#94 R.P.I. Duke @ #85 R.P.I. Virginia Tech: 

Virginia Tech men’s hoops now host the Game of the ’24, 24o6o, year!

The Hokies tix-scalpers have been waiting to head-count and Cassell all the vassals for this one here. As we face down for the annual Mike Gminski/Seth Curry showdown. So, this is it… our homesteading Super Bowl and Stanely Cup for menz hoops. Duke is good and this just in… “rain is (still) rumored to be wet.” Are they (still) great, however? I’ma not (entirely) ’24, fo’ sho’? Neither was the Clemson big-whistle last time (Saturday nite) out either. As Duke is just “Winter has Come” skating by in a lotta ways… Duke just won despite being beaten soundly on the glass (42-33) and being outscored 15-o in second-chance or Foster ‘want too’ points. Tho’ I am pretty dang sure you had better get them this year… before next year’s consensus #1 ranked recruiting class comes crashing Durham home. Though there Eye goes again, always putting the cart before the horse. Nonetheless, what you wanna know is… who is gonna win and by how much, rights? So, read on… to find, out!

Duke Head Coach: Jonathan James Scheyer:  Age=38, 40–13 (.755) 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.

And F.Y.I. …he is up a sharp ~.o55 in winning percentage since we saw him last. That’s a pretty good brought a lotta socks to fill some all-time XXXL k.Kong-sized shoes, look!

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:

• 1oth best in Assist:Turnover ratio!!!
• 27th best in 3-point percentage O!!
• 33 best in Scoring O!
• 34th best in Effective FG-percentage O!
• 55th most in FT-makes/game. (64th best in FT percentage itself).
• 243rd best in 3-point percentage D allowed! (Their worst marker outta the 34 I D-1 track too).
• These are very very good Dukies to be sure. As they enjoy no real live weakness(es) for you to target. However, they do not enjoy any real alpha thing(s) to emphasize less 3-point shooting itself. And as we all know… 3’ing has a Biblical dimension to its 20-foot, 9-inch line distance. “As he who lives by the 3-point sword shall (Robert) Parrish from the same.” (Matthew 26, 26:52)
• 2 injuries listed. Coach God twice bless. (plus several mild-dings to boot).

Returning Starters=4!*.

Duke Strengths:

• To his surprising -and social media era downright unexpected, credit- most of the legits came back to ball for 2nd-season Coach Scheyer here. As you could be forgiven for having expected this roster to be a bit striped under the non-Coach-K new guy a.c.c.ordingly.
• * (Lindy’s 1st-string All-A.c.c.): (Lindy’s Best A.c.c. Rebounder ’23) and (Lindy’s A.c.c. Player of the year)… that’s all… he sucks… cut him STAT! Kyle Jarred Filipowski: true-C, 7′, 248 second season 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 18.2 ppg with the team-leading 8.6 rpg. That with: 2.9 apg, on 1.2 spg and 2 bpg. Only the shooting is a bit early-bird career-wise laggin’… tho’ up to: 51.6% overall and 42.2% and that makes you wonder where he tallies once Special-K acclimates a bit more to the D-1 P5 level of contact. ’cause Flip’ has flipped the physical script and added some tight sinew this off-season. Tho’ some say he does not appear to (yet) enjoy big-time contact. 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). Seems a mite strengthened this year to me physically… kinda a slighter (physique-wise) version of Greg Dreiling of KU fame way way back when. Will close/dunk and finish on the flush and you have to like that temperament in a BIG. Has -and NO Eye’ma not making this up- some kinda (locker-room love) book… ahhhhhhhh, errrrrrrrrr… I mean what could possibly go right with this?!? With no word from (yet) Brian Davis or Chriss Laettner… or from his swagg(h)er… LOL.
  (UPDATE: has been saddled by foul trouble of late… not the best in-house/zebra rep’ here…).

