You simply can't win in March with average at best play from the PG spot...

 

Duke has much bigger problems than that. They have no true scorer inside. They cannot matchup with an athletic team like Villanova. Theres also no real secret that they get a ton of breaks in conference play, which helps them out.

 

Dukes gotta get better personnel if they want to make it past the Sweet 16 again.

Call me crazy but I don't think they had enough ballers out there this year. Also, have to remember Coack K will not recruit 1 and done players since Luol Deng.

 

They haven't made it past the Sweet 16 since Luol Deng left.

Duke doesn't have near the athleticism to compete seriously for a title any more.

Duke doesn't have near the athleticism to compete seriously for a title any more.

 

I agree. Now that players have to go to college for a year, it has made it that much tougher on Duke. Most 1 and done players don't want to go to Duke, because it is too tough academically. Why would you want to do that? So they are stuck with 3 and 4 year players, most of which at the moment are good, but aren't athletic or strong enough to win titles.

 

And no, Coach K has absolutely zero pressure on him. The fact that he has put and kept a tiny, private school on the basketball map, especially one within shouting range of UNC enough to keep his job security high there until he decides to call it quits. Duke isn't really that good of a job to begin with. Coach K has done wonders there. And after Coach K leaves, I don't think anyone will think it is a good job at all.

Folks, I realize no one is calling for Coach K's head and that he'll be there until he decides he won't be there.

 

However, we're talking Duke. They haven't been "Duke" for quite a while. They're living off past glory.

 

 

Sounds like another team I know of........

Duke doesn't have near the athleticism to compete seriously for a title any more.

 

Give me some examples where they lack athletically?

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Sounds like another team I know of........

 

No question.

Give me some examples where they lack athletically?

 

I wasn't impressed athletically with either their center (Zoubek) or the power forward (Singler). That doesn't make them bad players, just not very athletic. Mix in the youth at point guard (and the odd decision to sit Paulus this year after playing every minute for three years) and you have the makings of a team that I think over-achieved to get as far as they did.

No coach with the court named after them is or will be in trouble.

Duke has won more games this decade than any team in any decade EVER.....just to let you know.....If this starting five come back next year, Duke will be a major contender. When you shoot 26% it's tough to win, a lot of that was due to defensive pressure, but they also missed a lot of very open looks. 'Nova was almost a mirror of themselves, that's tough to matchup against.

Duke has won more games this decade than any team in any decade EVER.....just to let you know.....If this starting five come back next year, Duke will be a major contender. When you shoot 26% it's tough to win, a lot of that was due to defensive pressure, but they also missed a lot of very open looks. 'Nova was almost a mirror of themselves, that's tough to matchup against.

 

They better go find some guards who can defend, first.

'Nova was almost a mirror of themselves, that's tough to matchup against.

 

It wasn't for Nova... :clap:

I don't follow it as closely as I used to so I was surprised to hear that this was the first appearance in the Sweet 16 for this group of seniors.

 

When you're mentioned in the "elite" category can you go that long without a Sweet 16 appearance? Especially when you realize that if you're a high seed that making the Sweet 16 is not that difficult?

My guess is that some Duke fans are starting to question his ability to recruit. Can they not get a good big man on campus anymore?

 

I fully realize this post is like throwing red meat to a pack of lions but I am hoping that an occasional intelligent post shows up.

 

Making the Sweet 16 is almost always difficult.

Making the Sweet 16 is almost always difficult.

 

If you're a high seed the S16 should be automatic. You get a team from a bad conference plus a team that isn't near the top.

 

When there were 32 teams the S16 was a big deal. Its not anymore. The Elite 8 is where we start separating the really good from the pretty good.

The fact that Coach K does not pursue guys that will leave after one year is also an issue. Personally, I have no problem with that and I do believe that this Duke team was 1 Patrick Patterson away from the Final Four. It's a small lull and honestly I am not worried, I believe Coach K will get one more title before he retires. If not for Tyrus Thomas' outstanding defense on JJ Redick in their previous Sweet 16 appearance, then this thread doesn't exist more than likely because that team was a championship caliber team and that is the last championship caliber team that has donned Duke uniforms. I am not saying they would have beaten Florida, but they had no business losing to LSU that night(Shelden choked also, JJ had help choking) and they were a better team than the one they displayed that night.

 

 

If not for Jay Williams(such an awful memory:puke:) and the entire team letting Indiana back in the game in 2002, then Duke would've repeated and they'd have four titles.