Our Tarheel followers may be upset at a second Duke post in a row, but after watching the Blue Devils' 84-81 victory over Florida State last night despite another big scoring night from Toney Douglas, I feel compelled to share my dismay at the familiarity of what I witnessed last night. Only North Carolina has downed Duke at Cameron Indoor this season and after watching last night's game it is easy to see why. Some of it is Duke's doing and the advantage of playing in the gym they play in.
Keys to a Duke home victory against a tough ACC opponent:
Take at least 25 3-pointers (30 taken last night)
Go into halftime trailing or barely ahead (trailed by 6)
Coach K takes suit jacket off
Second half run made with pressure defense and turnovers forced
Shoot a lot more free-throws than the opponent (31 to 20)
Greg Paulus make ridiculous flop (Well that's really every game)
Opposing team get called for a questionable technical (Alabi at 6 and a half minutes[his second of the season] and another one was called as well)
Opposing star player scores in abundance (Douglas had 27)
EDIT: Can't believe I forgot this one but there was a clock malfunction in the final two minutes.
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said after the game, "Now, I've got a whole lot I could say. That play was a big play. There's no doubt about that. I saw it differently. ... That was a key play during that particular time. I wish we could have avoided it, and maybe the outcome would have been a little different. But that's college basketball."
It sure is coach, it sure is.
Post-game thoughts: Duke 84, Florida State 81 [The Chopping Block]
Wednesday, March 4
Duke's Recipe For Home Success
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5 comments:
God I hate the Blue Devils...
Questionable technical on Alabi? Are you serious? Or is this just another ABD blog?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeu8G0E8_gw
Singler was keeping his hand up and his arm in Alabi's chest because his commitment to defense is just that intense. Right?
The replay shows Alabi's motion was to get Singler's arm out of his face. I will at least give Singler credit for not falling to the ground and sprawling like Paulus. We give Duke credit where it is due, but if you look at this history of non-marquee ACC teams aka not North Carolina, the refs are especially quick to blow the flagrant whistle against visiting teams. Coach K has become the 900 lb. gorilla he once accused Dean of being.
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