  

• * 3rd in A.c.c. Scoring. (Lindy’s 3rd-string All-A.c.c.): Jeremy Roach: is your Point-G1; at: 6′2″, 18o lbs. and a Leesburg, Va. escapee. This final-year Roach clips yah fo’: a second-best: 14.6 ppg with 2.6 rpg, a 1st-best 3.2 apg, and a sprite-looking 1.5 spg. This on a far defter than before 49.7% overall paired with: 45.4% from 3-ball range. (The playars among you are already seeing the trend emerge, n’est-ce pas?) As that’s a few Most Improved up-votes…   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 43.7% 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, there 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; St.Sebastian bless!)
  (UPDATE2: “QUESTIONABLE” now, after a knee hurt (St.Culbreth help) on top of the bad ankle/toe ding to boot… yikes^2). His presence provides confidence and court maturity; as this kid is a Gestalt baller or mo’ than the sum of Duke’s chip, parts.
• * (true-Soop., 6′9″, 232 lb., Mark Mitchell is your Four or P/F when Flip’ mans the C-spot. Marky-mark nets you: 12.2 ppg with 5.6 rpg and 1.3 apg. He prolly is the best pure-shooting Dukie… what with his: 49.6% from the floor, 73% from the charity stripe; tho’ his deep shot is not so hot to trot, having dipped by nearly 23% now down to a masonic or bricky tweleveteen or 12% on ’24 3’s! wow. This per the: #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’. Has bulked up since ’23 and looks mo’ demonstrative to me upon film study in ’24 as a growing/filling-in Four his ownself. That and has nearly been trying to flash some breakout signs of late…
  (UPDATE: turned his ankle; again, on Tues. nite… St.Philip bless; DAY-to-DAY here).
• Jared McCain G 6′3″, 197 lb., S/G or lowercase lead-G1. 12.2 ppg with 3.9 rpg on 1.6 apg, a swipe (.9 spg) and a rangy 41.6% when dialing long-distance does not only 18 games into his P5, D-1 college career suck. Lindy’s says this mid-Mc’ to be a firey shooter who ‘understands floor-spacing’. Part-time starter; kinda alternates Paul Brown (G’s in football) style with the Proctor down below… Was merely… ESPN with five stars (*****) as the No.X player nationally, the No.2 shooting guard, and only the No.1 player from the state of California. That’s all… not much to see, here. Well, other than the 83.7% FTAs and the 45.3% smooth game overall. Riley era “back-to-back” Cali’ Gatorade California Player of the Year (Jr. & Sr.). Ditto the likewise “back-to-back” Statie blings for: Centennial H.S., Ca. The 24 qt. medal-winning USA U18 National Team effort in ’22 makes for a pretty-pretty shiny Trophy Case to boot. Plays with a big smile, a good locker room/chemistry look that every team needs at least one of. Is something of a Pro’, only calc’ being: export or domestic? As you gotta wonder where Jared will be balling come ’27 if not before? As McCain be on a Singapore cane tear since early December— really coming into his one-man X-Factor own of late.
  (UPDATE: this X-factor has factored in to X’ing opponents out of late… hot baller here).

Duke Weaknesses:

• Whitehead (pro’: Crooklyn Nets) and Lively II (pro: Ok.Cee) took a lotta ‘potential’ and some measure of experience with them is the only rotisserie knock here. Tho’ they had their reason($), plural…
• Recall: …this has been a pretty dingy or dingy+++ Dukie menz hoops team of late. As in… they have fielded their pet set of starting 1’s only eight, that’s (8) times thus far this campaign. (Going 8-nil for their Training Room troubles at full-medicine F.Y.I.). –13 triskaidekaphobia games here if you are keeping lameO score @home.
• My preview mags begged to be differcult with 3-point netting (or the lack thereof) here. One even questioned the ‘grit’ of this squadron. HTH’s.
• Christian Reeves: C2 (or a flipped-out caddy): is listed as: “OUT INDEFINATELY” a bum ankle roll. St.Philip bless! As it is unknown when he will be able to return to action. Out as well would be his surprisingly (large): 7′2″, 26o lb., frame. His not so super-Soph’. digits of: 1.7 ppg, with 1.7 rpg and a swat. 67% from the floor is nice though. A four-star center out of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. ‘nother Commonwealth escapee who was ranked as the No. 5 player from the state of North Carolina in his class by ESPN and On3’s 151st player overall. This was his pinnacle ranking by far— as some viewed this as a pinch of a reach-pick per se. His old man, (John), played college basketball at Belmont Abbey. His son is said to be a ‘rim-protector’ and frankly his single-digit ppg/rpg H.S. metrics reflect this. Still, yet, he could get better as he adds strength and gains a few years of A.c.c. experience. Doesn’t have great hands (yet) and is still figuring out how to put it all together on the offensive end. He shows flashes of a face-up game and is always a threat at the rim. A curious take to me from Duke… and candidly he did not look his listed size/girth to me in the dark room. Time=tell if he is anything north of a backup defender or not.
• 6′5″, 19o lb., Jaden Schutt: is a Yorkville, Il., or, honest-Abe baller. 2.1 ppg and 1.1 rpg are his career measures thus far. Said to be a consensus Top-5o baller who has likewise… yet to ‘put it all together’. 38% 3-ball is not ‘tweener or S/G or 2-Guard ½-bad. Schutt was named the 2o22 Gatorade Player of the Year in Illinois; so, that counts. From a lowercase Single-A school where he did pocket a Statie bling; so, that counts too. Tho’ some naysay his Prairie State competition was not all dat competitive. 26 ppg and 41% from downtown is pretty competing to me, however. Jaden was also a T&F star; so, you know he has speed/kinetics that bely his pasty look to burn. Already has his very own youth team to coach (the verb). That’s kinda hometown kool. However, Schutt has decided to redshirt the 2o23-24 season. Which makes you wonder if he needs a U.S.P.S. change-of-addy form for next season? As this is a healthy kid who is insalubrious on his contribution(s) thus far… time=tell here too.
• Duke’s Free-Throwing has been yo-yo’ing all year long like a Smothers Brothers routine. Watch for that if this game ensconces and gets all cold Winter’s night snug, late.
• As in… Guard1, Jared McCain has been Duke’s only player other than Filipowski to start every game this season.

