If you’ve been paying attention (and we always assume you have), you are fully aware that point guard John Wall (right), the top rated high school player in the nation (our nation, in case you were unsure) visited our beloved Duke Blue Devil’s coaching staff this past Sunday. This of course was not Wall’s first stop on campus, but it was the first time the top rated point guard and Coach Krzyzewski sat face-to-face to discuss his possible role on the 2009-10 Blue Devils.
Of course, if you’re a Duke fan, you didn’t even have to be in the room to know what was said. Duke is a good team, with plenty of talent along the wings, but lacks both a legit big man in the middle and an athletic point guard who can run the show and penetrate through the lane (keeping the opponent’s PG out on the defensive end). Mr. Wall would naturally be a perfect fit. He could be the next Jason Williams, who led Duke to the 2001 championship.
While Coach K officially offered up a scholarship to John Wall during his visit, he will remain undecided for at least three more weeks (if not longer). While Wall has a list of five-seven teams, prior to John Calipari’s exit from Memphis, the Tigers were always the front-runners. However, with his move to Kentucky, the situation is even muddier.
Filed under: Duke basketball, Recruiting | Tags: Duke Blue Devils, Post-Season Reveiw
It’s been four days and I can finally allow myself back onto my own site. After a blowout defeat by Villanova, I needed to take a break, sit back, relax and let results of that game and this season sink in. Now I’m fresh and ready to look back at what we saw and what we can expect in the future.
On the morning of black Friday, the biggest question being asked was a simple one; was Duke a fraud? The answer is NO. To be a fraud, you had to not achieve what everyone thought you would achieve? Almost all experts predicted Duke to lose to Villanova. If you had Duke going to the Final Four in your bracket, then you’re an idiot. The Wildcats really were that much better. Just ask Pittsburgh.
Duke won 30 games this season, playing the toughest schedule in all of basketball and won the ACC tournament. Not bad. However, everyone knew that when it came time to face elite teams, the Devils could be stopped. Everyone keeps talking about how this is the fifth year in a row where Duke has lost to a lower seed, but let’s get serious people…a two seed losing to a three seed is not an upset. Duke was a good team, not a great team.
Filed under: 2009 NCAA Tournament | Tags: ACC Conference, Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Wake Forest
After two days of basketball, it’s almost hard to believe that prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, we were actually discussing which conference was the best; the ACC conference or the Big East?
That debate is no longer happening. Now I’m not even sure the ACC is as good as the PAC-10 or the Big 10. The breakdown in the first round was:
- Big 12: 6-0
- Big East: 5-1
- PAC 10: 5-1
- Big 10: 4-3
- ACC 3-4
- SEC: 1-2
Well, at least we’re still better than the SEC. The worst part was the 0-2 mark against the Big Ten (Florida State lost to Wisconsin, Clemson lost to Michigan).
What went wrong?
No 4 Wake Forest - There was no excuse for the Demon Deacons to lose to Cleveland State. They have three players who would be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. In fact, I’m sorry Wake fans, but I hope you enjoyed your first round ride, because the big three will be gone. Do you really think these three are going to pass up million dollar paychecks in two months just to come back and lose to Cleveland State. We should have known this was coming. Despite being number one at mid-season at 16-0, but the Demons finished 8-6.
History should have told us what to expect: Since 1997, Wake Forest has made it to the second weekend in the tournament only once (2004).
No 5 Florida State - The Seminoles were young, but they had Tony Douglas, one of the best players in the NCAA. Who was going to stop him? Um, Wisconsin did. Wow. The Seminoles were so talented, they were even going to give Pittsburgh trouble in the Sweet 16. Luckily for the Seminoles, even though they’re losing Tony Douglas, they have a young group of solid players and have another great recruiting class coming in.
History should have told us what to expect: How could we expect a team who hasn’t sniffed the NCAA Tournament since the 1997-1998 season, the suddenly make a run this season?
