Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/14/2012 8:47:09 PM |
Yeah, Roy Williams has given Duke Nation some good material...apparently left the court with some of his players (bench players) still on the court. What a toolbag Great post, CDG - I happen to like the NBA to a certain degree (Celts fan), but you have have hit a homerun with the "adolescent-Kardashian-marrying-millionaires" comment. I heard Chuck Barkley on the radio lamenting the overall poor quality of play throughout the league...in general, he says that too many players do not know how to play proper team basketball. Go Duke - let's get it done tomorrow night.
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Posted by: bluedevilruss |
Date: 1/14/2012 4:32:54 PM |
Lol at the tools. That is all!
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Posted by: London Dukie |
Date: 1/13/2012 6:48:54 PM |
Just had the opportunity to watch this game (thank you ESPN 3) and I enjoyed it. I must confess to being one of those people who thinks college basketball is better when the ACC is strong - I hearken back to the 80s when every game in the ACC seemed to mean something. I'm pleased to see UVA returning to national relevance, and I would not object at all if Clemson, NC State and Wake followed. As to the game itself, we played ugly, and UVA forced us to do so. But I like to see the team winning ugly - I think it bodes well for later in the season. There were some good bits, some bad bits, and (of course) far too many opportunities to revel in the remarkable foreshadowing of Mason's first name...
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/13/2012 3:47:47 PM |
Thanks for the additional info Matt - hugely helpful to put some perspective on that (impressive?) stat from last night. As a college fan who is at best uninterested in the Neeba (and at worst openly hostile to the League of "Overly-Paid-and-Quite-Far-From-Being Gentlemen" Gentlemen), I have never gotten too worked up when people say that Coach K's players aren't cut out for the Association. Personally, I don't think NCAA is meant to be a training ground for adolescent-Kardashian-marrying-millionaires, so a player's production after they leave school is irrelevant to me. Apparently the Association agrees with me, as evidenced by the fact that we have so many under 20s in the League who have (virtutally) no college experience. But regardless, what has always attracted me to college sports, and Duke in particular, is the fact that players are in fact STUDENT-athletes, not just entertainment for hires. Don't get me wrong, I am not about to argue that these kids are bastions of academic rigour, but they are (mostly) attending classes with, at least, the outwardly projected image of getting some kind of degree. The degree could be in the Chemistry of Winemaking for all I care (actual course I took in my Junior College!). So to learn that not only does Duke have the most number of players in the League right now, but that roughly half have degrees, pretty much sums up why I am a fan of this level and this very school/program. And lest it be said that I am a Duke snob, I prodly say that I would gladly cheer for any other school - including the Twinks if it came to it - if more than 50% of their alum were diploma carriers as well.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/13/2012 4:44:05 AM |
Hey, folks: AWESOME live blogging. Don't know if it was because this the first game in a while against a decent opponent that actually meant something, but the commentary tonight was outstanding. Thanks to all of you and please come back on Sunday. Oh, and special note for CDG: I thought I read in a Duke media release that we have 15 alums in the Association right now, but I probably misread. In any case, whether it's 15 or 17, it's more than any other school, which is pretty cool. Especially when you consider that while Maggette, Deng, Irving, McRoberts, Dunleavy and Brand (did I miss anyone?), don't have Duke degrees, everyone else does. Right? Redick, Duhon, Battier, Nolan, Boozer (didn't he finish up?), GHill, DJones, Shelden. Oh, forgot about GHenderson. Okay, so that's 15, with eight having Duke degrees. Now, by contrast, I think there are 12 Twinkletoes in the Neeba, and of those, I can think of two (Mouthbreather and Danny F***ing Green) with degrees. I'm sure I'm about to learn that Ellington and Stackhouse went back and finished up or something, but I don't think NCCH or Kentucky is going to catch us in actual degreed players now in the Association. If anyone wants to do the research and correct all my mistakes in the above, please do. Thanks again for all the comments.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:48:00 PM |
No, it was 8-19 from the stripe. Is it that hard for someone creating a live box to get free throws, of all things, correct? I get it if they have trouble tracking assists or, heaven forbid, steals, which are often total judgment calls. But FTM-FTA? Really? Anyway. Outboarded 35-30. Even on A/TO at 11-11. They only had nine boners and we only got forcing credit for three. We won because we shot 19-26 (.731) on two-pointers. Sans-a-Mason FTs were 6-9, including three misses from two of the top six shooters from the line in the conference.
