Duke rising from the ashes

[Frobby]

Huge win for Duke vs. UNC, 74-73. Things were looking bleak for the Blue Devils after they lost four out of five (including two home games) in a two-week stretch in January to fall out of the top 25 for the first time in eight years, but they've won five in a row now, with the last three coming against Louisville, UVa (by one point) and UNC (by one point).

The ACC is incredibly close right now, with six teams within one game of the league lead:

Miami 10-3

UNC 10-3

Virginia 10-4

Duke 9-4

Louisville 9-4

Notre Dame 9-4

It's anyone's guess who comes out on top, but the ACC looks to get plenty of bids in the NCAA tournament this year.

[Number5]

Huge win for Duke vs. UNC, 74-73. Things were looking bleak for the Blue Devils after they lost four out of five (including two home games) in a two-week stretch in January to fall out of the top 25 for the first time in eight years, but they've won five in a row now, with the last three coming against Louisville, UVa (by one point) and UNC (by one point).

The ACC is incredibly close right now, with six teams within one game of the league lead:

Miami 10-3

UNC 10-3

Virginia 10-4

Duke 9-4

Louisville 9-4

Notre Dame 9-4

It's anyone's guess who comes out on top, but the ACC looks to get plenty of bids in the NCAA tournament this year.

No surprise there. Probably very favorable seedings, too. :laughlol:

[Spy Fox]

Sad game this week from a UNC fan/alum perspective. I graduated a couple years ago but many of my best friends from school are seniors now and were at the game. Felt worse for them than for the team...I still have faith that this year's Tar Heels are a possible ACC Champ and/or Final Four team. All of their losses have been very close and all but one (UNI) have been against very good teams.

Duke has really owned the rivalry since the UNC National Title in 2009. 11-3 in Duke's favor since 2010 with a few of those being real heartbreakers. I was one of the lucky ones recently that actually got to see a win vs Duke at home my senior year.

Playing Duke reminds me of playing the Yankees in that no lead seems safe at any point, and whenever you expect them to fall apart they never do. Looking forward to the rematch next month.

[OFFNY]

o

Duke rose from the ashes, and went back down to to the ashes.

I kid, Frobby.

Even though Duke advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, I couldn't resist after your comment in a nearly identical thread that I started in the Fall of 2012 about the Dallas Cowboys (The Cowboys, Once Left for Dead, Go for the Kill) ...... even though the Cowboys are not my team.

They were KO'd on the final game of the regulars season by the Redskins that year.

[Frobby]

The injury to Amille Jefferson doomed Duke's season. They were talented but thin, especially in the front court, where Plumlee was inconsistent and foul prone and the freshman Jeter was very green, awkward and even more foul prone. They weren't a great rebounding team even with Jefferson, and his injury forced them to play a small lineup all year. Under the circumstances, I'm proud that they made the Sweet Sixteen. And, I'm looking forward to next year, when they have a great incoming class, which includes probably the best freshman center, Henry Giles, plus a top-5 recruit who should ably replace Ingram and a top-10 recruit at combo guard. With Jefferson coming back, the depth and rebounding problems won't be an issue and Duke should be a legit Final Four threat.

As to this tournament, I'm very proud of what the ACC is doing and I'll be rooting for my brother's alma mater, UVa, to go all the way.

[backwardsk]

Do you think Allen leaves? Ingram looks like Wiz Khalifa.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OFFNY]

The injury to Amille Jefferson doomed Duke's season. They were talented but thin, especially in the front court, where Plumlee was inconsistent and foul prone and the freshman Jeter was very green, awkward and even more foul prone. They weren't a great rebounding team even with Jefferson, and his injury forced them to play a small lineup all year. Under the circumstances, I'm proud that they made the Sweet Sixteen. And I'm looking forward to next year when they have a great incoming class, which includes probably the best freshman center, Henry Giles, plus a top-5 recruit who should ably replace Ingram and a top-10 recruit at combo guard. With Jefferson coming back, the depth and rebounding problems won't be an issue and Duke should be a legit Final Four threat.

As to this tournament, I'm very proud of what the ACC is doing and I'll be rooting for my brother's alma mater, UVa, to go all the way.

I think that they overachieved this season also, all things considered (particularly the injury to Jefferson.)

They actually stumbled down the stretch after their big comeback win against North Carolina on the road, but managed to right their ship to collect 2 wins in the NCAA tournament.

[Frobby]

Duke beat no. 10 Louisville to advance to the ACC semifinal.    I'm hoping that win may earn them a 3 seed, regardless of what happens against UNC tomorrow.   

[Spy Fox]

49 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Duke beat no. 10 Louisville to advance to the ACC semifinal.    I'm hoping that win may earn them a 3 seed, regardless of what happens against UNC tomorrow.   

As a UNC fan I think Duke has earned a 3 in my book regardless of tomorrow's result. They don't have the depth of some other teams, which might hurt them in their remaining ACC tournament games. But their talent in general is explosive and I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the Final Four. 

[Frobby]

No. 3 seed probably assured now, with an outside shot at a 2.

[Frobby]

Got the two-seed in the East after winning four games in four days, three against ranked teams, to win the ACC title.    I'm really proud of their ACC tournament performance.     They showed a lot of guts.    

[kelsey59]

Until they ran into S. Carolina.