Duke VS UK

pisgah101

Heisman
Dec 26, 2005
15,261
12,805
113
Do we have a chance 2 beat them?!?! Since this was such a topic last year why not make it one this year... Haha :D
 
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dukiejay

Heisman
Mar 2, 2005
11,293
16,311
0
I would give them the advantage this early in the season. Their freshman may be a bit more seasoned and ready to go sooner, IMO. Combine that with what they have returning and I think it's fair to say we might be a slight underdog. It's going to be a great test early in the season.
 

skysdad

Heisman
Mar 3, 2006
42,753
22,653
0
It's really important that we play well our first two games and by that I don't mean blow outs I mean that we create turn overs and don't turn it over ourselves. Make our free throws. No matter who we play we need to make those free throws and we should shoot a great deal these first two games. I'm interested in how we use the new shot clock. I understand shorting the game when we have a nice lead but not getting off a good shot or turning the ball over doesn't protect a lead against a really good team. Should give all our players plenty of PT. UK is going to be tough but when K-Ville puts up the Game Day Thread I will pick Duke. OFC
 

OldasdirtDevil

Heisman
Nov 16, 2009
19,469
15,753
0
I don't really know what to expect because I haven't seen UK play, and only an exhibition by Duke against a team that didn't have anywhere near the talent of the Blue Devils (and it was at Cameron). Still, K usually has his teams better prepared earlier in the season than most, so I'll say we've got a good chance at getting the win.

OFC
 

pisgah101

Heisman
Dec 26, 2005
15,261
12,805
113
I don't really know what to expect because I haven't seen UK play, and only an exhibition by Duke against a team that didn't have anywhere near the talent of the Blue Devils (and it was at Cameron). Still, K usually has his teams better prepared earlier in the season than most, so I'll say we've got a good chance at getting the win.

OFC
this is right in my line on thinking too K ALWAYS has us ready early so that should help us. It'll help them that they don't play Wisconsin or West Virginia before us too ;). But one things for sure even if we do win we'll hear a lot of "wait till we get to march Duke can't beat us then"
Also I've been looking forward to this game since last season. My moms entire family are Kentucky fans so it's always a little sweeter if we win
 

timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
I'd definitely give UK the edge especially this early in the season. It'll be a good learning test for our guys though. Should be fun to see how they respond to the bright lights.
 

Mark Gastineau

All-Conference
Feb 26, 2009
88,761
3,103
0
I would give them the advantage this early in the season.
I would actually say the contrary. While their freshmen may have more talent overall, Duke is consistently one of the best teams in the country right out of the gate. Coach K always does an excellent job of having our guys prepared from day 1, while other programs seem to go through a few growing pains early in the season before they find their true form.
 
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jchammock

Junior
Aug 17, 2006
19,142
253
0
I think it's a toss up. Games early and neither team will be the same come March.

I do love Ulis and Murray though. Add in Briscoe and I think we can shoot outside with anyone.

Should be fun. Good luck.
 
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timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
I think it's a toss up. Games early and neither team will be the same come March.

I do love Ulis and Murray though. Add in Briscoe and I think we can shoot outside with anyone.

Should be fun. Good luck.
I agree that it'll come down to which team is hitting from the outside. Both teams have some really good shooters on their team and in my opinion the strength of both teams is their backcourts.
 
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OldasdirtDevil

Heisman
Nov 16, 2009
19,469
15,753
0
this is right in my line on thinking too K ALWAYS has us ready early so that should help us. It'll help them that they don't play Wisconsin or West Virginia before us too ;). But one things for sure even if we do win we'll hear a lot of "wait till we get to march Duke can't beat us then"
Also I've been looking forward to this game since last season. My moms entire family are Kentucky fans so it's always a little sweeter if we win

I'll bet it is, Pisgah!
 
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DukeDenver

All-American
Nov 21, 2010
8,249
8,451
0
Just a week and a half away from the start of the season. Absolutely stoked! My girlfriend won't be happy when we stay at home next Friday night while I watch the Siena game. Note to self: pick up flowers in advance.

If she's "the one", she won't give you too much crap. Duke blue runs deep. She needs to understand and respect the pathology.
 

aah555

Junior
Apr 13, 2010
3,064
242
0
I'm not really following all this UK love in the thread. Can they beat us sure? Will they be a small favorite? Probably. Is this a mismatch? Absolutely not. We're more than capable of winning this game. I actually don't even get the suggestion about how UK's freshmen are better than ours. By any metric, our top-end freshman are every bit as highly ranked as their highly ranked guys.

If UK wins, I think it will have as much to do with their veterans (Ullys, Poythress, Lee) as it will with their freshmen.

It's really impossible to forecast b/c both teams are going to be relying entirely on players who've never been asked to be primary offensive players at this level -- and that includes the veterans.
 

Showenuff

Heisman
Nov 21, 2006
21,624
14,224
0
Murray is gonna be a beast. Ulis is going to be a huge adjustment after two lollipop games prior to this one. You'll see. I know we're spoiled as we usually are better early in the season than most other teams but this group is gonna be different. JMO, sure, but they are going to be damn good, but they require a lil more time than the studs we've been getting.
 

pisgah101

Heisman
Dec 26, 2005
15,261
12,805
113
Just a week and a half away from the start of the season. Absolutely stoked! My girlfriend won't be happy when we stay at home next Friday night while I watch the Siena game. Note to self: pick up flowers in advance.
Sounds like me all of March last year. My gf was sick of basketball after that lol
 
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crazyduke3

All-Conference
Mar 28, 2010
40,929
2,564
0
We absolutely have a shot to win it. But I'll be surprised if we do, I think UK will take it.
 

dadecodevil

Junior
Aug 4, 2009
1,645
347
0
I will not be surprised when we win. This Duke team is going to play some D. I expect this game to be similar to the last Kentucky game, which I was in the house for.
 