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Posted by: tom |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:17:14 PM |
If Duke looses to anyone, I wouldn't mind it being VA but I'm glad they pulled this out. But Ryan literally went from being the player of the game against GA Tech to almost the goat of this one. Lost two balls and missed free throws they could have sealed it earlier. There was one point of the game when Miles got the foul on the free throw miss (which was also stupid) and you could see K yelling at the team to defend and get the rebound and what happens? Back door and a bucket. Although adjustments were made in the second half I saw the back of Dawkins jersey quite a few times and the followup dunk to get the game within three was just terrible with Mason and Kelly standing there waiting for the ball to come to them. Looks like K decided to keep Tyler in the game for the defense purposes which I guess was good but I wonder how Cook would have done. That one time when Tyler tried to take it into score was just bad. First time was good though. Thank God Zeiglinski had an off night. He missed a three and a layup which would have made the game tight after Duke made mistakes at their end. I'm happy for the win so nothing to do but move on and see what happens Sunday at Clemson which WILL NOT be easy. See you then guys.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:15:52 PM |
Killing Ryan Kelly on Devils Den...yeah, not his strongest game, but he did make some big plays (blocks, rebounds) for us. I have had too much Black Sheep rum
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:14:02 PM |
Sorry, it wasn't 8-19 from the line. It was 8-21.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:12:25 PM |
Amazingly, Josh, we don't go to UVa. Our x2 partners, besides the hunting groupies, are Wake, Florida State, and VPI. However . . . and this is even more astonishing . . . the Tools DO go there (and play Virginia at home as well). I wish Swoffie wishes he could have that one back - - not sure how he and his schedulingminions missed that Virginia would be good this season.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:09:30 PM |
Clemson will be a good test...we damn well better pass that test
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:08:32 PM |
At least this was a win against a real opponent - - Duke's first real opponent since Ohio State, in fact. (Well, maybe Washington qualifies, and as Tom points out, the Jerkets did beat NCSU badly this week.)
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:07:12 PM |
Glad we don't have a trip to C-ville on the horizon (right? I thought I checked thoroughly, but you never know with this ACC schedule). Virginia is tough. We were fortunate that the empty possessions at the end didn't hurt us. Still, I'll take the win-it was a good test at home early in the conference season.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:06:42 PM |
I did not think our D was all that awful, but the rebounding & execution on O was lacking, for sure. UVA is for real, IMO
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:05:51 PM |
Credit Virginia for being pretty good, althoughj Duke giftwrapped that at the end with the missed FTs and stupid ballhandling (both mostly the province of Kelly) to give UVa a chance. 8-19 FTs is just ridiculous.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:05:00 PM |
Outrebounded - again
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:04:49 PM |
G: couldn't have said it better myself. Work, work, work.
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:03:54 PM |
Ho-ly crap. HOLY CRAP!!! wow...
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:02:50 PM |
Wow are we lucky. So much to work on, however.
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:02:34 PM |
Whew!
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Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:00:52 PM |
Does it appear that some of our guards don't know the backcourt 10 second rule?
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 11:00:52 PM |
Gah! That should NOT have been allowed. Who the he'll was the defender?!???
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Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:59:55 PM |
Amazing. Less than a minute of stall-ball can evaporate a lead.
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:59:37 PM |
Oof. Big swing there. Let's make some FTs!
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:59:26 PM |
Box out Mason! Damn!
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:56:22 PM |
Rivers has to watch swinging that arm....
