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TWO DUKIES PICK THE ACC
Volume XV, Episode 5
IS THERE A DEFENDER IN THE HOUSE? EDITION
January 25, 2012

#8 DUKE (16-3, 4-1) @ MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK (12-6, 2-2)

Matt's comments in blue.
Bonny Laxter's comments in white.

TRAVELING MATT DEPARTMENT: So I was in Philadelphia on business - - no, it wasn't related to a crime syndicate - - from Friday to Tuesday. Everyone may be interested to know that when I arrived at the federal courthouse on both Friday and Monday, I found the U.S. Marshals serving as court security officers engaged in a mock firefight with the Temple basketball team, continuing its season-long effort to establish street cred. And get this - - I was there for portions of five days and didn't ONCE take the "subway." Wow!

DON'T GET SO DEFENSIVE DEPARTMENT: I'm trying to remember a Duke team this bad defensively. I can't go to the default of 2006-2007 for all things terrible related to Duke men's basketball, since that team actually could defend, and for all his other shortcomings, the one thing that Josh McRoberts could do was establish a defensive presence in the post. It was placing the ball inside the basket that Duke - - and McRoberts - - absolutely could not do that season.  Of course, maybe I should be looking even more recently, as any Duke team featuring Gerald Henderson automatically has to be considered when you consider historically weak defensive efforts. Honestly, I don't know the immediate answer, and that is reason enough for concern.

ADD DEFENSE (PLEASE!): I just checked Pomeroy's efficiency ratings, which he has archived back to 2003. Duke has been a top ten team in defensive efficiency in every season since 2004, save 2009 (when we were 20th - - there's Henderson at work, as I suspected) and 2006 (#13). We were the fifth-best defensive team in the country in 2007 according to this metric. This season? 90th. 90th. That's just totally and completely unacceptable. Why won't Krzyzewski give Gbinije a chance to play 10-15 minutes a game?

GRAY AREA DEPARTMENT:  Thanks to longtime friend and Dukies.com elite commenter TRT for asking me if Nike is forcing Duke to wear some bizarre new gray uniforms for this game. Apparently, we are wearing these quite ugly and unimpressive unis, but only once, and it's at home against Maryland, not tonight. The weirdest thing about the stunt clothing is that it says "Blue Devils" on the front and not "Duke." Sorry, but I don't have the heart to link you to an image. They're around, I'm sure.

SWEATY COURT DEPARTMENT: So of course we’ve all heard that the court at Maryland's Unnecessary New Arena will be renamed "Sweaty Court" in a pregame ceremony, which makes me want to win by 25 so bad that I can taste it. Now, will they coat the court in a filmy patina from this point forward (MDCP ballers to be provided with special compensatory shoes, of course)? And does this guy really deserve this honor for having Juan Dixon play and coach his way to the 2002 natty title while Sweaty just got out of the way? Not to mention his almost countless instances of being an irascible jerk over the years? Hm. Does this smack of a stunt to liven up the battery-tossing crowd for a Duke game? Well, when you're Maryland and have zero real basketball tradition, you take what you can get, I guess.

WE NOW PRESENT WHO ARE THESE CLOWNS?

James Padgett, 6-8 JR - - Good scorer on sanitation stuff and very solid rebounder (6.2 rpg) - - can't shoot and is abysmal at handling the ball. However, can Ryan Kelly/Miles Plumlee actually body this guy? Because if not, mark him down for 20 points easy.

Alex Len, 7-1 FR - - this Dniepopetrovskostiff emerged out of nowhere, like MDCP players usually do, and is just behind Padgett for the team lead in rebounds at 6.0 rpg, while scoring 7.8 ppg and blocking a couple of shots an outing. He rolled an ankle in the Twerps' last game (against those hardcore cagers from Temple), but he'll play in this one if they have him out there on crutches.

Pe'Shon Howard, 6-3 SO - - Los Angeles product is a head case and has no outside shot, but he scored 15 against Temple and has to be taken seriously, particularly given Duke's total inability to guard anyone in his size and skill range.

Terrell Stoglin, 6-1 SO - - for some reason, this doosh is the leading scorer in the ACC. Oh; I just found the reason. He takes 37% of Maryland's shots from the floor. There you go! He's shooting just under 80% from the line and 41% from range (48-117), so guarding him would be a nice idea. Can Curry handle this? By the way, Stoglin is not really a point guard, but he plays one on TV for this team.

Sean Mosley, 6-4 SR - - Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. This guy, who played with Len Smellmore as a freshman, must have some sort of lifetime pass from the NCAA. As a bonus, he never gets any better. He plays about 5-11, has no discernible defensive skills despite a rep, and he isn't a talented shooter. Other than that, he's great.

BENCH? Not really, but here we go.

Mychal Parker, 6-5 SO - - Strictly an around-the-rim guy who's the team enforcer, dealing out 3.4 fouls per 40 minutes of action.

Nick Faust, 6-6 FR - - Uh-oh. Yes, a 6-6 guard. Sweaty recruited three guys to be freshmen this season, but two of them bailed on Turgeon. Faust struck a bargain to stay.

Ashton Pankey, 6-9 FR - - He shirted last year due to injury. Just another talent-light sanitation engineer who will be out there throwing elbows and other fun stuff.

BOTTOM LINE THIS FOR ME, PLEASE: I'd love to. Maryland, College Park is terrible this season. They don't have a point guard, they don't steal the ball, and they shoot free throws even worse than we do. Supposedly, Duke is amping up the defense for this game; I'd really like to see that. Make these jerks work for their points.

PREDICTION:  Duke on the road? And apparently without Quinn Cook again? Who knows?

Duke 75, Maryland, College Park 72.

Last Edition:
Matt 1-0

This Season:
Matt  3-1

Last Edition's Score Prediction Margin Variance:
2

Last Season:
Matt 52-18
Guests 3-3