Clay Kallum: Duke takes another dive

[pap49cba]

"In an epic second-half collapse, previously unbeaten No. 4 Duke unraveled like a cheap shirt, leaving nothing behind but shattered egos and yet another hammering at the hands of the unforgiving Huskies."

LINK

 

[Drumguy]

"In an epic second-half collapse, previously unbeaten No. 4 Duke unraveled like a cheap shirt, leaving nothing behind but shattered egos and yet another hammering at the hands of the unforgiving Huskies."

LINK

Ouch!

 

[CL82]

At 5-10, the extremely athletic Faris is no more and no less than a basketball player – which means she does whatever it takes to win. Given her skills, usually she’s asked to guard the opponent’s top perimeter player and not worry about scoring too much. So Faris only averages 10.8 ppg, but that’s on 55.1 percent shooting, and doesn’t take into account those 82 assists (to just 29 turnovers) and 5.0 rpg.

 

[Kevin G]

"In an epic second-half collapse, previously unbeaten No. 4 Duke unraveled like a cheap shirt, leaving nothing behind but shattered egos and yet another hammering at the hands of the unforgiving Huskies."

Wow! That hurts

 

[psconn]

Holy Crap. Clay hands Duke their 2nd beatdown in 24 hours! That is HARSH!! My gosh, if we do meet Duke again they should be fired up out of their minds to die on the court if that is what it takes to win. Of course, they could just soil their shorts and go home.

On another note, ESPN folks were absolutely giddy that the game was so close in the first half. As Duke began the disappearing act in the 2nd half they let down more than themselves and their school, they let down wcbb in general. As much as I hated the outcome, UConn-ND was GREAT for the game. UConn - Duke, not. As Geno has said in the past, it is not up to UConn to keep these games close, its up to everyone else to raise the level of their game.

 

[pap49cba]

So now that the Huskies have beaten Duke, MD and Wake Forest do they win the ACC title?

 

[msf22b]

The question is: How really good is Duke.
On the basis of yesterday, perhaps not so great (8, 10?)
We'll know a lot more after the conference games
It was perhaps, pretty difficult coming into this game w/o having played enough major O-O-C opponents.

 

[UcMiami]

Holy Crap. Clay hands Duke their 2nd beatdown in 24 hours! That is HARSH!! My gosh, if we do meet Duke again they should be fired up out of their minds to die on the court if that is what it takes to win. Of course, they could just soil their shorts and go home.

On another note, ESPN folks were absolutely giddy that the game was so close in the first half. As Duke began the disappearing act in the 2nd half they let down more than themselves and their school, they let down wcbb in general. As much as I hated the outcome, UConn-ND was GREAT for the game. UConn - Duke, not. As Geno has said in the past, it is not up to UConn to keep these games close, its up to everyone else to raise the level of their game.

I am going to disagree a little on your second para - I think anyone who watched the second half saw one team playing at an incredibly high level - even if it wasn't competitive it was compelling to watch (except maybe for Duke fans.)

 

[pap49cba]

Maybe it would have been close if Duke had followed "The Coach" who at halftime said "Don't play zone!"

 

[MilfordHusky]

In the pre-season, I thought Duke was the 3rd best team. Now I think they are 4th. ND is tougher and perhaps as talented. I still think Duke is better than Stanford, Kentucky, Cal, et al., but maybe they need to get mentally tougher. Losing by 30 doesn't help make a case for a 1 seed, nor does losing by 26 at home.

 

[semper]

So is Duke a no. 4 seed? If not who, at present? Lot of ball yet to play, but if you had to pick now?

 

[MilfordHusky]

So is Duke a no. 4 seed? If not who, at present? Lot of ball yet to play, but if you had to pick now?

With last night's game still fresh in our memories, it looks silly to pick Duke as 4 overall. But give them a couple of weeks to beat up on the ACC and watch Kentucky slip. Then, perhaps by default, the may get look like a 1 seed.

