Duke Game Thread

General275

Please post comments here.

SFN in the middle of the game — I just want to go on record that Les Jones is officiating this game. Just want to go on record. More later.

SFN with 9 minutes in the game – why in holy hell is Javi Gonzalez in the friggin game!?!?!

About VaWolf82

Engineer living in Central Va. and senior curmudgeon amongst SFN authors One wife, two kids, one dog, four vehicles on insurance, and four phones on cell plan...looking forward to empty nest status. Graduated 1982

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275 Responses to Duke Game Thread

  1. choppack1 01/20/2009 at 9:57 PM #

    “we have things to build on, but it is so difficult for us to put together a consistent effort.”

    I remember on another thread where a certain coach was denigrated for preaching consistency. Perhaps they aren’t being pushed consistently in practice or perhaps, they just haven’t made enough big plays against good teams in enough good games. They may just need some positive reinforcement.

    Like I said, we’ll learn alot about this team vs. BC. Also, let’s face it, when fatigue sets in, you break down a bit mentally. And athletically, we just can’t afford to make mental mistakes – yet.

    I saw lots of good things tonight – one thing that does concern me – Mays looked way out of rhythm and out of sorts at the end of the game. We need him confident and available. I’d like to see more of him and Degand on the floor at the same time.

  2. turfpack 01/20/2009 at 9:58 PM #

    The reason for Dook turn around was they hit almost all their open 3’s in the second half.I thought we got a little tired late in the second half- Sid tried to help with subs but it didn’t seem to help much-when you go to Dook that’s not unexpected.We did play a soild game for most of it-Sid coached a good game with the players he had and almost pull it off.I think we will learn from this experience.

  3. Pack1997 01/20/2009 at 9:58 PM #

    I have two problems with this team, we have no point guard and we have no 3 point shooter. Both of those would have helped us tonight. Both those fall on Sid for not having any on the team. Effort was good but we have no way of coming back on a team when we are down by 8 with 2 minutes to go……we have no shooters.

  4. wolfpackrich 01/20/2009 at 9:59 PM #

    Let me be brutally honest – I’m ready for Courtney Fells
    to leave. Just go, please!!!!! He has to be one of the
    absolute dumbest players I’ve ever seen. Especially for a senior. He provides NO leadership and is plain and simple a dumbass. He’s lost on defense. Get Herbie’s kids gone. And take Farnold with you!!

  5. newt 01/20/2009 at 10:03 PM #

    I’m pleased.

    1 – A poorly coached team doesn’t play Duke at Cameron this well.

    2 – The young guys looked capable.

    3 – At 3:00 I said to the TV – “Just keep playing hard, and I’ll be happy.” I thought they did play hard.

    4 – Who was the black ref that turned his back on the whining, astonished Kryaorshuvki? Sweet moment. I liked that guy at that moment (screenshot anybody?).

    5 – Lowe looked pissed/upset at the end. I like that. He hates to lose. That’s his rep, and that’s how he looked.

    I wanted to win, but I was proud of the team tonight. They didn’t back down. That’s all I ask this year. Play that way all the time, and we’ll win some games. Tonight we looked like the top-35 team that we can be. That’s just where we are in my view. We need to steal a win to make up for Florida State. That’s my view.

    Epilogue – Gminski was friendly to us tonight; maybe the earing has mellowed him out.

  6. Iremember87 01/20/2009 at 10:03 PM #

    Did Mays play in the second half prior to the 1:45 to go mark? Why Javi even still has a uniform is beyond me.

  7. benniebolton 01/20/2009 at 10:03 PM #

    did Mays piss in Sid’s cornflakes, why have you got javi getting important minutes in 2nd half and little/no Mays? Same old story for us Wolfpackers, competitive for 3/4 of the game, dam we disappeared in the last 5, Singler has 4 fouls w/a lot of time and we don’t go after him???? or not enough. Turnovers were the story though

  8. Justin Gainey 01/20/2009 at 10:04 PM #

    OMG. We were outscored 19 to 3 in the final 7 minutes. We were losing 54 to 53

  9. benniebolton 01/20/2009 at 10:05 PM #

    Iremember87, definitely thinking along the same lines

  10. Justin Gainey 01/20/2009 at 10:05 PM #

    Why is Javi even playing. he should be the third string pg

  11. Wulfpack 01/20/2009 at 10:06 PM #

    This BC game is HUGE. Build on tonight and win and there’s still hope for some sort of postseason appearance. Lose and it’ll be all uphill from there at 1-4.

  12. BSIE80 01/20/2009 at 10:06 PM #

    If Thomas could shoot, Fells could ride the bench, such an idiot. For every 1 good play he has 10 bad plays.

    Sid needs to have Thomas shoot 3’s all day long so he can step into this position. He looks like he can do everything else ok and he hustles.

    Also, when was the last time Horner made an outside shot. The guy was suppose to be an outside shooter and he can’t hit anything.
    I sure hope Scott Wood isn’t the same guy.

    PG is another story. We will have to watch the 3 headed monster all year- because none of them are good enough to takeover the position.

    We need to mix them together- Degand’s speed down the court- May’s in between game, and Javi’s dribbling routine. We would still have to put up with the turnovers, but we might could get more points/assists.

    What happen to Ben at the end? Tracy replaced him and they were trying to go down low for scoring. Seemed odd, since he was playing a decent game.

