What a difference a week makes …
Last Saturday night in Chapel Hill, Duke looked like a team with no answer to UNC pace and the overwhelming advantage in the post. Not only were fans licking their wounds over the 14 point loss, they were left to wonder if February 9th’s comeback win was the fluke that Tarheel nation was claiming it was. Eight days later in Greensboro, it was the Heels’ turn to ponder their place in the college basketball world as Duke pounded the regular season champ from start to finish. Duke headed back to Durham to drop off their record-extending 19th ACC Tournament Trophy (their third in as many seasons) and to grab a quick bite before heading on to Charlotte as the #1 seed in the West Region.
Before we move on to talk about the NCAA Tournament, let’s examine some quick facts about Duke’s dominance in the ACC Tournament. Dating back to 1999, Duke has won 10 of the last 13 ACC Championships. While it’s popular belief that the ACC has been “down” during that time frame, consider that in the last 13 years the ACC has 11 Final Four appearances and has won 5 National Championships. And how unprecedented is Duke’s run? Prior to Duke winning 5 titles in a row from 1999 to 2003, the previous record for consecutive championships was three in a row by NC State from 1954-1956 and North Carolina from 1967-1969. Over any 10 year period since the first tournament, no school has won more than 5 conference championships. Duke won 7 out of 10 between 1999 and 2008, and have tied that mark with 7 out of 10 between 2002-2011. In short, Duke’s current ownership of the ACC title has never happened before in the history of the league, and there are no signs of that run slowing in the near future.
Why Duke Should Feel Good Heading into March Madness
“I thought the last two weeks of the regular season we were working hard, but there wasn’t a spark. It was almost like you wanted to get to March too soon. We beat Clemson, but there was something missing and this week we found that. There was just a really good spirit, like a newness.” – Coach K
I cannot believe this quote isn’t getting more run today. The difference in body language and attitude between Saturday night in Chapel Hill and Friday night in Greensboro is about as violent a mood swing as I’ve ever witnessed … and I have two kids under the age of 3. Coach K touched on “a great week of practice” multiple times during post-game interviews yesterday, and it certainly showed in Greensboro. You can break down the Duke/UNC game all you want to, but the moment the camera switched to the reaction of the Duke bench following UNC’s third turnover and the scoreboard reading 8-0, you could tell the game was over. That Duke team was not going to lose.
The scary thing for the rest of the field is that is the same look Duke wore last March in Houston. Playing against a brutally physical Purdue team and an extremely athletic and intimidating Baylor team essentially on their home floor, there was a sense in the air that each possession was leading to the inevitable … a winning basketball play by any member of Duke’s roster that would serve as the final death-blow for the opponent. Whether it was a Dawkins three in the first half, a Nolan step-back jumper in the second, or a Lance Thomas “and-1” dunk off of an offensive rebound – Duke was going to make a play to win the game. That same look emerged again this weekend, and there is nothing more dangerous than a confident and determined Duke team.
Then there’s the trump card. Duke’s merits were good enough to earn them a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament and win another ACC Championship. Ohio State, Kansas, Kentucky, UCONN … all great teams riding high into the tournament with big conference championship wins. But the difference is those teams are who they are, whereas Duke can add the NBA’s top draft pick to their lineup. Kyrie Irving returning to Duke would be the equivalent of a tri-athlete qualifying for the Iron Man, and then being allowed the use of a Sea-Doo and a Ducati in the first two legs. Even if Irving is able to slowly work himself back into the offense, the pressure defense he can provide would speed the game up for the Blue Devils which often spells doom for teams who try to pull the upset by controlling tempo and playing physical defense. If Irving comes back and is able to master the half-court offense like he did the last time we saw him against Michigan State and Kansas State, it’s hard not to paint Duke as the favorite.
While Kyrie’s return is still up in the air, Duke will find itself in a comfortable position of letting its experience lead the way. There will be no stage fright for Duke, even with a potential matchup between San Diego State in Anaheim looming in the distance. Last season Duke beat Baylor in Houston in the Regional Finals, and this season Duke pounded Kansas State in nearby Kansas City. The most impressive statistic on Duke’s side? Duke has won 29 of the last 30 games on a neutral court, including 21 wins in a row.
Devilwolfing 