To answer your question, Kentucky as of today. But I don't expect the Wildcats to hold it. I think they'll have 2-3 more losses and get a 2 seed.

 

[pap49cba]

Duke did themselves no good last night. Either Kentucky or ND as of now but a lot can change.

 

[cardfan]

In the pre-season, I thought Duke was the 3rd best team. Now I think they are 4th. ND is tougher and perhaps as talented. I still think Duke is better than Stanford, Kentucky, Cal, et al., but maybe they need to get mentally tougher. Losing by 30 doesn't help make a case for a 1 seed, nor does losing by 26 at home.

They are not better if they are not mentally tougher.

 

[MilfordHusky]

They are not better if they are not mentally tougher.

I think they have more talent than your guys. Plus, your guys are young as well. Until the supporting cast around Chiney starts to resemble Pedersen and Pohlen, I think Duke is the better team.

 

[doggydaddy]

They are not better if they are not mentally tougher.

He didn't say mentally tougher than those teams. Just mentally tougher in general. Doesn't mean they aren't better than those teams.

 

[cardfan]

He didn't say mentally tougher than those teams. Just mentally tougher in general. Doesn't mean they aren't better than those teams.

I got that DD.

 

[cardfan]

I think they have more talent than your guys. Plus, your guys are young as well. Until the supporting cast around Chiney starts to resemble Pedersen and Pohlen, I think Duke is the better team.

We handled Duke pretty easily last year. Yes, I know we are missing Nneka, and they added talent, but I'm not ready to say Duke is better because they haven't really played anyone. Yes, I know they beat Cal, but it was it home. I'd pick Cal in a rematch and on neutral court. Stanford still beat TN, SC, Baylor, Cal, CO, Utah and Zags, on the road.

 

[doggydaddy]

I got that DD.

Ok. Based on your response it didn't seem like it.

 

[easttexastrash]

I am going to disagree a little on your second para - I think anyone who watched the second half saw one team playing at an incredibly high level - even if it wasn't competitive it was compelling to watch (except maybe for Duke fans.)

The second half was not really compelling, unless you are a UCONN fan or Duke hater. It was embarrassing for WCBB to have another blowout of a top ranked team. All that hype about Gray being on the same level of Sims and Diggins...hogwash! Jones was really the only one that showed that she could compete.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

The second half was not really compelling, unless you are a UCONN fan or Duke hater. It was embarrassing for WCBB to have another blowout of a top ranked team. All that hype about Gray being on the same level of Sims and Diggins...hogwash! Jones was really the only one that showed that she could compete.

One game does not make a season or a career. Give the players and the team a chance to regroup and react.

 

[Joe6cats]

The second half was not really compelling, unless you are a UCONN fan or Duke hater. It was embarrassing for WCBB to have another blowout of a top ranked team. All that hype about Gray being on the same level of Sims and Diggins...hogwash! Jones was really the only one that showed that she could compete.

Or lover of women's basketball. I totally disagree their players got exposed, too. Outplayed, out-coached, but the Blue Devils were athletic and skilled. I could imagine some of those contests going different ways, other times. They held together as a team, it it would be borderline impossible they don't put this to very good use. they don't put this to good use.

 

[OneTrickPony]

The second half was not really compelling, unless you are a UCONN fan or Duke hater. It was embarrassing for WCBB to have another blowout of a top ranked team. All that hype about Gray being on the same level of Sims and Diggins...hogwash! Jones was really the only one that showed that she could compete.

If Kelly shuts Odyssey down, will you be writing her off too?

 

[John Glass]

is this a Mens basketball thread ? Miami is beating the men by 27 late in the second half.

 

[rocky rococo]

is this a Mens basketball thread ? Miami is beating the men by 27 late in the second half.

Ha! I'm sure that Louisville fans are all over the Miami boards shaking their heads about what an embarrassment that game is to mcbb.