  13. WolfEyes 01/20/2009 at 10:07 PM #

    We played a decent game for about 33 minutes. Johnny Thomas played good hustle ball, but missed a wide open 3, and Duke scored in the following possession. We then committed about 3 straight turnovers. Game over after that. Looking back, I felt Sid left the second string in a little too long. Costner and McCauley had solid games. They deserved a break, but I have noticed it takes a while for those guys to get back in the flow after sitting out for an extended period of time.

  14. Pack1998 01/20/2009 at 10:07 PM #

    Alright – I’ve vented.

    Big picture – I don’t care what anyone says or writes, we actually have a team that can compete with anyone if we come ready and play hard. That feels like a curse for a fan though.

    Almost every loss this year has been started by a meltdown at 10 mins left to play. The consistency at which it has occured almost leads to causation behind it . . . coaching, player rotation, endurance, who the heck knows.

  15. Justin Gainey 01/20/2009 at 10:07 PM #

    That FSU game is going to come back and haunt us

  16. benniebolton 01/20/2009 at 10:08 PM #

    the substitutions do still make you wonder….

  17. Iremember87 01/20/2009 at 10:08 PM #

    Bennie-You got it. It was obvious Singler wasn’t going to be called for 5 and it was downhill from there. I kept thinking the whole second half that Mays must have done something to piss Sid off. That made no sense.

  18. turnoffthetv 01/20/2009 at 10:08 PM #

    I ask myself 1 question? Did I expect the end result to be anything other than what it was? NO! Anyone that’s been tuning into to PACK Ball the last bout 20 years knows the MELTDOWN is coming. It’s not a question of if, it is when? I was raising hell at the half up by 4. But I know us all too well. A lead is never secure at the half no matter the margin, no matter the coach, no matter what, I hate it and im tired of it. WHY in the F*** did JAVI G PLAY in this game? Thing that make you go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?

  19. hball57 01/20/2009 at 10:08 PM #

    Two key plays for me, and they both involved refs. Fells 3 foul on Henderson, which was really touchy. It was so early it took away Fells aggressiveness … I think he had done a good job on Henderson up to that point. As hard as Williams and Thomas tried to defend him. Then the no call on the drive by Degand when we were down 3, which I don’t understand how they do not call that. (I know, I know, it’s at Cameron!).

    The key to the rest of our season is, can we put that kind of effort in against the BC’s, and Virginia, Virginia Tech and Maryland. If we can, ther are wins out there for us.

  20. Wulfpack 01/20/2009 at 10:11 PM #

    Anyone else notice Degand get drilled on his lay-up attempt and no call? Typical Dukie no call at Cameron. Of the three, I liked Degand’s play tonight. Very aggressive. Some heady passes. A few suspect turnovers, but hell everybody has those on this team.

  21. BassPacker 01/20/2009 at 10:12 PM #

    Tonites game showed that having a PG with some skill and brains could be the main factor in our poor play. Javi just seems to kill momentum and team confidence when he’s on the floor. When Mays makes good decisions, the team rolls.

    Defense was outstanding tonite. If this team could eliminate so many freaking turnovers and find someone who can be close to an ACC caliber PG, then perhaps Sid can turn the corner.

    What happened to Fells, he looked so promising his first couple years with athletic and acrobatic plays. Now its just WTF play.

  22. newt 01/20/2009 at 10:12 PM #

    We definitely went after Singler to get that 5th foul and couldn’t get the call.

  23. Sweet jumper 01/20/2009 at 10:12 PM #

    Great effort for 33 minutes. Duke had their way the last 7 minutes as the turnovers piled up too quickly. I really like Mays, Williams, Thomas and Smith. They will be very valuable over the next several years. DeGand also played well. Gonzales has lost all confidence and should not play in any tight ball games due to multiple unforced turnovers game after game this season. The team is improving, but they really need to start finishing these games. They have now lead Davidson, Marquette, Florida and Duke at halftime and have lost all four games as the other teams came out and took control of the second halves of these games. Keep playing hard Pack and work hard on protecting the ball on EVERY possession.

  24. wufpup76 01/20/2009 at 10:13 PM #

    “I sure did get excited! I thought Obama had already changed things!”

    he he he!

    And that earring looked AWFUL on Gminski

    Duke really locked down on us over the last 10 minutes and we suffered our standard late 2nd half collapse (though I put this one more in the fatigue / credit the other team category)

    The way our guys played on D in the first half was the big reason I had predicted 8-8 in the OTR thread … We ARE a much better defensive and rebounding team this season, but the efforts are still missing consistency … Obviously, we probably won’t come close to 8-8, either

    ^All that said, I thought our efforts had really improved this season until the complete meltdown against FSU … At this point, I’d be pretty happy to get to 4 or 5 conference wins (if even that many)

    Still, no acidic comments from me b/c I was proud of the team on the floor tonight – and that is a dramatic change

  25. red-enough 01/20/2009 at 10:13 PM #

    Fells needs to find the bench.
    The only beef I have with Lowe tonight is that he didn’t give Degand enough rest during the 2nd half…. he left Julius over there (on the bench) until less than 2 mins left in the game…. Javi relieved him for about 4 minutes in at the midway point of the 2nd half… but Degand got tired and played like pure chit from the 7 minute mark down to the 2 min mark when Julius finally found the floor again. That bothered me, but our boys hustled (save Courtney), and played hard… I agree with the earlier poster that said, once we got tired Duke’s talent level took over.
    Did I mention Fells needs to find the bench??

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