Duke Bench: (depth=) 248th in benching PPG.

* (Lindy’s All-A.c.c. 2nd-string) and (Lindy’s Top N.b.a. Prospect to boot!) Tyrese Darnell Proctor G 6′5″, 183 lb., from: The NBA Global Academy (POST) of Sydney, Australia. He from there, you ain’t. See? 247Sports #23 overall and one of the few ***** or penta-star ESPN kids. TNBAGA is basically a Pacific Touring invite-only H.S. of sorts… as it sorts out all the Commonwealth/U.K. kids to boot. Wild. Like their IMG on every steroid known to p.Hogan and/or Men@Work. That attempt at geo’-satire aside… in all frankness: the: 9.7 ppg with 2.6 rpg and 3.9 apg in relief are either just a smidgeon undercooked; or, you wonder if he could be doin’ mo’,  (elsewhere)? A.c.c. All-Freshman Team last year super-Soph. (true) this year. FT% has dropped from team alpha to a decent 77% for ’24. 34% connectivity on roaming calls with 43% from the field. Nice, not epic though. However, as a bencher, Tyrese was still nominated: A.c.c. Preseason Second Team. That does not suck. As this Proctor monitors his thus far announced pop-quizzes well enuff. Ty’ was on nearly every pre-season G-play watch list to boot. So, clearly, mo’ is expected here. Does have a history of rolling ankle dings, (St.Philip help), as that has not helped his development thus about 10% of his collegiate career missed so far. Is young tho’… as he left Down Under to come ‘over here’ a scholastic season early. Only 18 right now. Starred in the 2o21 Australian Under-20 Championships where he averaged ~18 points in varying Pan-Pacific versions of A.A.U. ball terms. His father, (Roderick), played basketball at Mississippi; so, there is some hoopology Genome that projects well for this Proctor too. The virtual 3.75:1 Assist:Turnover ratio is about as tight as it can get. All-State or ‘good hands people’ indeed. ‘Whispers’ say Ty’ is not a pure shooter tho’ a “diverse” scorer. That makes sense… as he looked a bit Robo-Qb1 or mechanical to me upon breaking the tape. Does crop a big-azz blow-out Jersey Sho’ fro’… +1 fo’ dats. Prolly is an AUD (Australian-dollar) paycheck receiver; is this Proctor mo’ professional than that??? (As he has (somehow) cut about 17 lbs. and yet found 3″ in height!?!)
(UPDATE: heating up of late… really helping on O-utput).

