2014 NCAA tournament preview: St. Louis
(03/19/14 12:36pm)
Saint Louis Billikens
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____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>ATLANTA—The Blue Devils went down to Georgia Tuesday and secured another crucial ACC win, but one thing they haven't secured is a starting lineup. In the past eight games, guards Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon have split Duke's fifth starting spot right down the middle—four games apiece. The Blue Devil rotation has remained pretty steady otherwise; Tyler Thornton, Rodney Hood, Amile Jefferson, and Jabari Parker consistently open the game for head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Yet the final spot remains, leaving fans wondering up until about ten minutes before tip-off who will fill it that night. One thing is for sure: this variance keeps everyone—including Cook and Sulaimon—on their toes. "We've just got to be ready," Sulaimon said after Tuesday's 68-51 win. "Coaches are going to put out the lineup that they think is best for the game, and Quinn and I both know that. Sometimes I’m going to be out there, sometimes he’s going to be out there. We’re both ready to contribute our talents whenever we get out there and run the team."While the one-two punch approach may not have dominated Duke's rotation throughout the season, senior captain Tyler Thornton said it's nothing new for the team—especially on the practice floor. "We practiced all preseason switching it up," Thornton said. "[Sulaimon and Cook] both bring different things to the game and they both contribute in different ways. It just helps us with our depth…. I think it’s an advantage that we have that many teams don’t have."Indeed, the advantage seems to be paying off. In the past eight games, the Blue Devils are 7-1 with a point differential of +85. Duke has catapulted back into the No. 5 slot in the AP Poll after falling out of the top ten earlier this season, and is poised for even higher rankings with a successful week. It goes without saying that both players are competitive and ready to start, but Cook also noted that some plusses come with playing off the bench. "I think you just get an advantage coming off the bench because you see how the game is being played," Cook said. "You see how [the opposing players] are playing defense, and how the refs are calling the game."One of the best parts about Krzyzewski's backcourt by committee approach is that it pushes Cook and Sulaimon to challenge each other and improve. The young guards have different body types and strengths, and one's skill set is constantly tested against the other's in practice, where Cook and Sulaimon alternate running with the first team. "We just go at each other," Sulaimon said. "We just try to make each other better. Being a smaller, quicker guy, he can really get up under me and it forces me to better my ball-handling skills. Me being a longer, more athletic guy, it forces him to protect the ball better." Cook and Sulaimon aren't always in direct competition with each other.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Blue Devils came out firing on all cylinders in the first half. Two quick three-pointers from Rodney Hood, and solid full-court pressure helped Duke surge to a 12-3 lead in the first four minutes. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski used five-for-five substitutions throughout the half keeping both starters and role players fresh. Daniel Miller did provide some fireworks for the home crowd, flushing a transition alley-oop dunk nine minutes into the game, but the Blue Devils continued to build their lead as the half went on. Amile Jefferson converted an acrobatic running layup through contact to give Duke a 34-16 lead with 6:15 remaining. The Blue Devils coasted on to a 43-27 lead at the break.
Sporting jerseys from the 1991-92 national championship season, Duke survived a scare Saturday and ended its historic conference matchup against Maryland with a 69-67 win.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Blue Devils came out with good intensity to start the half, pressuring the Terrapins with full court man-to-man defense and attacking the rim on the other end. Jabari Parker opened scoring with an impressive three-point play and finished the half with a game-high 14 points. Maryland seemed a little jittery in the opening minutes, but the Terrapins gained offensive rhythm as the half went on. The inside play of Charles Mitchell—who finished the half with eight points and five rebounds—and long-range shooting of Jake Layman, who had 12 points on 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Maryland countered with some pressure of their own as the half wound down, mixing in a half court trap in the final minutes that led to a steal and two-handed jam by Layman. Duke's double-digit lead was whittled down to one, but some late free throws, an Andre Dawkins 3-point jumper, and a last-possession drive by Amile Jefferson allowed the Blue Devils to take a six-point lead into the locker room.Observations from the first half:
This summer’s conference realignment brought exciting changes to college basketball, but it may also have caused a small change in the Blue Devils’ playbook.
1. Syracuse (17-0, 4-0 in the ACC): Ranked second in the nation, the Orange remain the only undefeated team in the conference. Led by senior forward and prolific scorer C.J. Fair, Syracuse added yet another win at Boston College Monday, tallying its fourth ACC victory of the season. Head coach Jim Boeheim’s squad looks to be a strong contender both within the conference and on the national stage.
Alarms are sounding for the ACC's preseason favorite.
The Blue Devils will look to build on their first ACC win this afternoon, travelling into Clemson, SC where they have not lost since 2009. Despite the struggles of Duke’s leading scorer Jabari Parker—shooting just 6-for-22 from the field in conference play—the Blue Devils (12-3, 1-1) need to hold the offensive edge in Littlejohn Coliseum. Three focuses for the Blue Devils:
Over the past two weeks, The Blue Zone has been counting down the top five performances from each of Duke’s graduating seniors during their collegiate careers. This week, we conclude with forward Mason Plumlee.
Over the past two weeks, The Blue Zone has been counting down the top five performances from each of Duke’s graduating seniors during their collegiate careers. This week, we conclude with forward Mason Plumlee.
Over the next three weeks, The Blue Zone will be counting down the top five performances from each of Duke’s graduating seniors during their collegiate careers. This week, we start with forward Ryan Kelly.
Over the next three weeks, The Blue Zone will be counting down the top five performances from each of Duke’s graduating seniors during their collegiate careers. This week, we start with forward Ryan Kelly.
This week, The Blue Zone will be counting down the top five Duke basketball individual performances of the year. Without further ado, the most impressive Duke basketball performance of the season: Ryan Kelly's dramatic return to the hardwood against Miami.
This week, The Blue Zone will be counting down the top five Duke basketball individual performances of the year. Following Rasheed Sulaimon's performance against Creighton, Mason Plumlee's early-season double-double against Ohio State ranks fourth on our list.
The Blue Devils will face off against a hungry Virginia squad tonight at 9 p.m. in Charlottesville. This game has weighty tournament implications for both teams as Duke continues its bid for a No. 1 seed while the Cavaliers hope to get off the bubble. Here the keys for Duke to avoid an upset tonight: