By Harold
Duke and UNC played back-to-back on ESPN last night, and the results were as good as it gets for a Duke fan.
Not just the outcomes, which were somewhat predictable — Duke beat unranked BC at home, UNC lost to No. 19 Clemson on the road — but the margin (both 20-point games) and the ramifications for the NCAA tournament.
Without an NBA big man like Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer, Duke teams usually rely on the 3-point shot. If they go in, the Blue Devils win. If not, the results will be ugly, like when Duke went 5-of-27 in the NCAA tournament and lost to Villanova, or went 6-of-28 Saturday and lost to Georgia Tech.
Well, last night Duke shot just 1-of-12, but they managed to score by creating turnovers and driving the ball.
“We only hit one three today and still scored 79 points,” Coach K said. “Last year we wouldn’t have won a game like that. We had to hit threes.”
Added Miles Plumlee: “I think that gives all of us a lot more confidence as a team. In the past, when the three is not falling for us, that is usually when we lose a game and trip up. Now that we have the whole team together, if that [outside shooting] is not there, we have other options. It is really good for us.”
A big problem for Duke in the NCAA tournament has always been the improbability of six straight games where the Blue Devils hit their outside shots, and you need to go 6-0 to win the title. It just hasn’t happened recently, even with guys like J.J. Redick. B.C. is not a great team, but to see Duke win without the 3, despite not having an NBA-ready big man, is a great sign for March.
On the other hand, UNC was dominated early and never got back in it. Sure, the same thing happened to Duke at Clemson last year, but I’m pretty sure Coach K didn’t use that postgame press conference to throw his players under the bus like Roy Williams did last night: ”We turned the ball over 15 times, had two veterans that couldn’t pass and catch.”
Then again, Williams also placed blame on himself: “I just coached a poor game tonight. (Clemson) had a tremendous sense of urgency and tremendous passion. … There is no reason but to say that the head coach did a poor job. We need to have a better sense of urgency and poise. It was the veterans tonight that had trouble. I want to congratulate Clemson and Oliver Purnell. We came in and wanted to do a good job on Booker and Stitt tonight and they both had 11 in the first half. It all just goes back to the head coach.”
All in all, a fun four hours for Duke fans. And with ESPN having ACC doubleheaders every Wednesday, expect many more back-to-back games featuring Duke and UNC.
Laura
Harold