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:55:45 PM |
Close call there! Good time out call - would not have crossed 1/2 court I don't think.
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:54:35 PM |
Got away with the overplay there. Just be solid here.
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:54:03 PM |
Nice-one Kelly-beard.
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:53:01 PM |
Gutsy ball fake by Kelly with 2 seconds on the clock.
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:51:01 PM |
Grrrr...
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:49:08 PM |
Regardless of the outcome of this game, the Horsies are for real. Probably the 2nd/3rd best team in the league. I hope they give the Tools as big fits...
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:46:24 PM |
Curry again! Good D to draw the charge (with a little embellishment) and a beauty of a floater.
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:44:16 PM |
Is that stat right???? Not that I'm a fan of the NBA but we really have 17 alum playing??? Color me surprised (and happy to use that stat against the dumbass Tool fans I know).
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:43:55 PM |
CDG - far too many offensive boards for UVA, I agree
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:41:14 PM |
way to go seth
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:40:04 PM |
Way too many second chance points for the Cravs.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:39:30 PM |
UVA was pretty solid back in the day for sure. The current coach seems to not take shit from anyone, as players who would otherwise be a big asset to the program have been dismissed (attitude issues)
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:38:34 PM |
Totally agree Matt. Petey actually recruited decent players and took pride in the team. They were good until about a decade ago, maybe a little less. As for our boys, they better get it together here because if the continue, that lead will disappear.
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:37:04 PM |
Shoot. I knew Duke beat them in '94, and figured they probably didn't lose to them at home in any of the FF years. '93 was the one I wasn't sure on. Oh well. Also, holy goodness Plumlees!
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:36:51 PM |
Please don't let us fall in love with the jumper now.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:35:13 PM |
(Remember, UVa used to be good before they started hiring imbeciles like Jeff Jones and Lameao, bracketed by a nice, but incompetent coach in Macrocephapete. When I was at Duke (88-92), Virginia was a very good team nationally with a real rep. And very classy.)
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:33:43 PM |
Scott is killing us the way Rodney rogers used to take it to us
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:29:07 PM |
Miles stepping up
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:28:45 PM |
Ummmmm... Whaaaaaat??? Top of the key jumper for Plumlee II? good lord!
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:26:57 PM |
Ballzy shot by Austin
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:24:53 PM |
Josh, your heart's in the right place with the inquiry about Duke losing to Virginia at home, but actually, it was 1993. I was at that one too.
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:24:14 PM |
Wow. That was a stunning sequence. Outstanding offense and defense - best I've seen in 2 full games!!!
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:22:50 PM |
Whoa! Great flushes for two Plumlees tonight! Don't. Let. Up.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:22:31 PM |
Who did not jump up after Miles dunk?
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Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:22:29 PM |
Who's snuck into Thornton's uniform?
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:22:18 PM |
Who Tyler could do that?
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:18:22 PM |
Wow, was not expecting Curry to hesitate there. Still, nice knockdown.
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Posted by: Dave |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:15:42 PM |
Hey! It turns out, if you just stand around running two man east/west screens, you're pretty easy to defend. Maybe a coach with a court to his name could, you know, stop running that. Nice of Andre to show up.
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:15:32 PM |
They keep mentioning that Virginia hasn't won in Cameron since 1995, but we all know that one deserves an asterisk. I wonder how long it's been if you throw that one out?
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:11:57 PM |
way to go Mason
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:10:59 PM |
I can't get past the title of "Extremely Loud Incredibly Close." It's just a highly annoying title that makes me want to dislike the film.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:09:51 PM |
So much for containing Scott - - LOL.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:09:21 PM |
we should not let Scott TOUCH the ball at this point - damn, he is tough
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Posted by: Josh |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:07:15 PM |
Oof. Real life has intruded with a vengeance, and I haven't been able to watch Duke beyond a few minutes here and there since the Kansas game. This is Duke defense? Rivers looks downright awful. Still, get a few more threes to drop and it becomes more and more difficult for UVA to play that pack defense. If someone besides Dawkins can knock down a few from outside, it will turn the tide Duke's way. Side note: I coached against Jesperson last year when he was in HS...enjoyable to see him get some burn. Not so enjoyable to see him get back door dunks though...
