship game. I think they have been the two best teams so far in the tournament. Syracuse and perhaps Michigan are right there as well. The Orange are playing real good.
Louisville, Duke and Syracuse are playing the defense of a champion right now. I don't think anyone from the West would have beaten either of these teams. I think Louisville probably ends up playing Syracuse for the title. Michigan is really coming on strong, though, too.
Louisville, Duke and Syracuse are playing the defense of a champion right now. I don't think anyone from the West would have beaten either of these teams. I think Louisville probably ends up playing Syracuse for the title. Michigan is really coming on strong, though, too.
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Mar 31, 2013 3:31pm
reclegend22;1417493 wrote:I never said that I thought Duke got screwed by having to play Louisville in the Elite Eight. I simply said that Louisville and Duke will potentially play out like a national championship game. I think they have been the two best teams so far in the tournament. Syracuse and perhaps Michigan are right there as well. The Orange are playing real good.
Louisville, Duke and Syracuse are playing the defense of a champion right now. I don't think anyone from the West would have beaten either of these teams. I think Louisville probably ends up playing Syracuse for the title. Michigan is really coming on strong, though, too.
This being said....Wichita State takes it all in the year of crazy.
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 31, 2013 3:45pm
If Duke can't win it, I hope the Shockers do. That'd be a nice story.Ironman92;1417499 wrote:This being said....Wichita State takes it all in the year of crazy.
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Mar 31, 2013 4:16pm
reclegend22;1417512 wrote:If Duke can't win it, I hope the Shockers do. That'd be a nice story.
I think Michigan winning would score me $200.....and Louisville making the finals will score me $60.....so the Shockers are 4th for me.