No 7 Boston College - We could simply argue that the young Eagles ran into a hot Southern California. The Trojans finished 5th in a weak PAC-10, entered the tournament with a five-game winning streak and a PAC-10 tournament title. Unlike the Seminoles’ Tony Douglas, who had a great game in defeat, Tyrese Rice finished his career with a nine-point game on 4-11 shooting.
History should have told us what to expect: The Eagles have survived the first weekend only once since 1994.
No 7 Clemson - Seriously, was anyone surprised by this. It’s becoming a yearly tradition…Clemson rolls out of the gate in the first half of the season, falls apart in the back end, drops out the ACC tournament quickly and loses in the NCAA tournament even quicker. Too much talent for this team to fall like this.
History should have told us what to expect: The Tigers haven’t won a NCAA Tournament game since 1997.
Now that’s more like it. After a pretty mundane first day, Friday brought some excitement. Sure there were the usual near-gigantic upsets (I’m looking at you Pittsburgh & Kansas) that didn’t pan out, but we saw No 4 Wake Forest not only get beat, but embarrassed by Cleveland State. We also saw two 12 seeds win (that’s three out of four this year), and we won’t forget No 11 Dayton and No 10 USC taking down higher seeds as well.
On top of that, three games were won in the final seconds (Siena, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin). However, the story of the day has to be about the loser of the day…the ACC conference. Three ACC teams went down today, all were higher seeds (No 4 Wake Forest, No 5 Florida State and No 7 Boston College). After two days of basketball, the ACC is 3-4.
Five-star shooting guard, Lance Stephenson, who was once on Duke’s radar last summer, said he has picked a college, but won’t say who until the McDonald’s game. Although he won’t say which school won him over, he said the three finalist were Kansas, Maryland and St. Johns.
From Five Boro Sports:
Stephenson, who, along with teammate Darwin (Buddha) Ellis, would become the first player to win four PSAL city titles, said he has based his pick on the caliber of coach, the kind of players he will be surrounded by and what program gives him the best chance to win an NCAA championship.
Wait, he says he wants a program that gives him the best chance to win a NCAA championship? Then why is he considering Maryland?
Talk about a tease of a day. There looked to be some amazing upsets on the verge of happening. Memphis was down six with ten to play, but it wasn’t meant to be. American had Nova by 14, but couldn’t keep ‘em off the line. North Iowa rallied late, but came up short. Four lower seeds won today, a No 9 (Texas A&M) and two No 10′s (Maryland & Michigan). The biggest upset (based on seeding) was No 12 Western Kentucky over No 5 Illinois, but was it really that big of a surprise?
The stat of the day was, live by the three, die by the three. The losing teams on day one shot 355 three-point shots. They hit only 114, 32%. The sixteen winners took 296 shots and made 118, that’s 40% from the floor. Of the 16 losing teams, 11 took 20 or more three-point shots and only two made at least ten of them. Of the 16 winning teams, only four took 20+ three-point attempts.
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I think we got what we expected, right? The Binghamton Bearcats kept it sort-of close for about a half, down only 11, but Duke came out in the second half smoking, taking a 26-point lead thanks to a solid 17-2 run. The game never got close again.
Overall I’m happy, but I would have liked to have one of those Connecticut/North Carolina 50+ point victories. However, I know this isn’t that kind of team, so 24 is fine. The only real concern I had was the defensive energy, especially when it looked like Duke was going to pull away in both halves, they let Binghamton make a tiny run. We should be dominating these teams.
This is an update to our original post about Coach K’s response to Obama’s bracket.” When I posted on it, I had only read the quote on CNN. Here it is:
“Somebody said that we’re not in President Obama’s Final Four, and as much as I respect what he’s doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets,” Krzyzewski told a reporter from the Associated Press on Wednesday.
However, I just saw the video for the first time and saw that he said it with his trademark smirk.
Filed under: 2009 NCAA Tournament | Tags: 2009 NCAA Tournament, Champion, Final Four
Welcome to the second annual ‘Ballsy Tournament Predictions’. We’ve finally made it to the Final Four. It has been a strange trip to get to this point. You see, I don’t begin this project with a planned Final Four and then work my way to it. Instead, I literally take it day-by-day. I do round one, without thinking at all about round two. I try (my best) to just focus on each game. The irony is, by the time I get to Thursday and see my own Final Four, I’m usually left shaking my head.
