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nets on nets on nets

All-American
Jun 4, 2015
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This is a huge game, over 31k people expected to be in attendance. They beat us in Cameron last year, I would like to see us dominate them at their place. Win this game and we possibly spring some momentum into the next few weeks. We need to go on a streak and get back in 1-seed territory.

The biggest thing to look at during this game will be who do we put in the middle of the 2-3 zone? Years past it was a super easy answer (Zion/RJ, Bagley/Carter, Tatum). Playing in the middle of the 2-3 zone on offense is one of the toughest things in basketball. It takes strength, vision, and confidence. I am not sure we have that guy this year. Hurt in theory should be the guy, but he's too soft. Vernon could play the middle, but we need him at the rim to clean up misses. Jack has the strength, but Syracuse isn't gonna respect his mid-range shot or ability to get to the rim. I'm very worried about this.
Wendell would be my pick, but he's probably not gonna play, and even if he does play, he's not gonna be ready for this.

We got the shooters to break the zone, and I'm confident that we will make some three's, but were gonna win this game by finding the right guy to break the middle of that zone.
 
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HuffyJB

All-Conference
Jan 13, 2005
5,931
3,890
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As far as guarding them, Hughes is the big cover because he is the only guy who can really break you down off the dribble, something Duke has had some issues with from wing players lately. Buddy B. and Girard and Dolezaj aren't going to punish you that way. If they can keep Hughes from having the type of day some other wings have had against them lately, that would go an incredibly long way.

This is a big one - another opportunity for a Q1 road win.
 
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nets on nets on nets

All-American
Jun 4, 2015
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HuffyJB said:
As far as guarding them, Hughes is the big cover because he is the only guy who can really break you down off the dribble, something Duke has had some issues with from wing players lately. Buddy B. and Girard and Dolezaj aren't going to punish you that way. If they can keep Hughes from having the type of day some other wings have had against them lately, that would go an incredibly long way.

This is a big one - another opportunity for a Q1 road win.
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We still owe Hughes a beating from intentionally tripping Zion last year. And your right, outside of him, nobody on Syracuse can beat us off the bounce (our biggest weakness). As long as we don't give up open three's to Boeheim and Girard, we should be fine on defense. I have a feeling Tre is gonna eat Girard's lunch on defense.

This also isn't the elite Syracuse zone on defense. When you play guys like Boeheim and Girard, your gonna be limited on defense. They don't get a lot of steals like normal, it's more of a "pack the lane and prey the opposition misses three's" type defense.
 
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HuffyJB

All-Conference
Jan 13, 2005
5,931
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Something K has been talking about a lot lately - being hungry - will be paramount as well. They have to be aware that Syracuse knows they are still fighting for their tournament lives at this point. Lunardi still has them out (for whatever that is worth). The ACC is probably only getting four in, five at the most, and the top three are shoe-ins. That leaves the likes of NC St. (who Lunardi has in), UVA, VT (both of whom he has among the last 8 out) and Syracuse as the group with a head start in the battle for those one or two spots left.
 
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Laettner

All-Conference
Mar 11, 2002
6,249
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Key to beating 'Cuse zone is getting ball in short corner and attacking from baseline. Use baseline runner and feed low or high post, maybe Stanley.
 
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DukeRulesBasketball

All-American
Aug 20, 2015
7,258
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jwill133 said:
We still owe Hughes a beating from intentionally tripping Zion last year. And your right, outside of him, nobody on Syracuse can beat us off the bounce (our biggest weakness). As long as we don't give up open three's to Boeheim and Girard, we should be fine on defense. I have a feeling Tre is gonna eat Girard's lunch on defense.

This also isn't the elite Syracuse zone on defense. When you play guys like Boeheim and Girard, your gonna be limited on defense. They don't get a lot of steals like normal, it's more of a "pack the lane and prey the opposition misses three's" type defense.
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I thought it was Frank Howard that tripped Zion
 
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tate12

Junior
Nov 9, 2017
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I agree that this is going to be a very tough game. They have 3 guys that can bomb you from outside and I am worried that Dolejaz has a big game or Guerrier has a "breakout" game. We are a very young team and their zone can coax young teams into quick and bad shots. We have to watch our turnovers while being active in our ball movement.
 
