This is the game where Duke earned its #3 ranking. By far the most impressive performance yet. I mean - wow. I NEVER thought Duke would be consensus #3 in the country. Oh, I love it and crave it – but to see it in reality? To see it on the floor, backed up game after game, no matter what the competition? I'm just speechless. And unlike a lot of other teams that only got there based on “expectations” (like Indiana this past weekend – no way is it a #7 team, before or after the UConn game), Duke has earned its ranking. Climbing up from #13, to #9, to #7, to #5, to now – this team has just gotten better and better. We are 1 point away from being undefeated. And to think – that this is still, by no means, the best we can be yet. King is still not part of the rotation. LT is on and off. Paulus could be better. Z is still in his sweats. And Singler – we haven’t yet figured out how to get him more touches down low when there’s a good frontline, nor to get him to play aggressive defense for 40 minutes without fouling out.
But – how about Nelson! Henderson! And now, Nolan! What a breath of fresh air! And seeing Coach K getting the T during Maryland’s unstoppable run in the first half was both frustrating and revolutionary. I probably would’ve gotten 5 Ts if I’d been anywhere near the game action. But how his team responded out of that first half – down, for the first time in the entire season – and how he responded – calm, getting good things out of timeouts, taking the Paulus 4 fouls and Singler 5 fouls in stride, putting a smaller lineup on the floor when he went with Scheyer – he got his team to play a GREAT second half that is mind-bogglingly strong in the stats – 51 to 33!!! – and yet, made it seem like clockwork, like it was just part of the routine.
The announcers made one comment right: “Duke keeps playing.” They’d noted, time and again, that Maryland will go on great spurts, but can’t sustain that kind of excellence – “wealth”, they called it – for longer periods of time. The kind of periods that wins games. And for the second straight game, Duke took a 6 point lead and began slowing it down at the 5 minute mark, having stared down a larger opponent and knowing that it was done, that it didn’t have any 10-0 runs that Duke couldn’t answer. If that is the sign of the #3 team in the country – then we’ve earned it. With no legit 5? With only 2 upperclassmen in the starting lineup? (Memphis and Kansas both have 4) We’ve earned it in spades.
Oh, and what’s this about Maryland bringing in the best defensive stats of the ACC? Allowing 93 points . . at home? LOL! You got punk’D!!!
But – how about Nelson! Henderson! And now, Nolan! What a breath of fresh air! And seeing Coach K getting the T during Maryland’s unstoppable run in the first half was both frustrating and revolutionary. I probably would’ve gotten 5 Ts if I’d been anywhere near the game action. But how his team responded out of that first half – down, for the first time in the entire season – and how he responded – calm, getting good things out of timeouts, taking the Paulus 4 fouls and Singler 5 fouls in stride, putting a smaller lineup on the floor when he went with Scheyer – he got his team to play a GREAT second half that is mind-bogglingly strong in the stats – 51 to 33!!! – and yet, made it seem like clockwork, like it was just part of the routine.
The announcers made one comment right: “Duke keeps playing.” They’d noted, time and again, that Maryland will go on great spurts, but can’t sustain that kind of excellence – “wealth”, they called it – for longer periods of time. The kind of periods that wins games. And for the second straight game, Duke took a 6 point lead and began slowing it down at the 5 minute mark, having stared down a larger opponent and knowing that it was done, that it didn’t have any 10-0 runs that Duke couldn’t answer. If that is the sign of the #3 team in the country – then we’ve earned it. With no legit 5? With only 2 upperclassmen in the starting lineup? (Memphis and Kansas both have 4) We’ve earned it in spades.
Oh, and what’s this about Maryland bringing in the best defensive stats of the ACC? Allowing 93 points . . at home? LOL! You got punk’D!!!
Game blog still to come . . damn audit busy season!?#&^@!
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