Duke vs. Miami - It Went a Little Like This...

[EarlJam]

Miami, Bigfoot, Rock Duke Like a Hurricane

Marietta, GA Feb. 5, EarlJam’s Recliner – On a balmy winter’s day, I, EarlJam completed reading through the fourth chapter of “One Second After” and settled in with plate of french fries and vegetable soup to watch Duke and Miami at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

What I witnessed was rather horrific, and it ended in a 78-74 Duke loss, dropping Duke out of a first-place tie in the ACC. But losing wasn’t the toughest part of this experience. It’s HOW Duke lost.

After eating a full turkey dinner, and sharing a box of Unisom, the Duke team took the floor to play the Hurricanes, who were led by their center, Bigfoot. Bigfoot (a.k.a. Reggie Johnson), pretty much had his way as he threw Duke players around like a 16-pound bowling ball going through balsa wood bowling pins in a bowling alley (where else would bowling pins be?). Anyway, as Duke lumbered up and down the floor, wearing weights on their ankles, the Miami Hurricanes jumped out to something like a 12 or 13 or was it 15 point lead at the half?

With one-tenth of a second left on the clock, Duke fouled this guy from Miami and he went to the line and converted, extending the lead. This continued the disturbing trend of seeing other teams score the last bucket on us at the half (though R. Kelly did that a couple of games ago). Ticks me off. Both Florida teams did it to us – odd, momentum increasing “at-the-half” buckets. What a pisser.

It wasn’t pretty…..at all. In addition to playing lethargic and rather uninterested, Duke was making horrible decisions on passing, shooting, defense, taunting, thinking, dreaming and pretty much everything in-between.

Everyone was expecting Duke to come out on fire in the second half. “You know the runs coming,” the announcer kept saying, and eventually it did come. I just realized I did not put an apostrophe on "runs." I went to change it then realized the error kind of fits the context, so to hell with it. Because even though the Duke "run" did come, well, so did the "runs" for Duke (in overtime, at the foul line). Also, the team kind of stunk up the joint, like the runs would do.....you know? Duke went on a 16-2 spurt and even jumped out to a one point lead with only minutes remaining.

While still perplexed at the Jekell & Hyde performance, most Duke fans were simply relieved that Duke had come back and were probably going to win the game. The defense was suddenly playing with passion and Curry and Rivers were leading the offensive charge.

It would be much like Pickett’s Charge.

Valiant, determined, strong, courageous, and working, but just not enough. Duke missed a key free throw late and survived Miami’s last second attempt to win….which was really no attempt at all, rather, a first-rate brain cramp.

Anyway, on to overtime.

Had Duke made a couple of free throws the game would have very likely been won by the good guys. They had six attempts. Following are the results:

CLANK
KLUNK
BWONG
CLANG
BOING
DOINK

Mason Plumlee, who I was expecting to fly off into a much-needed rage in the first half to match Miami’s intensity and to pump his teammates up, got a dunk in the overtime and alas put on his “I am filled with fury” face. Forty-four minutes into the game and Mason says, “I’ve had enough!” A little late Mason.

Anyway, that’s it. It sucked.

Coach K basically, and I paraphrase here, said, “Screw it. These guys will learn sooner or later that you have to play the entire 40+ minutes.”

Duke falls to 6-2 in conference play with both losses coming at home and remains 0-Florida. Again, what a pisser. Got to get it right soon though. The Evil Stench from Chapel Hill is Wednesday.

Perhaps Duke can meet for some pre-game coffees and Red Bulls and deliver unc a loss on their home court. It sure is needed.

Lame report, but not too fired up after a crappy loss like that.

-EarlJam

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

You got it right EJ.

During the 2nd half, in the last few minutes, when Duke had gone on a run, and someone threw the ball completely out of bounds, the Camera pans over to the Bench and Coach K, just wipes his forehead, in dismay and shaking his head, in disappointment.

I agree the Team looked like they ate a full Thanksgiving meal, and time to take a nap before any games on TV that evening.

Coach K .... very broken hearted and "DISAPPOINTED" in the way his Team played and executed the game, or lack thereof.

Coach K said at BDC, 1.5 weeks ago, that this team needs the fans cheering and all.........But CAMERON seemed very loud on TV, and on Duke Radio. (Duke did win big time games on the road...Maryland and VaTech). Coach K also said during BDC, that this TEAM is trying to find its identity.

Would shooting "FREE THROWS" for at least 2 hours a day, help in finding an Identity? Would that bring CONFIDENCE from the Charity Stripe?

EJ.... good recap and summary!

Thank goodness, the Super Bowl was a good event. Great Game to the very end, great commercials and Good Halftime show from Madonna. Good to See NY GIANTS win again, and ELI MANNING, win MVP award. Coach Cutcliff, I know is very proud!!!

[IowaDevil]

Ugly game, ugly outcome! Onward and upward cuz I know these guys are capable of bigger and better things!

LGD