Run Down Gun Down

Duke went into Columbus as the third ranked team in the nation, and left looking like the third ranked team in the state of Ohio.

Jared Sullinger & the quick Aaron Craft, against the Plumlees & Duke’s backcourt. Ohio’s inside game, against Duke’s sharp shooting. These were the relevant story lines leading into Tuesday night; no one could have predicted the emasculating beat down Duke suffered at the hands of the Buckeyes. With 10:01 remaining in the first half, Duke was surging, only down by 1. This was what the game should have been; a neck and neck battle between two top 3 teams. After that, Ohio State pulled ahead as Duke’s defense completely vanished.

After 10:01, Ohio State cruised and never looked back. Here’s a look at the list of UNACCEPTABLES from Tuesday night, for Duke:

UNACCEPTABLE:

•  Ryan Kelly, 0 points
• Andre Dawkins, 0 points
• 4 Buckeyes with 17+
• Terrible defense
• Open looks, giving Buckeyes at least 5 feet to shoot
• Allowing an un-athletic William Buford 20 points
• No desire

Sullinger put in 21, which was not a surprise. But allowing William Buford, who is a good shooter, to run all over us was deplorable. Our defense throughout the entire game was deplorable; we were lazy, careless, and just DID NOT WANT IT. Last year I wanted a piece of the Buckeyes so bad, finding them vastly overrated. I knew our championship team was not on the floor last night, but I still believed our team to be more than capable of winning. However, our team simply did not want to win bad enough last night. That Blue Devil passion that you so often have seen in Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, and more, was not present.

The Duke team that was 7-0 was present for the first 10 minutes of game time. After that, we lost our way. This team might be the 2010 Tar Heels; starting off strong, but then collapsing for the rest of the season. Or, we can pick ourselves up, decide what we want this season to be, and get a move on. Ali got knocked out by Fraziers left hook, and even the swaggering Miami Hurricanes of 1983 got embarrassed to start a championship season.

When Austin, Miles, and Seth put on their jerseys every night, they need to remember that they earned those jerseys. They earned the right to wear those jerseys that say “DUKE” on the front, and to represent one of the greatest teams in the world. Shane Battier, JJ Redick, Christian Laettner: giants of their time, who live in these uniforms. Their spirits and their passion are forever imprinted in the Blue & White of Durham, and these players at Duke University right now, were born for this. They were selected by the greatest coach in college basketball to wear these jerseys, because there is no one else who is meant to. We’re going to pick ourselves up from this loss, and we’re going to step up to every defense we face as if it’s our last.

It's Great to Be a Devil

Crashing the boards and nailing the threes, the Duke Blue Devils snatched the victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in a volcanic eruption. What would be the Devils fifth Maui Invitational Championship in five trips, would also be one of the Blue Devils most rousing games in recent years.

It doesn’t take a championship game, or a legendary rivalry to necessarily create an exciting battle. Two of the top five programs of all time met on a neutral court, and dueled a duel only two giants could. Punctuated by slashing drives by Thomas Robinson, a slamajamma by Miles Plumlee, and devastating 3’s by The Jayhawk Killer, Tyler Thornton; it was a game that had my living room rocking. It does not matter if it is the February Rivalry, Mad March, or still the early month of November- Blue Devils do not surrender a game. Duke hates to lose more than it loves to win, and the Devils had no intentions of going down to Kansas on one of their undefeated courts.

Judging by fate, it seemed at times the game was going to get away from the Devils. It was not necessarily bad anything; shots simply were rolling and rimming out by the slightest of margins. Missed shots are one matter, but baskets rolling out in absurd fashion is another. This was a time in which a team must take their game into overdrive, and Duke did exactly that.

Who would ever have thought, our saving grace would be Mason Plumlee at the free throw line? MP2 came through in the clutch, knocking down 5 of 7 free throws in the second half. Then, rising from the depths in the waning moments, enter Tyler Thornton. Thornton spears the Jayhawks with an bomb from three point land with only 1:14 to go! Duke leads it! Moments later, as Duke was ahead with 0:24 remaining, Kansas threatened to climb back in it as Seth was cornered with two seconds on the shot clock- up by 2. But as Destiny would have it, the Jayhawk Killer rose to the occasion to NAIL an outrageous three to ice the game- Duke wins it!

An amazing game- one which Dukies ought to be very proud to have won. Our young team with new leadership hung in when the going got tough, and proved they have the stamina to win a game in tight situations. The Blue Devils through this point in the season have beaten two ranked opponents, feisty Michigan and Tennessee teams, while UNC continues to play cupcakes. Which made this holiday weekend all the sweeter, when Roy’s Boys were upset in tremendous fashion by UNLV. Duke is up, North Carolina is down, and just this weekend I had the pleasure of personally meeting Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry.

Both gentlemen I had the pleasure to shake hands and speak with, outside Cameron during a visit this past Saturday. I assured both Devils all Dukies are behind them as they face Tubbs & the Ohio State Buckeyes this Tuesday night. Everything in the universe is clicking right now, and it is great to be a Devil!

AGONY.

There is not much to say, when your alma mater plays your childhood team.