(several of my mag’s A.c.c. Newcomer of the Year is all): a 6′5″, 197 lb., Caleb Foster: off-G by Notre Dame (Cali’) fame. This is yet another Va. (Oak Hill Academy) escapee. Rated by ESPN with five stars (*****) as the No. 24 player nationally, the No.7 point guard, and the No.4 player from the state of California. MaxPreps California Player of the Year and Caleb tore up the touring circuit for Nike/EYBL via dotting nearly a ~3o ppg average. Can put the biscuit in the basket to be sure. 8.5 ppg with 2.4 rpg on 2.3 apg and nearly 4o% from behind the arc speak to the depth of his game. NO personal info’ listed; which is always sad to see. (St.Mary and St.Jospeh bless). Lindy’s says he is something of a Point-Wing who is versatile to set up and step up (on O) and can score from all over. Mid-range, off the dribble, and from deep. Not every Three has all 3 Dr. J -esque levels any mo’. Only the free-throwing (~64%) needs just a pinch of work. Yet another subsumed Dukie who could be tearing it trinary-threat up somewhere else. Prolly is no less than an export baller.

Sean Stewart F 6′9″, 227 lb., rookie, or nugget Election Year voter. One of the few that seemed like he might tally north of that; that, or he plays bigger than he is listed in the film room. Rated by 247Sports with five stars (*****) as the No.21 player nationally, the No.6 power forward, and the No.2 player from the state of Florida; that’s it. Played for the USA U-17 National Team, helping the squad to a medal at the 2022 FIBA World Cup in Spain; that too. His father, (Mike), only played eight years in the N.b.a, while his grandfather, Mike, played at Santa Clara where he was only The W.c.c. Player of the Year in 1972; that three. So, as you can see… there is a lotta to N.b.a./W.c.c. and A.c.c. D.N.A. to like here. Said to be a floor-runner with power and explosion and yah; that’s prolly code for why/how methinks S2 to be bigger than his listings too. 7.6 ppg with 2.8 rpg a nifty 2.9 rpg and a .8 bpg on a spry 52.5% tell you where he shoots/works from. i.e., in close… a racketeer to be sure. And oh by the vert way… only broke the all-time Dukie Vertical Leap maker with a skywalking 37″. That’s all… what a bum… tho’ he prolly bums a springy export tax-stub ride at worst. If his overall O game develops? Look the Foxtrot Oscar.

6th-cv19-r-shirt Sr.-year Graduate, Ryan Young, is a Five/C who stands 6′1o″, and weighs 239 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). Has found about a 1o-lb. plate in right-mass since we saw him last additionally.

6′2″, 2o4 lb., Jaylen Blakes is your 2nd-year Pt.Guard2 who can shoot off the pine (2.7 ppg with 1.1 rpg and 33.3% 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… Solid backup One, good range, great handles (.6 tpg) and you could do Qb2 worse.

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Dukies who could duke it out @Tech=most? All???

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is…

…not to be too taken with anything Duke or Tech at the momenteto

As neither squadron has been a full-medicine off/on and on/off again for the last couple of fortnights of runs.

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Meaning there are better answers yet to come here. As both clubs have done some sharper image work with their full-line-ups at full, strength.

“Patience young grasshopper…”
—Master Po

As Eye foresees Duke being more than they currently are; Training Room/Coach God permitting.

❣️🍿❣️

Eye additionally foresees VeeTee being not less than they currently are; Training Room/Coach God permitting.

And presuming that Mister Popcorn can time the buttering of his signature late-regular-season
run to ‘pop’-clean ≥St.Val’s Day give/take.

 ***

Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is merely calling for an ambushing and upsetting +5-point  VicTory Dance. Population or n=3 here. Eye’d like to see a couple mo’ pinches of salt in the Forum Guide blood a.c.c.ordingly. However, the correlation was 2 outta 3 in our favor or p=.67; as the Hokiebird divebombing Audubon and Audubon crying ‘wolf’ at P.E.T.A. goes. So, although I do admit, this one is s squirrely one… it IS one that logs in, in our favor. Not in Dukes’.

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… Duke is only up +2% in shooting percentage margin (nearly: every tenth of which is per being just a bit better on O overall); with Duke up right at ~+4% in 3-point percentage margin (from: being up virtually +2% on 3-O and again on 3-D alike), and Duke completed the mini-me 3for3 sweep via being up just over +2 caroms corralled in rebounding margin for the year-to-date. (This due to: just a little better off the D-backboard and being a bit better off the O-backboard to boot).

