(was #15) NOW #19 R.P.I. Duke vs. (was: #69) NOW #76 R.P.I. Virginia Tech:
Virginia Tech men’s basketball is rolling downhill.
The Hokies are on the ‘rong side of the NC2A post-seasoning hill. And after dropping a had-to-have @away (Gah.Tech) and then a must-have @home (Miami) those New River Valley mountains are looming large-an-n-charge and we may be gorging ourselves on Spring… Broke. Now they catch one of the two signature All Coaching Conference basketball factory name-schools right in the O&M teeth. Albeit with a new, and less than a signature -at least thus far- head coach. Gone are the possible G.O.A.T. signature days of Coach “K”. Duke, (2o up against 8 down, (and: .647, or 11-6 in league play)); however, remains (recruiting) loaded for bear and the Hokiebird has found that finding snow-seasonal wins to be bearish indeed. “Winter has Come”. Nevertheless, what you wanna know is… who is gonna win and by how much, right(s)? So, read on… to find, out!
Duke Head Coach: Jonathan James Scheyer: Age=37, 19–8 (.7o4) overall and @Duke. Has a rep’ for: backcourt play, recruiting, and feistiness.
$9,700,000.oo!!!
Youngling Scheyer was born in Northbrook, Illinois, and is the youngest of three children of Laury and Jim Scheyer. He was raised in his father’s Jewish religion and became a Bar Mitzvah. He began dribbling a basketball at age three and played in his first AAU national tournament six years later. As a youth, he played in a league called the Fellowship of Afro-American Men (FAAM), in Evanston, Illinois. He received a scholarship offer from Marquette University’s Tom Crean as an eighth-grader.
Baller Scheyer… was pretty good. ***** or a penta-star (Scout) recruit in national terms. 72nd overall from Rivals. Pt.Guard1 Scheyer (who could and did score), only won one bling. AA Illinois ring as a Jr. This after being tabbed: -and: “לא” I ain’t making any of this up, K?- after being tabbed: “The Jewish Jordan”. That, and the Glenbrook North High School Spartans’ state championship team is the only high school state championship basketball squad in the nation known to have included an all-Jewish starting line-up. Described as a Larry Bird ‘pistol’ Pete hybrid, this kid only won seventeen, that’s (17) scholastic State and/or National hoopster individual awards. Among ’em: 3x Illinois All-State First Team selection; 2x Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year (2oo5 & 2oo6) and 2x Illinois Hoops Player of the Year 2oo5 & 2oo6.
One example of his dogged pursuit of excellence is that while in high school, Scheyer refused to leave the gym one night until he made 5o consecutive free throws. After finally hitting 49 in a row, he missed his final attempt. His father encouraged him to join him and go home, yet – as his coach recalled – “Jon looked at him and said, ‘No. I’m starting over.’ Then he stayed until he made 5o in a row!
(Tenacious pug, ain’t he?)
After this, baller Scheyer had an okay+++ to good Duke career topped by 18.3 ppg as a Sr. He was only an A.c.c. Academic Honor Roll selection and oh yes… he only got one National Title, bling (2o1o)! Quad year starting Qb1, and he was a ferrous Ironman only missing a game with 144 total collegiate contests contested. For which he merely tallied twenty-five, that’s (25) individual hardwood awards. That and he had a clutch rep’ per the cardiac A.c.c. Tourney and Butler efforting(s) alike. Then he got, mono’. And went un-N.b.a. Drafted for it having missed most camps/combines/workouts.
Overseas however did work out. This after a NASTY eye injury during the Vegas Summer League (St.Mary bless!) As in… Scheyer needed five stitches to close a cut to his right eyelid, his eye’s optic nerve was injured, and he suffered a tear in his retina, which was surgically reattached. Sidelined initially with an eye patch and incapacitating headaches, he ultimately returned to the court wearing protective goggles to protect his eyes. Dangnation. Tho’ he did put in some sharp rally-cap D-League work, Scheyer inked with: Maccabi Tel Aviv (2o11 and 2o12). Then onto: Gran Canaria and then a quickie looksee by the Philly 76’ers and then 6′5″, 190 lbs., baller Scheyer was done.
