Duke@MD 2/11

[mweb]

BTW, here is what scouts love(his line tonight):

20pts, 8 rebs, 4 blocks, 2 steals. He only had one assist tonight but is normally good for 3-4 a night.

He is a stat sheet filler.

Fox kept showing stats about Duke's offense when it went through McRoberts and when it didn't. When it did, the offense was much better. His ability to pass and extend the defense makes them a better offense.

His line from the game is much more impressive if you just look at it compared to if you actually watched the game, which scouts obviously do. He was basically out classed by Gist and Ibekwe, hardly great NBA prospects. He was able to fill up the stat sheet against a slow mediocre big man in Bowers and an undersized big man in Osby. I'm not saying he can't be a solid NBA player, but the MD game is not one to reference to back up a point about his NBA potential.

[mweb]

He is more atheltic and a better ball handler than Walton.

He is a combination of different guys....I am not sure there is one player like him in the pros.

He's probably a better jumper, but otherwise I don't think he's more athletic than Walton, and there's no way he's a better ball handler, not even close. Walton is basically an extra PG for the Lakers. He's obviously bigger and more of a post up guy than Walton though.

[Grady]

First, McRoberts is a good collage player, in the pros he will be just like Laettner. A bust,like most Dukies. He is the best player on the team this year.

Paulus was abused by Hayes and Vasquez, whats going to happen against quicker players? He looked very tired at the end of the game.

Nelson got in foul trouble, but he looked like a pretty good player.

Overall this is the worse Duke team I have ever seen, they are not a quick and athletic team at all. No bench,(a K trademark) even though they are all McDonalds AA's, slow and not that good. Florida, NC and UCLA will kill them, Pitt might even beat them (I hate the Big East,so hate to say this).

Go to the Duke message board on Rivals, the Dukies are bashing there god, K just like MD fans have been bashing Gary. They are calling the team NIT material.Take a look.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Come February 28th in Durham, I'll get the chance to go above .500! I've been told not to wear anything nice because the students are all over you as you sit on press row, but I'll deal with it:).

Are you kidding? It's Duke! Their fans are a bunch of nerds, honestly I cackle every time the camera gets close enough to make out individuals.

Also, McRoberts is an above average athlete for a college player of his size, but below average for NBA standards. It's not just a matter of desire, if you get dominated by European level players like Ikene Ibekwe you're going to get crushed by everyone in the league.

[Ruzious]

Really? I thought McRoberts had probably the quietest, least important 20 point game I've ever seen. He did next to nothing when Maryland had Gist or Ibekwe on him. He won't be able to score on quick NBA forwards like that. He got almost all of his points against Bowers and Osby, two guys who you won't be seeing playing in the NBA.

He does need to be more assertive. He reminds me physically of the PF on the Knicks - Lee - except he's taller - a legit 6'11". He jumps really well, though he doesn't have great lateral quickness. The biggest problem is that Coach K uses him as a back to the basket center, and that's not his forte. He's a very skilled big man and an excellent passer. His game is better suited to the NBA. I see him as a mid to late lottery pick.

[NewMarketSean]

I'm late to the party here...

What does this do for Maryland's chances to make the tourney? I'd say as long as they play well over the last few games and make a respectable showing in the ACC Tourney, we'll get in.

[Sports Guy]

He does need to be more assertive. He reminds me physically of the PF on the Knicks - Lee - except he's taller - a legit 6'11". He jumps really well, though he doesn't have great lateral quickness. The biggest problem is that Coach K uses him as a back to the basket center, and that's not his forte. He's a very skilled big man and an excellent passer. His game is better suited to the NBA. I see him as a mid to late lottery pick.

McRoberts can be a back to the basket guy but he needs to do it against slower or shorter players.

Gist was too strong from him and he was only to score a few times against him.

He needs to be used as a point-forward, ala Anthony Mason.