Do I really think the Sooners, who only play seven players, can survive to final four? I have a Midwest bracket with Louisville, Wake Forest and Michigan State, yet I have West Virginia advancing? I don’t even remember how I accomplished that one. Do I really believe Ty Lawson’s toe is that bad and if so, will it really affect this talent Tar Heels team? I really don’t know. In fact, there are plenty of examples where I will look over my post the next day and wish I could go back and take the prediction back. I have to be nuts to think Syracuse will lose in the first round. Think about it, I have Pittsburgh losing to OSU, I have Duke beating Villanova and to be honest, if Gonzaga does beat North Carolina, they’re not really going to fold against the Sooners.
Anyhow, it is all besides the point now. We don’t go back and change predictions. This is the Final Four pick we made, and we’re going to finish this bad boy. Like I say over and over and over again, don’t listen to my predictions. Having said that, let’s move on to our Ballsy Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Predictions.
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEK:
- Monday: First Round Predictions
- Tuesday: Second Round Predictions
- Wednesday: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Predictions
- Thursday: Final Four & Title Game Predictions
FINAL FOUR
#2 Duke Blue Devils over #2 Oklahoma Sooners
Here it is, student vs. pupil (technically Jeff Capel isn’t pupil of Coach K. He was never an assistant). Having said that, it is certainly a great match up between two contrasting styles. In one corner, the motion offense, run basically by four small forwards/shooting guards, going against size, Blake Griffin. While the Sooners are by no means a one-man band, everything flows through him. The Sooners aren’t deep, only playing about seven players, but luckily for them, this isn’t a run-n-gun Duke team with the safe and conservative Scheyer running the floor. Duke will have no answers for Blake, so look for Coach K to swarm three players at Griffin every time he touches the ball. If the Sooners are going to beat Duke, they’ll need to beat them with other players. While Griffin is a solid defender, he’s not a shot blocker, which can give Duke trouble. Look for the Devils to spread it out and force Griffin to have to move on double teams.
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Update can be found here.
Today, Coach K decided to go into douche bag mode and comment on President Obama’s Final Four Prediction.
“Somebody said that we’re not in President Obama’s Final Four, and as much as I respect what he’s doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets,” Krzyzewski told a reporter from the Associated Press on Wednesday.
Listen up, Coach. I have some advice for you…as much as I respect what you’re doing, really, the game against Binghamton is something that YOU should focus on, probably more than who the hell the President Obama has in his Final Four.
Everyone knows that Coach K is a conservative (hey, no one is perfect), but seriously, is he really that hurt by Obama’s predictions? I don’t know about you, but I like having a President who seems to like the sport of college basketball as much as I do. If Coach K is really this hurt about Obama’s picks, let’s hope he hasn’t had a chance to read CNNSI, CBS Sports and USA TODAY. Hell, Obama put Duke in the Elite Eight; pretty kind compared to what the experts (see below) are saying. Next time, instead of pulling your best Jim Calhoun impersonation, just say, “Well, hopefully we can prove him (Obama) wrong.”
At least he didn’t curse when he said it.
FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, EXPERT’S PREDICTING DUKE’S DEMISE:
- Luke Winn (CNNSI) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
- Seth Davis (CNNSI) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
- Tim Layden (CNNSI) – Elite Eight, losing to Pittsburgh
- Andy Glocker (CNNSI) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
- Andy Staples (CNNSI) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanona
- Gary Parrish (CBS SPORTS) – Final Four, losing to North Carolina
- Greg Doyel (CBS SPORTS) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
- Brian De Los Santos (CBS SPORTS) – Elite Eight, losing to Pittsburgh
- Michael Freeman (CBS SPORTS) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
- Tim Gardner (USA TODAY) – Second Round, losing to Texas
- Jeff Zillgitt (USA TODAY) – Sweet Sixteen, losing to Villanova