Big Cheese Scheyer… following his overseas career, Scheyer was added to Duke’s men’s basketball staff by head coach Mike Krzyzewski in April 2o13 as a special assistant after the resignation of assistant coach Chris Collins. With the departure of Steve Wojciechowski from the Blue Devils staff, Scheyer was promoted to a full assistant coach on April 18, 2o14. Following the departure of associate head coach Jeff Capel to become the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh at the end of the 2o18 season, Scheyer was promoted to co-associate head coach along with Nate James. Scheyer served as acting head coach for Duke’s 83-82 win over Boston College on January 6, 2o21, filling in for Krzyzewski who had to miss the game because he was quarantined after being exposed to COVID-19.
On June 2, 2021, it was announced that Scheyer would become Duke’s next head basketball coach after Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement following the end of the 2o21–22 season. After Krzyzewski retired, he officially became head coach in April 2o22
Scheyer was a 2oo6 Inductee into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Poppa Scheyer and wifey, Marcelle (married May 2o17); Children, Noa (born January 2o18),
Jett (born August 2o19), and James (born May 2o22)
Duke at a glance:
- was 3rd best in Rebounding Margin!!! (BONUS: 9th best on O-glass alone! ¦ NOW 12th best offensively FY⇔I) (NOW: 4th best or, epically lateral/⇔, here!!!)
- was 13th best in FT percentage!!! (NOW: 24th or close to ⇔ here!!).
- was 14th best in 3-point percentage D!!! (NOW: good just not as good, ⇓ tending here!)
- was 39th in Scoring D! (NOW: even better at 31st least allowed D!! ⇑)
- was 58th best in SWATs! (NOW: even mo’-skywalking, 28th best!! ⇑, wow!)
- was 59th most in FTA’s. (i.e., still gettin’ some calls). (NOW: even mo’ Cameron Krazy love, 3oth fewest ‘whistles’ blown against! Guess the Zebras be ⇑-voting for Coach Scheyer here?)
- was 28oth best in Effective FG percentage O. (NOW: warming to the task all the way up to 218th best! ⇑-vote here!)
- was 3o2nd best in 3-point percentage O! (NOW: heating up to 217th or near average best, way ⇑ on the Δ or change here!!)
- NO injuries listed. (‘THX” @Coach God!)
- OBSERVE: …so, (NOW:) we see 14 of the 32 National Rankings that Eye team track checking-in at B+++ to A+++, or about ½. The rest (nearly another half mind yah); all tally in at B’ish to C—‘ish, less 268th best Turnover Margin when Duke gets ahead of itself and tries to get too cute and do too much.
- MEANING: …this team gets hawt on O and turns some of those turnovers over into makes? This could be a dangerous post-season team with things that do NOT go cold: (i.e., rebounding & D).
Returning Starters=1*
Duke Strengths:
- Heighty Dukie roster… most guys check-in at north of at least 6′5″ here.
