Virginia - It Went a Little Like This.....

[EarlJam]

Duke Gets Plum Physical, Survives to Beat Virginia

Atlanta, GA - EarlJam's Recliner - Okay, so I sat down on a cold, windy night in Atlanta to watch this game. Yes, I had the standard plate of nachos, cheese and jalapenos in lap (Yummers!). Okay, first, the most important news: Duke won 61-58 to push its record to 2-0 in the ACC, 14-2 overall. Also, the win gave the Blue Devils its 44th consecutive victory in the sanctuary and temple of all that is wonderful about college basketball that is known as Cameron Indoor Stadium (GOD I LOVE THAT PLACE).

What I noticed immediatly was bone-rattling intensive defense by Virginia in the first half, combined with excellent and very disciplined ball movement. Almost every time down the floor, Duke seemed to be starting its offense from mid-court, having to battle its way in. Meanwhile, Virginia was driving to the hoop, moving without the ball, and making that extra pass that often led to a lay-up, a slam dunk, or a three-pointer by Mike Scott - dude had 18 in the first half alone (NOT a sign of things to come though (hee hee)).

They'd drive to the hoop, then dish and I'd say, "DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYMN," and curse and eat some nachos, marveling at what a low scoring game I was watching. At one point in the first half, I opened my stuffed mouth of cheese and tortilla chips and said, "They're only on pace to score 50 this game! They average in the 70s!"

Anyway, that Mike Scott dude hit a "3" towards the end of the half, and Virgina hit their final 7 shots to cap a great first half and a 32-28 lead at the intermission. I was upset, but not panicking. Duke, while they failed to do so against Temple, makes better halftime adjustments than anybody. Props to great shots by Dawson to keep the score that close in the first half. He was sensational.

Okay, second half. Someone must have said something very encouraging or very upsetting to Mason Plumlee because he came out of the locker room like a man possessed, or on many, many Vivarins. His play was tough, rough – both on offense and defense and Duke needed that. There was the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY with Mason. The GOOD: Along with his physical presence underneath, Mason was asserting himself by making some serious moves to the hoop. Drop step moves. Back down moves in the post. Hook shots. He was playing post ball and making good, effective moves that scored! The BAD: Well, let’s just combine the BAD with the UGLY to make, BADUGLY. You know what it is. The Free Throws. At one point, 2-10. Some of his free throws were backboard-rattling missiles of brackish thunder. They were disasters. What can he do about this? It’s so mental that I’m not sure how much practice can really help.

Anyway, as bad as his free throw shooting was, the GOOD made up for it. I loved seeing his post moves, and his drives to the hoops. More of THAT Mason!

Oh and Tyler Thorton added to a re-energized Duke team’s efforts with a sensational drive and score of his own and a pin-point accurate three-quarter court-length pass to Miles Plumlee that resulted in a Cameron-Rocking, thunderous jam that fueled Duke’s comeback and eventual lead-taking assault.

Once Duke got the lead, they never gave it up (I don’t think). For most of the 2nd half, a half that saw me, EarlJam, finish off my wonderful nachos, Duke maintained a comfortable 5-9 point lead. It was a fun, entertaining half to watch. Oh, and wow did they step up the defensive effort!

Now, I was really disappointed in Dukes’ finish. Yes, Mason missed his free throws. That’s “page five” news. What was “headline news” was Ryan Kelly missing his free throws in a very clutch time of the game when Virginia was mounting a mini-comeback. They had cut the lead down to four or five or so when Kelly went to the line with under a minute (or was it just over a minute?) to go. Kelly missed BOTH free throws. I know, you can’t get down on him. Ryan has shown he can be very clutch too.

But as a team, Duke just simply didn’t finish well. They weren’t blocking out, they weren’t taking good shots, they were turning it over, and they just acted a bit like they already had the game won when they surely didn’t.

After Ryan Kelly almost killed one of the Virginia players with a defensive stab to the nose and eyeball, the Cavaliers finally got the ball back with under ten seconds to play, and down only THREE. They got two looks at a three, with the second one just missing as time expired (THANK GOD).

So Duke managed to survive………….I say again, SURVIVE, with a three point 61-58 win and walk off of Coach K Court 2-0 in the ACC.

UGLY, just plain UGLY…………………but a win is a win.

Later that night, I had some Lucky Charms and read some in the new book “The Last Great Game,” by Gene Wojciechowski. It’s great so far, and will be a quick read. I was happy, and fell asleep and dreamed about the police looking for me.

Also, Austin Rivers hit a very long three-pointer during the game. I forgot to mention that. I was like, “DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYMN! That was taken from the Duke Chapel entrance! Buckets!”

Anyway, that’s all. Good win. On to the next game.