Monday night, November 21^st, my Tennessee Volunteers played against my Duke Blue Devils for the first time in my life, which includes my time here at the University of Tennessee. Growing up on Tobacco Road, I became the fourth biggest Blue Devil (according to dukeblueplanet.com) there is. Having that been said, it’s no secret in Knoxville that I bleed blue & white. So what question have I been asked for the past 3 years?

“If Duke plays Tennessee, who are you rooting for?”

Luckily the two have nothing to do with each other, and I’ve been able to duck this question since 2008. However……thanks to the Maui Invitational, I was screwed.

Duke, as the highest ranked team in the field, drew first to play Tennessee in the opening round. My phone and my Facebook alike were blown up with as much chatter as I expected; not to mention people coming up to me, not wishing me well. To make matters more interesting, I am currently an intern with the Tennessee Volunteers, which conflicts with my blood oath in The Battle for Tobacco Road. My commitment to my school, is also a commitment to my employer; my allegiance to Krzyzewski, Wojciechowski, The Cameron Crazies, and Duke Blue Planet made this game nothing short of ecstasy. For anyone who has ever had to choose between the two greatest loves in their lives, this article is for you.

As much as I hate to mince words, I am bound by both allegiances to publicly keep my mouth shut about the game in Maui. I am otherwise, if nothing else, a man of my word. My commitments to my family, brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi, etc. are unwavering. When I say I’ll do something, it is done. There hasn’t been a moment when I have failed to be true to my school, since choosing to choosing UT over Florida, Pitt, and VA Tech.  Monday Night, I felt the agony parents feel when their children face off on the field and court. The same agony experienced by Jeff Capel, watching his brother Jason play for UNC against his own Blue Devils.

On a positive note, it was a damn good game by the Volunteers and the Blue Devils. It's a great Duke win, against a Tennessee team that seems as if they can hang with the best. The Vols will have many more chances to prove themselves as they feature a loaded schedule consisting of Pittsburgh, UConn, and Florida and Kentucky twice. You have to like the new found scrappy play of Tennessee- especially in light of losing Tobias Harris, Melvin Goins, and Scotty Hopson’s horrific ego. Furthermore, Kyrie Irving unfortunately declared for the Unemployed Basketball Association, and now averages 0, 0, and 0 for no one when he could be taking the Blue Devils to the Promised Land. Having that much been said, both of these great teams are starting from square one, and the nuances are of course still coming together. Sloppy chemistry, green mistakes, and miscommunication are unavoidable. 

Knoxville and Durham are equally hungry for progress.  Krzyzewski didn’t win 903 by being a poor coach; the Dukies will be watching closely to see how he adjusts with this young, yet extremely talented roster. On the other hand, Martin is a newcomer with an unknown roster; Volunteers  are eager to see how the program will turn out in the post-Pearl era. There is much to be written for the Durham Thunder, as well as on Rocky Top.  Let’s go team.

Blue Blood 1.0

Let the banter begin!

We're through week 1 (officially) of college basketball, and all is as it should be. In this year's first installment of the Tobacco Road analysis, UNC once again pummels MSU, and Duke survives an opening weekend double-header.

For the 6th consecutive time, the North Carolina Tar Heels embarrassed the Michigan State Spartans and their naive coach, Tom Izzo. Tom, I know you've been to the Final Four more than anyone in the past decade, but heed this advice: GET CAROLINA OFF THE SCHEDULE! Since 2005, the Tar Heels have outclassed the Spartans as if they were a Division II bottom feeders. In fact, you may want to just nix all games with ACC teams since the Devils will have their turn on the 15th- get ready! Nonetheless, it was still exciting to see a basketball game played atop an aircraft carrier. If metaphors could come to life, UNC very well may have thrown Michigan State off the boat and into the harbor.

On the same night, Duke survived what was an ugly game versus the Belmont Bruins. Poor passes in the lane and poor chemistry kept Belmont in the game as Cameron Crazies failed to wake up until the final eight minutes. Luckily, the Devils shook off the cobwebs in a 96-55 rout over Presbyterian. Six Blue Devils got into double figures Saturday night in the 41 point victory; well done Devils. Now 2-0, four Blue Devils average in double figures with Austin(15.5) Ryan(14.5), Seth(13.0), and Mason(13.0) leading the way.

There is not much to be learned, until after Thanksgiving when the two Blue Bloods will play in their regular season showcases. Both the Devils and Heels will play in what should be the two best games of the regular season: Nov 29 #6 Duke @ #3 Ohio State, and #1 North Carolina @ #2 Kentucky. These two games will be about one thing: Post Play. Ohio State will have the best player on the floor vs the Duke, but the Durham Thunder will have strength in numbers with 3 post players at 6"11. UNC has maturity and experience, whereas Kentucky has flash and paychecks. The Sophomore, Junior, Senior low block guard dogs of North Carolina will have their hands full with the speed and high-flying play of Jones, Gilchrist, and Davis who may very well eat UNC's lunch. If Anthony Davis can see through his unibrow, look for Kentucky to give the Heels the fight of their lives.

For now, Mike Krzyzewski looks to pass his mentor, Bob Knight against Michigan State for win #903. If K does so, he will become the second winningest coach in any sport, all time, next to The Wizard of Knoxville: Pat Summitt. Great things to come...LETS-GO-DUKE!