- (Lindy’s 3rd-string All-A.c.c.): (Lindy’s Best A.c.c. Rebounder): Kyle Jarred Filipowski: true-C, 7′, 23o debut year lbs. ***** or penta-star baller and ranked as the No.10 overall player and No.2 at his position (Five or Center) per ESPN.com. 2nd posted baller in-state (Ny.). Massachusetts Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year the year before (2o21). 2o21 USA Basketball 3×3 U18 World Cup net-cutter-downer; where he led the Americans to the gold medal. 2o2p Prep State AA or dub-A State Champion. Magna Cum Laude H.S. grad’. (Per: (somehow) tallying a 4.o2 or beyond perfect grade on a four-point-scale!?!). Baseballer and water-polo savant who had next-level looksees here as well as hoops. In hoops itself, Flip’ only flips out for: the team-leading 15.o ppg with the team-leading 9.1 rpg. That with: 1.5 apg, on 1.2 spg and o.9 bpg. Only the shooting is a bit early-bird career-wise laggin’… 43.3% overall and 29.2 long makes you wonder where he tallies once Special-K acclimates a bit more to the D-1 P5 level of contact. As he does not appear to (yet) enjoy big-time contact on tape to me. Also, some ‘whispers’ say he is mo’ parts Four (P/F) than he is true-parts true-C or Five. Momma-bear (Becka’) balled @Long Beach State, and poppa-bear (Dave) balled at Slippery Rock. Uncle (Randal) hooped @BeeCee. Aunt (Bev’) basketed @Darthmouth. Twin-bro’ (Matthew), is a freshman on the Harvard men’s basketball team in 2o22-23. Hell to da yah, I’d say all dat counts… student-athlete or mathletes rejoice! As the hoops.edu Genome Projects well both on and off-court, here. Lindy’s says that Flip’ is a ‘skilled big who can face the hoop and shoot and pass’. Almost a Tennessee Avenue man’s Point-C (Walton/older Sabonis) of sorts if you will. Will 2-hand dunk and ties to finish strong. Gets physically tested and nearly doubles all other Dukies up on FTA’s (~200% mo’) for it; (a solid: near 77% here). And frankly, some had him fourth of the 4-big-signees upfront for the Dukies this off-season. Po’ Duke, right? Tho’ there are those who wonder on headroom (remaining) here… although his opening digits are epic problems that nearly all of the other 35o menz D-1 squads would love to have. Is a pro’… the only question is: domestic or export? (UPDATE: mostly slight movements rising over running it up. Not huge, tho’ steady to a positive slope, ⇑wards here; which is HARD to hitting the rookie year-wall for most to do mind you).
- * Jeremy Roach: is your Point-G1; at: 6′2″, 18o lbs. and a Leesburg, Va. escapee. This third-year Roach clips yah fo’: a second-best: 12.7 ppg with 2.4 rpg, a 1st-best 3.o apg, and a sprite-looking 1.o spg. This on 41.o% overall paired with: 33.7% from 3-ball range. (The playar’s among you are already seeing the trend emerge, n’est-ce pas?) Anywho… Jeremy is said to be a legit Leader, and he was voted Team Captain for it. Lindy’s says Jay.R. is their sole returning starter, albeit {sic: a} One who must improve his natural shot. As 38% overall for his Duke career might just speak to this. Roach is strong off-the-dribble, kinda like a more deliberate or dribbleriate version of N.Dame/La.Laker David Rivers; and he sure looks the same. 18th ranked baller outta H.S. (Rivals). Has a finisher or clutch tag in tow and that never hurt one iota (1ι). Does have a history of knee-knocks including one A.c.l. (in H.S., St.Nikon bless). St. Paul VI scholastic champion (AAA, D-1). Jeremy also pocketed a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball —at the 2017 FIBA Americas U-16 and the 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup. Neat trophy case to be sure. His older bro’ (Jordan) played basketball at Christopher-Newport University and his older sis’ (Chloe) played at Eastern Mennonite University. So, again, might at least be some C.B.A. D.N.A. in play here. Roach is a solid Qb1 Pt.Guard, not a spectacular one… like a Steve Casey having his best hair-day Qb1 from way way back when if you know what Eye means. Fringe overseas guy.
(UPDATE: toe-ding: “PROBABLE” for this one after having missed the last couple of weeks. St.Sebastian bless!)
(UPDATE2: little best most places, ‘nother upward tho’ not huge mover, ⇑) - 6′8″, 22o lb., Mark Mitchell is your Four or P/F when Flip’ mans the C-spot. Marky-mark nets you: 8.7 ppg with 4.2 rpg and 1.3 apg. He prolly is the best pure shooting Dukie… what with his: 46.8% from the floor, 74.6% from the charity stripe, and his team alpha or 36.6% from deep. That is none too shabby work if you can get it either. #26th baller overall (ESPN), has a nice all-’round roundball game. Kinda a mini-me box-score stuffer at times. Jayhawker who got away from KU itself after making something of a name (****) for himself out on the: Under Armour Association circuit. Little bit tough/’hood or at least brash at times on film. Has a slasher and defensive tag attached; will get to the rim per the same. Long-armed, nearly a 7-footer wingspan wise; this helps him D you up too. That, and if the 3-point range development is legit, this is a very curious stem-to-stern prospect who is prolly at least an overseas Pro’.