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Hokies are up ~+3% in shooting percentage margin (all of which was a bit better on O with the Dukies a bijou better on D); with the F’n Gobblers up a whopping +1% in 3-point percentage margin (from: being –5% stiffer in 3-D recently, although Duke is shooting the eyes outta the deep-ball +4% and sizzling here, as VT is shooting well enuff of late), and yet the Dukies are humping it on the fiberglass of late, now up +3 misses gathered in, in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of ‘ball. (per: Duke being just a little better on OD-backboarding and VT being just a mite worse on OD-backboarding of late to boot. Nothing massive here— tho’ enuf +1’s do add up)

Armchair Pt.Guard’s:

• vs. no-names? +19o-points to the perfected epic. Seriously, Duke beat the: ‘da plane, da plane’ little guys arse that they faced like a rented dumpster fire. Smoked ’em all by ≥19 points and only one of ’em even held Duke under 24 as the final margin went. Harsh. Tho’ as Jerry West taught us in traveling all-star camp, this is what great teams do.

  

• vs. Surnames? (CU) +69-points to the adequate enuff to be ranked: 12 as of the weekend. The squirrely part is… early season (’23) BIG-names opened Duke up at 1 up vs. 3 down head-to-head-to-head-to-head. Which makes you wonder out loud if Duke/Scheyer are just now starting to put it all together.

V.P.I. is up a decent +5% at the charity stripe for the year.
VT is a .9o9 host; whereas Duke is .6 as a guest.
Duke is up +4 in R&R of late.

The Call…

No.19 Net Ranking Duke @ no.54 Net Ranking Vah.Tech:

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The VerdicT:

So, the easy way out is to take Duke to win on the blind here, right?

No need to see the Duck Pond river-card… jus’… bet.

And mo’ often than not that’s not the worst bet.

However, here where real men congregate and spit truth at the power on: bourbonstreet.sportswar.com… we ain’t gots no damn stinkin’ T.O.S., we don’t cower behind no paywall, we ain’t gots no Social Needia and we seldom take the easy way out.

Not even when we clearly… should.

The digits:

As in… mea culpa… I confess… I really should pick Duke to win this one here, right(s)?

Nevertheless, I am left wanting to wonder “out loud”… if Mister Popcorn has them in a bimodal or double-hump mode as peaks go?

A camel-curve of a a.c.c.laim if you will. As the Hokies spread the floor and spread the ball very efficaciously against the y.Jackets in the team’s latest well-distributed scoring effort. Virginia Tech has had at least four double-digit scorers in each of its last three games, a sign of the team’s emerging unity that coach Mike Young desperately systemically craves.

Hence Mike’s behind-the-scenes pet word of: “connectivity”. Signal strength is good; and the dots do seem to be beginning to take shape. Mea culpa.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The Home:Away margins however told the following tale… the O&M are up a downright shiny-looking +11% from the floor on their very own Cassell hardwood; with the Techsters up a useful-looking +5% from 3-ball-land, and a kinda surprising +2 rebounds in Rebounding Margin in the flurrying New River Valley.

Observer as well… Mike has benched most of his bench and gone with a very narrow septa or 7-man rotation of late. This is a quick ≤48-hour N.b.a. turn. That brings S&C into play and that brings fatigue into play mo’ so for the thinner team {sic: Tech} here.

–oOo–

2o2 miles Nor-by-Nor-West later and come ~midnight Cinderella or Cinderfella we shall be.

Tho’ Eye do oh so hope that Duke is playing @arch-rival u.N.c. already. As m.Young and Co. are a shocking .8oo vs. Duke. Like Duke done him dirt(y) at some Spartan time ago…

As in… NO current Duke player was on the Durham, Nc., roster when they last won in Blacksburg back in ’19. Kra-kra ain’t? ’cause they have never Triumphed vs. Tech in the 24o6o❗️

VeeTee has a shot here… tho’ -and makes no giddy homesteading misQ here- VeeTee must land their A-game punch. In particular from downtown. As Duke enjoys edges plural(s)… inside.

Same as the last call… state=finish here…

Start Tee.Swift and have an Owens Dining Hall shot to chef it up, late.

Get in foul trouble early; or, just chill out from downtown and So.Main won’t be off the chain.

🏀

💯

🏀

 

 

 

(41% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=76, Duke=73

please support the VT F.C.A.!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**