[TonySoprano]

I have heard that there will be 2000 blown up copies of the face from this picture in the student section tomorrow

Didn't he play the banjo in the movie Deliverance?

I'd sooner root for the Yankees than Duke and there's no chance of that. Board rules on obscenity prohibit me from saying how I really feel about Duke.

[Mackus]

I'm late to the party here...

What does this do for Maryland's chances to make the tourney? I'd say as long as they play well over the last few games and make a respectable showing in the ACC Tourney, we'll get in.

I agree, I'm thinking 7-9 gets us in, and 7-9 with an ACC tourney win should be a lock.

We've still got a bunch of work to do to get to 7-9. And obviously if they play like they did yesterday for the rest of the season they'll get there or even better, but thats this team's biggest achilles heel - playing with consistency.

@ NC State

@ Clemson

v FSU

v UNC

@ Duke

v NC State

Really there are no easy wins in that group. The two against NC State should be the easiest, but they are by no means gimmes, especially on the road. However, I think we can get 3-4 wins out of these last 6 games. If they play like they did yesterday, I think they can get 5 wins, but that type of effort will be hard to repeat consistently.

[beaner]

First, McRoberts is a good collage player, in the pros he will be just like Laettner. A bust,like most Dukies. He is the best player on the team this year.

Paulus was abused by Hayes and Vasquez, whats going to happen against quicker players? He looked very tired at the end of the game.

Nelson got in foul trouble, but he looked like a pretty good player.

Overall this is the worse Duke team I have ever seen, they are not a quick and athletic team at all. No bench,(a K trademark) even though they are all McDonalds AA's, slow and not that good. Florida, NC and UCLA will kill them, Pitt might even beat them (I hate the Big East,so hate to say this).

Go to the Duke message board on Rivals, the Dukies are bashing there god, K just like MD fans have been bashing Gary. They are calling the team NIT material.Take a look.

This isn't the worsT Duke team I've ever seen, 1995, 1983, those teams were terrible. 1996 wasn't that good either.

[rolliefingers]

I agree, I'm thinking 7-9 gets us in, and 7-9 with an ACC tourney win should be a lock.

We've still got a bunch of work to do to get to 7-9. And obviously if they play like they did yesterday for the rest of the season they'll get there or even better, but thats this team's biggest achilles heel - playing with consistency.

@ NC State

@ Clemson

v FSU

v UNC

@ Duke

v NC State

Really there are no easy wins in that group. The two against NC State should be the easiest, but they are by no means gimmes, especially on the road. However, I think we can get 3-4 wins out of these last 6 games. If they play like they did yesterday, I think they can get 5 wins, but that type of effort will be hard to repeat consistently.

As I mentioned earlier, I could see them going anywhere from 0-6 to 5-1 in their remaining games. If they always played like they did last night, they have the talent to beat everyone except UNC.

[mweb]

I'm late to the party here...

What does this do for Maryland's chances to make the tourney? I'd say as long as they play well over the last few games and make a respectable showing in the ACC Tourney, we'll get in.

Right now Lunardi has us as a #11 seed. Duke as a #8 seed.

[Mackus]

Right now Lunardi has us as a #11 seed. Duke as a #8 seed.

I think we've got a little bit of an advantage this year because it doesn't look like there will be a lot of mid-majors getting at large bids.

[Sports Guy]

Right now Lunardi has us as a #11 seed. Duke as a #8 seed.

Yea, that sounds about right for each team.

Did you also notice he has NINE teams getting in from the ACC? WOW! But i am not sure you can argue against any of them at this point although it is doubtful all 9 get in IMO.

[mweb]

Yea, that sounds about right for each team.

Did you also notice he has NINE teams getting in from the ACC? WOW! But i am not sure you can argue against any of them at this point although it is doubtful all 9 get in IMO.

I didn't notice that, yeah, 9 teams getting in is highly unlikely, I would expect at least one team to play their way out of it. It wouldn't take much for MD or GTech to do so.