(UPDATE: everything went noticeably down. ⇓, like tired legs or bad wheel(s); as his shooting looks hurtin’ to me).
Duke Weaknesses:
- Σ, total; roster… redux! Or, at least total rotational reboot. As NO one, I made notes on last year returned. Nadda, none, nil… zilch, zero, zip!
- …apparently, including some kinda Coach, what was his name?
- Either way, massssive turnover here folks. Unique, actually.
- Familiarity, gellin’, synergy… all wanting for it too.
(This shows itself upon breaking tape as you’d rather catch them ’22 earlier rather than ’23 later just in case they do figure it all Marching home, out). - NOT your typically sharp-shooting Dukie Dukes… somewhere j.Wayne is, crying.
Dukie ditch: (depth=4 to 5 deep)
r-shirt Sr.-year Graduate, Ryan Young, is a Five/C who stands 6′1o″, and weighs 23o lbs. By way of: Northwestern where Ry’ played under former Dukie Chris Collins. 7.5 ppg with 6.3 rpg and 1.4 apg in relief are downright solid and this Ry’ plus the above Flip gives Duke a quality 1-2 punch at the 5. 7o.7% from the floor tells you where he shoots from (i.e., close) and how efficacious he does shoot it (i.e., sharp: 80.7% free-throwing wins a lotta “21”). Going .edu good for: a Three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar never sucked. And frankly less was prolly expected here. As this is a solid Nor.West. guy though never a Biggest-10 epic one. From a crew (rowing) or volleyball fam’. Solid substitute, and does nothing to hurt you; tho’ has been dinged/dented every other year in his career. He smiles yearbook cheddar-eating grins (a lot) and may be coming to a social-needia account near you for it if he cannot find a non-North American backup hoopster home next year, “eh”. (N.A.F.T.A. or Great White North quality Montreal, Quebec hommie 1o1).
(UPDATE: ⇔ tho’ still quite efficient in broad brush terms).
(Lindy’s 2nd-string All-A.c.c.): 6′7″, 22o lb., play-right-away good-looking Dariq Whitehead is a turnkey Three or S/F in his rookie or nugget voting year. Said to be ‘explosive’ as rim-attackers go, in particular in the open floor where he will highlight reel you in. Catch-n-release ain’t his thang, mo’ like slash-n-burn. Has even merited a few (lowercase to me) Dr. J comp’s. As Dariq was merely the #1 baller in America last year (2o22; Rivals). That is all, his five-stars (*****) suck, cut him now! This after being named: the 2o22 Naismith High School Player of the Year. This after being named: the 2o22 Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida. This after being named: Sports Illustrated’s 2o22 Player of the Year. Scrub!!! This after he helped Montverde Academy (Fla.) win back-to-back GEICO High School National Championships as a junior and senior. Dang. Geez. w0w! Yah; maybe he is a keeper after all? His older bro’ (Tahir) is only an N.f.l. back-up Lb4 for the Carolina Panthers. And he only coaches special-needs kid-os on the side. That is all. Again, he sucks. However, should you go kra-kra and choose to keep him? You would be keeping up with 8.6 ppg with 2.4 rpg and 1.3 apg all on 41% behind the arc. Said to have every phase of the game in two (.8 spg as well). Has been chilly of late after going on a Christmas Break (through) tear. Maybe he has hit the proverbial, ‘wall’? Though either way… this much freakiness with enough fundaments will hit back at some point. As Whitehead is a blackout curtain on O. He finds his big-O pop and you black out, back out, and prolly back, down. This is very likely an N.b.a.’er… not so much ‘if’… mo’ like: “when”?