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:06:09 PM |
Mhm. What was the point of the China trip if, in mid-January, there is absolutely no sense of team play whatsoever?
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:05:25 PM |
Was surprised about the lack of leadership from Kelly & Curry you had mentioned in last game's preview. As mentioned, someone must step up in this regard, bring the team together.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:02:00 PM |
Yeah, you're right, forgot about Drew. No leadership or clutch ability there either. This is just a team with no chemistry whatsoever. One of Krzyzewski's worst coaching jobs, fifteen games in, in his career.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 10:01:03 PM |
. . . and intangibles such as leadership, clutch ability, etc. He's a real disappointment so far. Scott hits his fourth and fifth threes of the season to ehad to the locker room. Heh.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:59:51 PM |
Matt - what about Drew II? Austin must rank above that I am searching for positives right now.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:56:23 PM |
Rivers is actually the worst coach's son I've ever seen in terms of fundamdentals.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:55:01 PM |
Lousy way to head to the locker room
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Posted by: CDG |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:49:13 PM |
Rivers needs to be pulled off the court. Way to be burned by your defender, AGAIN, and then stand around while he moves to the net to make a play while you watch, totally frozen. Total crap.
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Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:48:28 PM |
This plan of encouraging UVA dunks does not seem to be the sharpest defense.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:47:00 PM |
That double on Scott would be nice
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Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:36:55 PM |
Lord. Patrick's speech is so rote that I'm beginning to suspect he's been shipped in from Stepford. If Miles fakes a dive for that ball, does Scott grab it and go out of bounds?
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 9:23:37 PM |
Bryant Stith's son will be attending UVA. Good rebounding so far by Miles & Ryan - feed Miles on the block, please. Tough game so far.
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Posted by: Matt |
Date: 1/12/2012 8:39:47 PM |
G: Great comment about Taupin. Thanks. K actually had the game interrupted when Stith set Virginia's career scoring record, at Duke, with Dr. Art Chandler making an announcement over the PA, the Cameron crowd cheering, the whole bit. I was there. (It was a big day, too - - Laettner's jersey was retired before the game.) And Duke won. Stith was an absolutely amazing, totally likeable player, much like Dennis Scott in terms of personality. The ACC was just completely different back then, before cretins like Swofford came along and destroyed it. Sigh. Extremely, extremely classy. Try to imagine Roid doing something like that.
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Posted by: Serious G |
Date: 1/12/2012 7:31:12 PM |
Thanks Matt. Bernie Taupin - the critic Lester Bangs referred to Bernie as the worst lyricist in rock n roll. Good to see the Cavs having some success, and I hope it results in a NCAA tourney berth. This will be a tough game, in spite of the home court advantage. UVA story: I remember reading that after his last game for UVA played at Cameron, Bryant Stith(remember him?) was presented with a game ball by Coach K, in honour of his prolific ACC career. This would have been around 1991 or 92. Would also be great to see NCST & WF also return to competitive hoops programs. Anyways, there are some matchup nightmares for us tonight; rebounding will be the key.
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Posted by: tom |
Date: 1/12/2012 12:46:15 PM |
Great write up Matt. This game will be tight. Love you commercial reviews. Haven't seen this one being shown so much as that Hot Wings KFC crap they played over and over and over on Fox Sports. Temple loss after Duke no surprise. However, GA Tech did beat State last night so maybe that's something there. Still a long season and I have my hopes for this team that they'll piece it all together and start rolling. You could argue the 2010 team didn't really start doing that until mid February. But no need to look in the past. My wall dent from the Temple game is spackled and repaired. I'll post after the game. No more during per Temple rule 101.
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