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AlanInNJ

All-Conference
Feb 25, 2014
1,665
2,462
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This should be a great test for us. I would love to come out with some fire and energy. I think Stanley is the guy we want in the middle of the zone. He can get to the rim, he can make the mid range jumper, and he's a good passer.

I think the three is the key. If we shoot 40% we win by 12. If we struggle, we are in for a dog fight. Hurt, Baker, Alex.....at least one of those three need to show up to play. I am not worried on the defensive end.
 
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BOOGIEMAN1914

BOOGIEMAN1914

All-Conference
May 15, 2007
7,666
1,960
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steady rotation of hurt, aoc, joey, tre flashing in the middle.....some cassius at times to attack the rim........#groupeffort
 
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nets on nets on nets

All-American
Jun 4, 2015
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This is not a typical Syracuse team. This is an elite offense, and a bad defense. #17 offense and #126 defense.

A typical Syracuse team is a below 100 offense and a top 20 defense.

Usually they have a lot of lengthy athletes that make their zone amazing but on offense it's all ugly one-on-one. Not this year...they only play 6 guys, and 4 of those play 40 minutes a game basically. 2 of those guys are Girard and Boeheim....elite white shooters who are gonna make open shots but can't guard anyone.
Were probably gonna need to score in the 70's to win this game, which usually isn't the case against Syracuse.
 
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Devilinside

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2010
2,214
2,166
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jwill133 said:
This is not a typical Syracuse team. This is an elite offense, and a bad defense. #17 offense and #126 defense.

A typical Syracuse team is a below 100 offense and a top 20 defense.

Usually they have a lot of lengthy athletes that make their zone amazing but on offense it's all ugly one-on-one. Not this year...they only play 6 guys, and 4 of those play 40 minutes a game basically. 2 of those guys are Girard and Boeheim....elite white shooters who are gonna make open shots but can't guard anyone.
Were probably gonna need to score in the 70's to win this game, which usually isn't the case against Syracuse.
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Just curious. What does their being white have to do with anything? Are there no black shooters who cannot guard anyone? Are Girard and Boeheim bad defenders because they are white, or are they bad defenders that just happen to be white? Or is it "white men can't defend (or jump)?" :confused:. OFC
 
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nets on nets on nets

All-American
Jun 4, 2015
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Devilinside said:
Just curious. What does their being white have to do with anything? Are there no black shooters who cannot guard anyone? Are Girard and Boeheim bad defenders because they are white, or are they bad defenders that just happen to be white? Or is it "white men can't defend (or jump)?" :confused:. OFC
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Sorry, should have clarified. Elite shooters, bad defenders, that happen to be white. Race has zero to do with this. Guess I just referred to them like that because they will be easy to identify for the game Saturday. I don't think its a coincidence that both of them play 40 minutes and this Syracuse team happens to be the opposite of a typical Syracuse team. This team can score but can't guard.

Duke has had their share of white guys that couldn't shoot and played amazing defense, and also black guys that could shoot and couldn't guard.

I'm also willing to eat crow on Girard. We recruited him, didn't think he was an ACC caliber player, don't think he's ever gonna be elite or anything, but the kid is solid and can definitely hang with ACC players.
 
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chov1125

All-Conference
Oct 15, 2008
3,044
1,826
73
I will be in attendance. Humble brag I usually end up with tickets designated for 1 or 2 of the referees. Just to speak on the demand for this game, those tickets used to be directly behind the Duke bench. Last year they were broken up with 2 behind the hoop all the way up the main level and my 2 were upper level in the corner.

I believe I saw last year they were selling tickets on the opposite side of the football field which means you had to watch over a curtain that divides the court from the vendors. Insane.