(UPDATE: hawt-hawt-hawt, Buster Poindexter on a whopping near ~8% increase in 3-point netting alone, wowow! ⇑⇑!)
(Lindy’s 1st-string All-A.c.c.): ^that^ all to say… Lindy’s A.c.c. Newcomer of the Year… and Lindy’s Best N.B.A. Prospect is none other than #1, a springy true-Five or Center or: one number, well; 1, or Dereck Lively II. Dereck goes 7′ and 230 very springy-looking lbs. As frankly, Lively II looks like he could fill in a bit mo’ even as a seven-footer at two-thirty. Lively is (per se) only getting you: 4.9 ppg with 4.7 rpg with an assist and a steal and yet the team lead at nearly 2-point-3 swats/game. This on 6o.7% overall and yet 62% from the FT-line. So, this kid may be just a smidgeon less developed or a mite undercooked than some expected. As much was expected here to be sure. Lively has missed a few games with some dings, which is prolly retarding things a spate as well. Still yet, the numero uno (#1) baller in all the land (ESPN.com) and #1 Five (or: C) in all the land, and the #1 Penn.Stater or Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in 2o22 in all the Keystone land never sucked. Neither did his Pa. State Title in 2o22 or his Nike EYBL touring team title after that. Said to have an: “unselfish” game and nobody says that a lot these myspacebook days. Lindys says he is: “a skilled pivot and excellent teammate”. Again, you do not always see plural or synergy T.E.A.M. (together everyone achieves mo’) swagg like millennial that. Or, maybe this is one of those rare kids you need(s) to encourage to ‘shoot more’? As this Lively II is a lively lotto pick in most peeps’ ping-pong-ball bouncing book. It just has not proverbially “clicked” for Derek; at least not, yet.
(UPDATE: found himself about ~10% on the FT-line and took most everything up with it as well, nice increasing here sports fans; ⇑!)
6′2″, 2oo lb., Jaylen Blakes is your initial year Pt.Guard2 who can shoot off the pine (3.8 ppg and 35.7% when dialing long-distance). 89th baller from ESPN overall. Got a single-A Jersey Shore title way back in 2o18 and yet did not do as much after that. Did seem to do mo’ and make more of a name for himself out on the A.A.U. tour. Said to be a: “sleeper recruit” for it —if there is such a thing at a basketball factory such as Duke? Though Eye tangent… Blakes is however one of only two eligible to-return Dukie ballers who elected to (actually) return. Solid backup One, good range, great handles (.6 tpg) and you could do Qb2 worse.
(UPDATE: ⇓ a bit, not the worst tho run is greater than rise to be sure; as shooting now=36% overall).
Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:
Number of Dukes who could dunk @Tech=10'ish?
the takeaway:
The takeaway here is…
…had me a hard time figuring out how taken (or not) to be with this respun Duke 2o22-2o23 men’s hoops squadron?
They are not yet fully formed; granted.
They are on the ‘rong side of the new systemic Experience and Learning curves alike; granted.
Coach Next after Coach Best (possibly ever in all of college ball), typically has k.Kong-sized shoes to fill.
i.e., he had better buy a lotta… socks.
Granted.
Although just how good or great or not so great is this hire?
Or, am I better off asking: just how much chip Talent does Duke really have left?
^^^that’s^^^ what Eye opined openings with last time out… this time in and you gotta give Coach Scheyer a clean 1o-9 round in his favor. Possibly trending closer to 1o-8 if you are keeping score at home.
He has this roundball club rounding into nobody is gonna wanna draw Duke on their side of the A.c.c. bracketology… shape.
