With the opening rounds of the 2013 NCAA Tournament set to kick off this weekend, we turned to our @DukeBasketball twitter account to answer some of your #AskChron questions heading into March Madness.
#AskChron How far do you realistically have #Duke going? Obviously in my heart, I want them to go all the way, but let's talk real talk.— Katie (@KatieKkb) March 18, 2013
Brady Buck: Tough question to answer. Given the nature of the tournament, an Elite Eight appearance is probably the realistic expectation, but it depends on who you are and how you view this Duke team. The players and coaches expect to win a National Championship—that's always the goal. And this team is more than capable of doing so.
@dukebasketball would duke haves tougher time with creightons offense or the toughness of Cincinnati? #AskChron — Hunter Eddins (@HunterEddins) March 18, 2013
BB: As scary as Creighton's Doug McDermott (23.1 ppg) is to matchup with, I'm going to go with the Bearcats here for one reason: rebounding. Cincinnati grabs 40 rebounds per outing, which is the eighth best figure in the nation. And it's no secret that this Duke team is vulnerable on the glass. Plus, this year the Blue Devils have fared pretty well against teams like Creighton, who love to push the pace (i.e. North Carolina, VCU).
@dukebasketball any elite scorers on Albany that could hurt us like Lehigh last year? #AskChron — stephan tarpley (@StephanTarpley4) March 18, 2013
BB: Mike Black—a 6-foot floor general—leads Albany in scoring at 15.0 points per game. He shoots 38 percent from downtown and 40 percent from the field. Is he an elite scorer? I wouldn't go that far. And he's definitely not as dangerous as Lehigh's C.J McCollum, who is a legitimate NBA talent.
#AskChron Why Is No One Giving Duke a Chance To Beat Michigan State If They Meet In Sweet 16??????? — ? Anthony Rose ? ? (@A_Rose20) March 18, 2013
BB: Plenty of people are giving Duke a chance, assuming it gets the chance to meet Michigan State. Obviously, there are skeptics out there that feel the Blue Devils don't matchup well with the Spartans for a variety of valid reasons. Some those skeptical arguments: Izzo-coached teams are very tough in the tournament, Michigan State is physical and the game would be in Indianapolis, which is much closer for Spartan fans.
@dukebasketball Does St. Louis have a legitimate shot at taking out Louisville? #AskChron— Michael Geiger (@Geiger_Golf) March 18, 2013
BB: If they play, absolutely. St. Louis is probably the scariest No. 4 seed in the tournament because they feature grown men, who are experienced, big and physical. Think about this: The Billikens have beaten Butler three times this season. That's truly impressive given how well coached Butler is.
After Butler's loss to St. Louis in the A10 semifinals, Bulldog head coach Brad Stevens—one of the best minds in the game—said, "They are a legitimate contender for the whole thing. I believe that wholeheartedly. They've got eight guys that are all strong, big, physical, tough, smart, skilled basketball players, and you don't need anything else if you're all together, and they've got it all."
@dukebasketball why is Duke in Louisville's bracket as the second #2 seed? Shouldn't they be in Indiana's, the third #1 seed? #AskChron
— J Lein (@SauceFor3) March 18, 2013
BB: I wish I could speak more on the rationale behind seeding, but I really can't. I think one of the bigger factors that goes into the process is geography for slotting teams into the 2nd and 3rd round locations, which in turn determines the regional sites. I too was a bit puzzled as to why Duke was placed with Louisville, though.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.