I would personally put Vern at the top of the key and run Hurt along the baseline. Vern is a good passer, can knock down the mid range jumper if needed and has the advantage of being a lefty. Many defenders are not used to guarding a lefty and taking away that hand around the hoop. It seems silly, but IMO it is true. On the other hand Hurt has the corner 3 in his back pocket and also is more than capable of scoring around the rim. His slender frame is not good for driving through contact, but from the corner position he may be catching some passes where a single big step will put him close enough to go up. His length would be a big asset. Then you have Tre up top with Joey/AOC, Cash and Goldy. Jack White plays the corner too and swaps in and out with Hurt.
 
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Liftee

All-American
Mar 6, 2011
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Don't give Boeheim or Girard an open shot, make them drive, run them as much as possible.

This game could be a nail biter or could be a 20 pt. win for Duke. Hard to tell which one. Just hope we KEEP THE PEDAL TO THE METAL the entire game (for a change).
 
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Devilinside

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2010
2,214
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jwill133 said:
Sorry, should have clarified. Elite shooters, bad defenders, that happen to be white. Race has zero to do with this. Guess I just referred to them like that because they will be easy to identify for the game Saturday. I don't think its a coincidence that both of them play 40 minutes and this Syracuse team happens to be the opposite of a typical Syracuse team. This team can score but can't guard.

Duke has had their share of white guys that couldn't shoot and played amazing defense, and also black guys that could shoot and couldn't guard.

I'm also willing to eat crow on Girard. We recruited him, didn't think he was an ACC caliber player, don't think he's ever gonna be elite or anything, but the kid is solid and can definitely hang with ACC players.
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Come on, man! Chillout on the black white stuff. Not good for here. We are brothers. OFC
 
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LouisiAaron

All-Conference
Feb 15, 2017
2,305
1,069
3
If Moore was healthy it would be simple. Put Moore up top and let Tre flash like we did in Syracuse last year during that second half run. Joey should be effective in this game. Idk how valuable Goldwire will be out there.
 
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bullcity gamer

All-Conference
Oct 14, 2017
2,744
4,902
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Agree with DevilInside we are all brothers here. I enjoy all the DI posters on here, because we all root for the same Blue Devils. Everyone has different opinions and that’s a great thing. A lot of the posters here bring great insight on what they are seeing. I can vouch that jwill is by no means racist and is not meaning to offend or come off as prejudice towards anyone on here. I met him for the 1st time in Louisville last season when our Blue Devils had that miraculous comeback. I myself am not Caucasian and he is. We got along great and he loves his Blue Devils like the rest of us do here. Let’s Go Duke!!!! Time to roll to #6. Coach K will have the guys focused like he did against Kansas, @ V Tech, and @ Michigan State.
 
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SwatX1

Heisman
Jan 4, 2011
8,336
10,579
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bullcity gamer said:
Agree with DevilInside we are all brothers here. I enjoy all the DI posters on here, because we all root for the same Blue Devils. Everyone has different opinions and that’s a great thing. A lot of the posters here bring great insight on what they are seeing. I can vouch that jwill is by no means racist and is not meaning to offend or come off as prejudice towards anyone on here. I met him for the 1st time in Louisville last season when our Blue Devils had that miraculous comeback. I myself am not Caucasian and he is. We got along great and he loves his Blue Devils like the rest of us do here. Let’s Go Duke!!!! Time to roll to #6. Coach K will have the guys focused like he did against Kansas, @ V Tech, and @ Michigan State.
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Good post!!


Hey, aren’t you the one that had a friend turning a restaurant in Illinois into a Duke sports bar? How’s that going? Post us some pics if he has it decorated up!!
 
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bullcity gamer

All-Conference
Oct 14, 2017
2,744
4,902
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DukefanKY said:
Good post!!


Hey, aren’t you the one that had a friend turning a restaurant in Illinois into a Duke sports bar? How’s that going? Post us some pics if he has it decorated up!!
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dukefanky Yes Sir that was me! It’s going well. I haven’t been able to enjoy a Duke game there lately because I have been working every night Duke has had a game this season. I know I should be free for the Duke vs Unc games and be off throughout the majority of both the ACC and ncaa tournaments. Next time I am not working and Duke is playing I will head out there to watch the game and take some pics and post them on here!
 
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