***
Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame was shockingly enuff, only calling for a 9-point VicTory dance! NOW however it is calling for a staggering –74-point VomiT! As this shows you just how far these two ships passing in the nite have swung. “Sweet Chariot…” indeed or in spades. Then Eye crunched the Fourm Guide -as before- for only the in-common opponents faced by both clubs in the meantime. And two diverse trends emerged… As it was actually VeeTee that nearly broke even head-to-head as a pure game/outcome counter went by the tune of 3 up vs. 4 down. And yet when Duke scored its four technical triumphs, they beat the damn breaks off of our roundball round-robin in-common opponents. Beat their azz like a rented, goalie. MENAING: …the high side of Duke sure has a lot mo’ headroom than the high side of the ’23 Younglings in Recency Effect terms.
The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… VeeTee was up a nearly nice +4% in shooting percentage margin; NOW VeeTee is up only +1% (due: to Duke exhibiting mo’ tradecraft on O itself, and being a bit saltier on D); with VeeTee was up a nominal looking +1% in 3-point percentage margin; NOW and Duke is up the very same +1% or another nominal looking 3-ball percent edge (from: VeeTee being a little better on O although Duke is now coving that from being ‘a little+++ better’ on D), and yet Duke was up a nearly whopping ~+8 caroms in rebounding margin for the duration. NOW Duke is up just a bit mo’ at +9 Windex Wipes for the year. (Per: Duke is a bit better on the D-glass, tho’ they be climbing all kinda all over the O-backboard and getting 2nd chances or putbacks galore; same ole same ole here…).
The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Dukies are now up a modest +2% in shooting percentage margin (as: the Hokies may be just starting to cool down and Duke won this limited +2 placement all on O; and Tech would be 341st on D in the last 5 here!); the Dukies however are now up +6% in 3-point percentage margin (off of: Duke is netting pretty sharply as shooting goes of late and the Hokies are defending no one on 3’s! ≅48% allowed! 2nd from LAST!), and yet the Dukies are now up +11 misses collected in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of runs. (’cause: the Hokies are slipping here whilst the Dukesters are getting up dat backboard and ‘glassing’ peeps).
(OVERALL: both squadrons are hitting well enuff on O and it is cutting into each sides D— the O&M defensive kicker is nearly slicing Hokiebird D ‘wide’ wishbone formation ‘open’! We are a ‘fence, ain’t got no “D”)
Armchair Pt.Guard’s:
Coach Ray Stevens:
The Dukies have won 3-n-a-row; twice in their last 8 games. Whereas, the Hokies are 3 fo’ their last 7 over the same timeframe.
A.c.c. is as easy as A.B.C.:
Duke is the A.c.c. leader with 11.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Ryan Young averaging 2.7.
The Hokies are 6-11 against A.c.c opponents. Virginia Tech ranks eighth in the A.c.c. shooting 35.4% from 3-point range.
resourceful, 1o1…
The coaching sewing circle says that Duke is doing better on figuring out their role {sic: players} and on has finally meshed enuff to enjoy some measure -possibly a growing measure- of: continuity itself. They are finally pushing out beyond the near or left tail of the Experience Curve itself. Additionally, they are hawking making their NC2A push; now.
Big-man “on the come”…
Duke freshman Kyle Filipowski leads the country in double-doubles among freshmen with tweleveteen.
VeeTee is a .111 guest; whereas Duke is 1.o as a host (14-nil; wow!).
Duke is now up +4% at the charity stripe for the year.
Duke is up +2 in R&R in the last fortnight of work.
The Call…
(Was: No.29) NOW no.3o Net Ranking Duke vs. (was: no.55) NOW: no.66 Net Ranking Virginia Tech:
So, both teams have indeed changed since they All-Conference Calling title-tilt saw each other last.
- Duke has been dinged-up, up and now has a new coach, and this just in: rain is still rumored to be… wet.
- Then Duke got a bit healthier and found a bit mo’ yang to their yin. Mo’ menz hoops if you will.
- Vah.Tech has also been dinged-up, has the same coach, and this just in: Snow is rumored to be… white.
- Vah.Tech has got a dish of Rice back and yet found a bit mo’ yin to their yang. Mo’ wimminz hoops if you will.