Duke=Boom!

Redshirt
Mar 11, 2011
86
38
0
Jefferson will absolutely D up on Skal. Jones will D up on Murray. Two experienced players who are known for their defense guarding two freshmen who has never played college ball. With this alone, how could you possibly favor UK to take it?
 

CRAZIE4LIFE

All-Conference
Feb 16, 2011
3,748
3,452
0
I think it's very close talent wise on both teams, Amile and Matt will need to bring their A game on defense.
 

timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
Jefferson will absolutely D up on Skal. Jones will D up on Murray. Two experienced players who are known for their defense guarding two freshmen who has never played college ball. With this alone, how could you possibly favor UK to take it?
Will be tough for Marshall then if he's guarding a quicker Poythress right? I think we match up well with them defensively in the backcourt but it'll be a tough matchup. Early in the year though who knows what will happen.
 

hpnole

Senior
Jan 17, 2005
2,476
541
0
All I can say is GO DUKE. Have never liked KY., and when UNC used to play them I always wondered if it were possible for both teams to lose.
 

K-oach Q

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2009
5,517
1,831
0
I'm along the lines of thinking that Coach K does a better job than anybody having their team well prepared early in the season. I think we will win because of this history and because of Coach K.

However one thing I'm sure of if we lose the game.....we will be hearing how that proves we were lucky not to have played them last year in the championship game because that will somehow be proof they would have defeated us
 
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Duke=Boom!

Redshirt
Mar 11, 2011
86
38
0
I can see Poythress being a potential problem but I wouldn't lose sleep over him offensively. I could really see how K could play with his lineup a lot more loosely against UK being that they don't have a physically imposing center. He could literally start Jefferson at the 5 and Jeter at the 4 to deal with Poythress in certain situations.
 
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aah555

Junior
Apr 13, 2010
3,064
242
0
Murray is gonna be a beast. Ulis is going to be a huge adjustment after two lollipop games prior to this one. You'll see. I know we're spoiled as we usually are better early in the season than most other teams but this group is gonna be different. JMO, sure, but they are going to be damn good, but they require a lil more time than the studs we've been getting.

I'm not discounting that this will be a tough game -- but can't you make similar arguments in the other way? For instance, there's been a lot of talk about UK playing a lot of 3 guard lineups involving Ulis, Murray, and Briscoe. While that sounds good in theory, how does that work for them when we have Ingram on the court? Either they're going to have to move Poythress to the perimeter -- which hurts their offense when coupled with Marcus Lee, or they're going to have a lot of uncomfortable matchups.

Also, I tend to think this entire freshman class is a bit down -- and a lot of these freshman on both sides aren't quite at the level of prior years. That's going to make the veterans significantly more important, including guys like Grayson and Amile. IMO, while I expect big things from Grayson, Amile is particularly going to be a surprise player for us this season with more opportunities. I think he's been a bit hidden the past couple years by Parker / Winslow / Okafor.

I think this game will be reminiscent of our loss to KU in Chicago a couple years ago. Close game that could go either way heading down the stretch. Outcome will depend on execution / luck / etc.
 

JCColsCane

Senior
Dec 1, 2014
1,267
433
0
This should be a very entertaining game between two of the nations best. I would still give a slight advantage to Kentucky because of the experience factor, but it could go either way. As was stated above, Duke always seems to be ahead of schedule early in the season because of the preparation of "K". Really doesn't matter one way or the other, it's just one game, early in the season.
The one thing, not mentioned, that I like about this early season game, is that win or lose, Coach K will use this as a learning experience, which will pay off as the season progresses. Nobody uses these experiences like Coach K! So sit back and enjoy the fact that you are watching two of the finest there is, and one of them is Duke!
Go Duke!!


JC-OFC
 
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timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
I'm not discounting that this will be a tough game -- but can't you make similar arguments in the other way? For instance, there's been a lot of talk about UK playing a lot of 3 guard lineups involving Ulis, Murray, and Briscoe. While that sounds good in theory, how does that work for them when we have Ingram on the court? Either they're going to have to move Poythress to the perimeter -- which hurts their offense when coupled with Marcus Lee, or they're going to have a lot of uncomfortable matchups.

Also, I tend to think this entire freshman class is a bit down -- and a lot of these freshman on both sides aren't quite at the level of prior years. That's going to make the veterans significantly more important, including guys like Grayson and Amile. IMO, while I expect big things from Grayson, Amile is particularly going to be a surprise player for us this season with more opportunities. I think he's been a bit hidden the past couple years by Parker / Winslow / Okafor.

I think this game will be reminiscent of our loss to KU in Chicago a couple years ago. Close game that could go either way heading down the stretch. Outcome will depend on execution / luck / etc.
I'd agree with this bolded part.
 

RipThru

All-American
Jan 11, 2010
4,739
5,969
0
Jefferson will absolutely D up on Skal. Jones will D up on Murray. Two experienced players who are known for their defense guarding two freshmen who has never played college ball. With this alone, how could you possibly favor UK to take it?

Did you watch the Pan AM games?
 

twdukefan

Senior
Nov 14, 2012
1,277
511
0
Did you watch the national championship game?
In case he/she doesn't remember: