Duke at UNC

[Sports Guy]

BTW, Duke has won 7 of the last 10 in the K...err I mean Dean Dome.

[beaner]

What Duke lacks in size, they make it up in athleticism. Nelson and Henderson play much taller than they are.

This is one talented and deep Duke team...Love watching them play.

They're pretty good, I'll admit it.

Honestly though Rob, how different do you think it could have been with Lawson? I realize it's hard to speculate, but I think it would have been much closer. As close as we got a few times, I never felt we would win tonight.

[Sports Guy]

They're pretty good, I'll admit it.

Honestly though Rob, how different do you think it could have been with Lawson? I realize it's hard to speculate, but I think it would have been much closer. As close as we got a few times, I never felt we would win tonight.

Sure, Lawson makes a big difference.

But a few things tonight that likely Lawson would have had no control over:

1) Nelson being in and out of the game due to foul trouble.

2) Duke missing FTs

3) Duke having the rebound margin for the last 25-30 minutes of the game

TH had as big a game as he would with or without Lawson.

So, i am not sure they win with or without Lawson...Its tough to say. All I know is for all the UNC love to start this year, i think Duke is the better TEAM right now.

[beaner]

Sure, Lawson makes a big difference.

But a few things tonight that likely Lawson would have had no control over:

1) Nelson being in and out of the game due to foul trouble.

2) Duke missing FTs

3) Duke having the rebound margin for the last 25-30 minutes of the game

TH had as big a game as he would with or without Lawson.

So, i am not sure they win with or without Lawson...Its tough to say. All I know is for all the UNC love to start this year, i think Duke is the better TEAM right now.

Can't really argue with anything you said. Although a few of Thomas' turnovers early would not have been committed by Lawson. But it is too hard to say.

I guess based on the results tonight and the standings, Duke is the better team right now. With all things being equal though, I'll take my chances with this Tar Heel team.

I do think both teams are legit contenders for the national championship.

[Sports Guy]

Can't really argue with anything you said. Although a few of Thomas' turnovers early would not have been committed by Lawson. But it is too hard to say.

I guess based on the results tonight and the standings, Duke is the better team right now. With all things being equal though, I'll take my chances with this Tar Heel team.

I do think both teams are legit contenders for the national championship.

The thing is, how much is Lawson effected with Nelson on him? Nelson is a very good on ball defender..as is Nolan Smith.

So, maybe Lawson committs those TOs as well.

Another thing I didn't mention was how, on several different occassions, how Lance Thomas was able to take TH on the offensive end. He played great tonight...Thomas is a guy that you need on your team to help you win...Rebounder, scrappy guy..Gets on the floor...Does all the little things.

Tonight, he scored. He was huge for Duke.

[Sports Guy]

BTW, it was great hearing Vitale tonight.

[beaner]

BTW, it was great hearing Vitale tonight.

I had ESPN blacked out, I got Packer and Brando.

Thomas was huge for Duke, and He and Henderson were monsters with the blocked shots. I hate to admit it, but Duke impressed me.

[Sports Guy]

I had ESPN blacked out, I got Packer and Brando.

Thomas was huge for Duke, and He and Henderson were monsters with the blocked shots. I hate to admit it, but Duke impressed me.

Watched the game tonight on the Verizon cable...I think that's why it wasn't blacked out...Not sure why it would matter but Comcast didn't carry it on ESPN I don't think.

[Pushmonkey]

Watched the game tonight on the Verizon cable...I think that's why it wasn't blacked out...Not sure why it would matter but Comcast didn't carry it on ESPN I don't think.

Does Verizon cable have the local channel that shows Raycom sports?

Also it was nice to see just a hard fought clean/classy game for a change.

[Sports Guy]

Does Verizon cable have the local channel that shows Raycom sports?

Also it was nice to see just a hard fought clean/classy game for a change.

Yes...........

[beaner]

Watched the game tonight on the Verizon cable...I think that's why it wasn't blacked out...Not sure why it would matter but Comcast didn't carry it on ESPN I don't think.

We have Direct TV and I was hoping the ESPN feed would be on our "ESPN alternate", but we got stuck with Texas Tech/Baylor. I got to see Vitale having some fun with the Tar Heel students before the game on ESPN News. Agreed it'll be nice to have him back. He loves the Heels too.

[Dr. FLK]

We have Direct TV and I was hoping the ESPN feed would be on our "ESPN alternate", but we got stuck with Texas Tech/Baylor. I got to see Vitale having some fun with the Tar Heel students before the game on ESPN News. Agreed it'll be nice to have him back. He loves the Heels too.

If only he could leave Mike Patrick at home. I can't stomach that guy.

[O'sHeelsFan]

Sure, Lawson makes a big difference.

But a few things tonight that likely Lawson would have had no control over:

1) Nelson being in and out of the game due to foul trouble.

2) Duke missing FTs

3) Duke having the rebound margin for the last 25-30 minutes of the game

TH had as big a game as he would with or without Lawson.

So, i am not sure they win with or without Lawson...Its tough to say. All I know is for all the UNC love to start this year, i think Duke is the better TEAM right now.

IMO they win w/ Lawson. The offense for the Heels is just completely out of sync w/o him. Thomas played better in the 2nd half, but he was just awful in the first half. There were a number of times when Q had the ball and I was thinking 'if that were Lawson, we'd be shooting a lay up right now' in the transition game. Q has a hard time going by people, and his passes just aren't accurate enough. This affects the fast break and the half court offense. And while Lawson is not a great defender, he is better than Q, and may have helped at least a little on the perimeter defense.

W/o Lawson, guys just don't seem to know how to get the ball into the post. I think the lack of continuity on offense, including the struggles of Ellington and Green, were directly related to Lawson's absence. I stressed his importance to this team at the beginning of the year, and it was never more evident than last night.

That being said, I also stated at the beginning the 'Heels Thread' that Duke was very scary. I was right then, and I'm even more right now. They are very, very good, and played well last night. Is Paulus going to start missing threes soon? That might help...

[O'sHeelsFan]

Roy got outcoached tonight. It was close, and it was a good game, but neither team really looked like a top-5 team from what I saw (admittedly not the whole game). Not sure how to describe it. Both teams just looked sloppy.

Losing Lawson hurts, but that really can't be the excuse...Carolina has more than enough players to win this game and they did not utilize them well, IMO. Also didn't help that Duke turned into a mid-major with the three-pointers.

No offense, but I think you are way off here. Carolina had a lot more go against them than just Lawson being out:

1. Deon Thompson had a great first half, but picked up his 4th foul w/ about 17 minutes to go. HUGE moment. This affected offense a bunch, because Stepheson is a real stiff on that end - he turned it over twice in a row right after he came in for Thompson, in fact.

2. Ellington couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Terrible game from him, though a lot of his shots were halfway down it seemed.

3. Green did absolutely nothing on offense.

4. Hansborough had a big game, how many points can you expect him to score, really? W/O Thompson to share the burden, it's pretty tough.

5. Yes, Duke hit some wide open threes in the first. But this NC team hasn't been good on defense all year - it's not how they are built. I can't blame Roy because Paulus decided to make every shot he took.

So basically, our top two PG's are out, our top two perimeter scorers had off nights (at least partially related to the PG being out), our PF was in foul trouble, our All American had a huge game, and Duke, the #2 team in the country, had a hot shooting night. What did Roy do wrong again?

None of this has anything to do w/ coaching, the Heels were undermanned, which you can't be against the #2 team in the country - even if you are the #3 team!

[O'sHeelsFan]

If only he could leave Mike Patrick at home. I can't stomach that guy.

Patrick was awful last night, and I have liked him through the years. I think he has lost it. I noticed several times he kept getting confused about who was playing w/ four fouls. It was Deon Thompson and DeMarcus Nelson, but he kept talking about Lance Thomas.

I don't think he's bad, just getting old, his best days are way behind him. Kind of like Pat Summerall at the end of his career.

Fantastic to have Vitale back though. The guy is great ambassador for the game, no matter whether you love him or hate him (I love him, personally).