Or, dare Eye said it… this has all suffered (as a V.P.I. fan) or conspired (as any lurking Dukie guest(s)) to bring my pet say of: “…two ships passing in the nite” back into play.
The O&M ship is showing some signs of shipping some h20. Forecastle or foreCassell awash.
Whereas the good ship dukie-pop is starting to stow some me/selfie gear and net things Gestalt shipshape.
–oOo–
Or in other words… methinks it is a good thing to run the Home/Away splits and see if we find any separation(s) or partition(s) here?
(…as any visit to one of the more obvious/titled places to play typically is…)
Home is where the he(ART) is…
So, VeeTee is really suspect @away and Duke is tough as a $3 steak @home vis-à-vis as you prolly expected. The size/shape of the margin(s) Eye and my committee of one did not expect. Check it out…
Duke is up a significant +8% overall @home; (from: the Techmen net well even on the road and the next peeps they defend as visitors will be the 1st ¦ yet Duke offends and defends better in Durham in order of improvement precedence). The Dukies is up another and downright whopping +14% in 3-point margin @home; (from: see above! Same increasing homesteading narrative for Duke O & D alike and yet the VeeTee O falls –5% fewer theree’ers when traveling; dang!) And, and, and… Duke.edu is up a highly NBA/saturated ➕14 misses corralled @home compared to Duke @away! w0w. And that plus-fourteen is ALL on their own springy/jumpiness @Cameron. Away VeeTee was virtually breaking even or at backboarding equilibrium. Whereas hommie Duke rebounds like a newly off-the-hook Plenty of Fish raised to the Tinder Loving Care(#less) power freaky-freak. Truly, Duke ‘boards at home like a buncha total mothers!
Finally, our D-glass vs. their O-Glass is a hurtful looking 277 pieces of broken fiberglass in Dukes’ favor.
The VerdicT:
Ergo, therefore, to Whit… this is a tough one to pick.
Or, at least the last one was… recall VeeTee checked in off of a negative seven that’s (–7) game schneid.
And promptly pulled the upset as the 3-point home puppy (i.e., slight underdog).
1, 2, , 4, 5
’cause the Point-G1 in me is wondering if VeeTee is due to let go a bit?
As Coach Mike and Co. have been beaten by 2-shots, 3-shots, 2-shots, 3-shots, and 3-shots since they upset Duke in the 24o6o by 1… shot.
(Prior to that in our septa or 7-game dip we got offed by: 1-shot, 2-points, 2-shots, 2-shots, 3-shots, 3-shots, and 1… point).
Do you see what I mean?
How much longer until the Little Engine That (almost) Could… kan’t?
Foul-play 1o1???
IF, we catch even a reasonably ‘whistled’ game we should have enough going for us in what figures to be a pace or offensively friendly game to hang around a bit…
IF, however, they catch all of their seeming benefit of the ‘whistle’ phantom calls and our Bigs get smaller or lowercase P.T. (playing time), Duke might just sneak away in the second-half @home.
^^^that’s^^^ your millibars of Mercury or in-game barometer folks.
So, I went Coach Spock science-fact and bothered to look it all up… again…
- Last year (’22) and farewell/twilight Coach-K and Duke finished with the 3rd least PFs ‘whistled’ against in all of menz D-1 basketball.
- This year (’23) and nubile Coach-J and Duke are on pace to finish with the 44th least PFs ‘whistled’ against in all of menz D-1 basketball. (A near 3o-spot favorable “cat-call” since o1.23.)
The key however is gleaned in the differential… in ’22 and final-year Coach K and Duke had a +2.1o benefit of the doubt ratio ‘whistled’ in their favor. In ’23 and first-year Coach-J and Duke have a +2.o7 benefit of the doubt ratio ‘whistled’ in their favor!
i.e., “the mo’ things change the mo’ Duke stays the same.”
And if this Coach-J watches the tape of the 1st-game and dumps the ball inside—
he and his actually more physical style of play should feel beneficent indeed.
💯
(71% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=65, Duke=79
“LETS GO!”
“Hokies!”
bourbonstreet**