-EarlJam

P.S. Ooooooh! I also forgot to mention that Duke totally put the clamps on Mike Scott in the second half. Not sure what he finished with, but as hot as he started (18 in the first half), I know he didn't score much at ALL in the second half. That was noteworthy.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Nice summary, EJ! Well done. Where's the "like" button?

You didn't mention the suck-ass job done by the refs. They tried their best to hose us, but we fought through it and won anyway! We get mauled with no call and then we're called for touch fouls against them. Or did it not appear that way on TV? What was your opinion of the two goal tending calls? Well, actually the first one was a non call when the UVA player flushed on on the rim (K went ballistic at that non call.) And the second was the call against Ryan, which clearly wasn't goat tending.

[EarlJam]

Apologies for the somewhat negative headline. If I could change it, I would. I'd change it to something like:

Duke Gets Plum Physical, Survives to Beat Virginia

-EarlJam

[captmojo]

... And the second was the call against Ryan, which clearly wasn't goat tending.

Ughhh....actually it was. It happened so quickly, you had to have slo-mo replay to see it.
That damn goat!

[captmojo]

1) Okay, s The Free Throws. At one point, 2-10. Some of his free throws were backboard-rattling missiles of brackish thunder. They were disasters. What can he do about this? It’s so mental that I’m not sure how much practice can really help.
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2) But as a team, Duke just simply didn’t finish well. They weren’t blocking out...
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3) P.S. Ooooooh! I also forgot to mention that Duke totally put the clamps on Mike Scott in the second half. Not sure what he finished with, but as hot as he started (18 in the first half), I know he didn't score much at ALL in the second half. That was noteworthy.

1) His free-throw shooting is atrocious. But, practice is exactly what he needs... 10% mental/90% physical.
I once had a pet Halibut. I picked him out of thousands. I didn't like the others. They were all too flat!
He has to find a new set of sights for visioning the arc flight of the ball on it's path to the rim. He has to bear in mind that this is not a jump-hook that has a downward path to the basket. This will involve a lot of work on his mechanics, and he's gonna need help.

2) This is particularly distressing. I am not a fan of the double-down without help, that leaves the unguarded man to freely drive to the hole. Somebody has to be assigned the 'lookout', and perform. Also, the defensive style Duke plays must find adjustments that will limit the 'back-door' plays that they give up.

3) Very noteworthy of how the defensive distance gap was shortened up on Scott in the second half. His looks at a shot were significantly time shortened thus translating into less accurate attempts. Mason should maybe key in on this note as to it's relation to his tribulations at the line.

All else to your report, I agree with...except the peppers. I don't mind a little spice, but I don't want my foods to hurt me...in either direction.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

... And the second was the call against Ryan, which clearly wasn't goat tending.

Ughhh....actually it was. It happened so quickly, you had to have slo-mo replay to see it.
That damn goat!

Really? You're shitting me, aren't you? It looked like the centerline of the ball was WAY outside the rim to us, by a lot, and the ball wasn't touching the rim. You're saying otherwise? I don't have a replay to look at.

[EarlJam]

... And the second was the call against Ryan, which clearly wasn't goat tending.

Ughhh....actually it was. It happened so quickly, you had to have slo-mo replay to see it.
That damn goat!

Really? You're shitting me, aren't you? It looked like the centerline of the ball was WAY outside the rim to us, by a lot, and the ball wasn't touching the rim. You're saying otherwise? I don't have a replay to look at.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!! A FIGHT!

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Actually, I remember the play but it DID happen so fast.

Either way, I thought it was a fairly evenly called game. I saw the Plumlees get by with some pushes but also saw Miles get called for some tacky moving screens. There were a few touch fouls that went against Virginia too.

-EarlJam

[captmojo]

I have never been aware of anything other than that the rule relating to any of the ball in the overhead plane of the basket cylinder...not just the centerline or more, of the ball. I don't believe that, in this instance, more than half of the ball was in the cylinder and throw myself prostrate on the mercy of the rules God if I am wrong. I also don't think it actually has to be in contact with the rim, only over it, to infinity.
I may not aways be right, but I'm never wrong.
Kelly hit the ball from underneath as it rolled off. I don't think it would have gone in. There appeared to be straight off the board spin as it was coming off.

[EarlJam]

I also don't think it actually has to be in contact with the rim, only over it, to infinity.

.....and beyond!

-Buzz LightJam

P.S. By the way, for this particular part of it, as it relates to the rules, that's what I've also always thought.

[ArkieDukie]

Nice summary, EJ!

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

I enjoyed your CTN Basketball Analysis Summary of the Duke Uva game. I love Nachos!

[IowaDevil]

Good job EJ!