Hahahahahahaha

[JeffConn]

One of the biggest choke jobs ever. I hate Duke with a passion. This is the 2nd best feeling after UConn winning it all. I’m laughing so hard right now. Sometimes, the unexpected victories are the best.

I didn't watch Duke games this season, but despite its extensive 5-star roster including the top NBA draft selection, similar to UConn, it seemed from last night's game that Duke had a deficiency in its roster construction in that it did not have enough point guard talent and depth providing first team ball-handling capabilities, as well as back-up point guard support, to inbound the ball and get out of defensive jams. This weakness manifested at critical end-of-game moments for both teams. Similar to what McNeeley did for us, Flagg was heavily involved in initiating the Duke offense; probably because they were both the most capable, available options.

Last year's UConn team may be our gold standard for ball distribution and protection. With Tristen, Stephon and Cam, we had three very capable ball handlers and with Hassan, we had a solid back-up coming off the bench. If there's one constant trait seen in NCAA championship teams, it's solid point guard play.

 

[Palatine]

If Flagg was after a National Championship he would have come to UConn.

Add him to our squad and we threepeat.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I later got the rare “you were right” from the wife.

Did you get it on tape? Because by Monday it will seem like a fantasy.

 

[freshler40]

Love seeing Duke lose, but terrible call by the refs against Flagg

Terrible calls happen, some said our Women got one in last year's Iowa game.

 

[MexicoHusky]

We are blessed. Even when we dont win the teams we want to lose actually lose. We even have a chance to say we lost to the champs. Go Gators. Frankly go Cougars as well. Happy with either outcome.

 

[freshler40]

bingo. they were gassed in the last ten minutes, and it's becasue they were not physically prepared to play a team of this caliber.

Both teams had a week to recover, the women's team do not. Gassed?

 

[uh-no]

Both teams had a week to recover, the women's team do not. Gassed?

it's not about the recovery.. it's about being able to pay forty minutes of high intensity. in the two highest stakes games, Duke couldn't, but fortunately had enough cushion vs unc.

the acc did not prepare them for this level of play for the whole game.

 

[dennismenace]

Awesome. Kelvin Sampson never called a timeout down the stretch. Just pressure defense and trusting in his tough, never say die young men.

Reminder that great defense and toughness can overcome just about anything and it terrifies the faint of heart.

 

[huskyjawz]

I almost went to sleep too but my hatred for Puke and dreams of them choking kept me awake.

It's funny; my hopes were dashed, but I felt like I had to see it through to the end for some reason.

 

[freshler40]

I didn't watch Duke games this season, but despite its extensive 5-star roster including the top NBA draft selection, similar to UConn, it seemed from last night's game that Duke had a deficiency in its roster construction in that it did not have enough point guard talent and depth providing first team ball-handling capabilities, as well as back-up point guard support, to inbound the ball and get out of defensive jams. This weakness manifested at critical end-of-game moments for both teams. Similar to what McNeeley did for us, Flagg was heavily involved in initiating the Duke offense; probably because they were both the most capable, available options.

Last year's UConn team may be our gold standard for ball distribution and protection. With Tristen, Stephon and Cam, we had three very capable ball handlers and with Hassan, we had a solid back-up coming off the bench. If there's one constant trait seen in NCAA championship teams, it's solid point guard play.

Florida has it.

 

[Palatine]

Nobody is happier than the UNC fans.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

He won a whole lot. He just lost that one game.

There is factual validity in the way you've worded this, but your entrance into the discussion brings a smile to my face.

When the clock was starting to dwindle and Houston was still down 10, I popped into the Boneyard to see that Tarris Reed Jr had announced his return. I briefly considered your Wednesday evening post in the McNeeley thread that claimed the return of Ball and/or Reed as "unlikely," but my priority was to relate the good news to my sister, with whom I was texting. You weren't worth my effort then; I'd figured you had appropriately disappeared for now.

After little sis & I exchanged happy thoughts & feelings, I told her that it would only be grumpiness for me not to acknowledge that Cooper Flagg is quite good. I followed it by saying that Duke looked pretty good too. And from there, it naturally followed that maybe such compliments were needed to jinx Duke, and I expressed regret for not having thought of that sooner.

By the time I'd written, "You're welcome" as the game ended, we'd also agreed that Kneupel (whose name I never spelled the same way twice) was Cam-ishly good.

Even at the end, Houston had to survive the foolish endline technical foul and the missed (and unreviewable) kicked ball off of a Duke foot. It wasn't quite the perfect game that the 2004 Huskies pitched in the semi-finals, but it was very delightful in its own way.

You're right that Duke played a lot of good games and often looked quite strong. Scheyer closed the season 4-1, which is no easy accomplishment. I don't think he'll be like Rick Barnes, whose sole Final 4 was in 2003 coaching at Texas. So enjoy the best of your take, and learn to take your losses well when you throw your shade at UConn. Your handle deserves much more than you bring to it.

 

[gsmooth]

 

[Drame]

It's a bit deceptive in the still. Roberts has thrown his left arm into Flagg in a perfectly legal way and Flagg is trying to maneuver around him. You can see Flagg's hands are open, not holding him. All of this is just natural contact that happens when contesting a rebound.

Again, it doesn't ultimately matter because that call did not cause Duke to lose.

It couldnt be anymore clear here. The arm that is holding down Roberts arm is the one that gets the ball.

 

[HooperScooper]

Top 3 all time chock?

Houston was chock full of nuts.

 

[temery]

The obsession with Cooper Flagg is mind boggling.

He passed on UConn, so I've passed on him. The only way I'll root for Cooper is if he plays for the Celtics.

 

[JeffConn]

If Flagg was after a National Championship he would have come to UConn.

Add him to our squad and we threepeat.

Between a lot of his family members being Duke fans, Flagg undoubtedly believed with all his previous basketball success that he along with all his fellow 5-star Duke teammates could get a National Championship for Duke this year playing for a less accomplished head coach than Hurley. If Flagg really wants it, he can stay at Duke another year and try again there; or enter the portal and come to UConn. I suspect he'll do neither; with his talent, draft day awaits!

 

[Ewekon]

Awesome. Kelvin Sampson never called a timeout down the stretch. Just pressure defense and trusting in his tough, never say die young men.

Reminder that great defense and toughness can overcome just about anything and it terrifies the faint of heart.

Said Trajan Langdon

 

[cullaville]

Duke losing is always more exciting for me than Uconn winning it all.

I still have nightmares of 1990. Drinking a blue moon tallboy to celebrate.

hoping this is sarcasm.. If not it is like being glad that someone you don't like did not win powerball instead of you being happy that you won powerball.

Duke losing is always more exciting for me than Uconn winning it all.

I still have nightmares of 1990. Drinking a blue moon tallboy to celebrate.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

He is as good as advertised. ESPN had that all queued up for championship pregame show. Darn! Haha.

I would hate Duke a lot less if it wasn't for ESPN.

ESPN makes me feel like it's everyone's duty who roots for someone other than Duke to passionately and vociferously hate Duke because of ESPN's insane love affair with them. It's a good thing, people!

 

[Inyatkin]

The obsession with Cooper Flagg is mind boggling.

Why? He was national player of the year and almost came here. Seems worthy of discussion.

 

[alphasigko]

Is this true or an AI parody?

 

[HooperScooper]

Is this true or an AI parody?

What do you think? Lol

 

[temery]

Why? He was national player of the year and almost came here. Seems worthy of discussion.

I doubt he was ever going anywhere other than Duke.

 

[superjohn]

I'm already tired of hearing about the foul on Flagg after the missed free throw.

That was not a similar to, for example, Rumeal Robinson.

There were 20 seconds left with Duke up one. The worst (realistic) possibility for Duke (due to the foul call) would be down one with a little less than 20 seconds. Without the foul, Houston would have been in that situation.

I know without question that if any of our championship teams had that situation, inbounding the ball after a made free throw, down one, just under 20 seconds left, we win that game by making a go ahead basket with less than four seconds left.

Houston had the ball anyways, Duke was going to have to foul them.