Game Thread [2019-20] #9 Duke vs. Pittsburgh

[DurhamSon]

Duke (6-2) vs. Pittsburgh (4-5)
AdjEff: #2 (#5/#5) vs. #80 (#104/#72)
TV: 9pm 1/28, ESPN

Line: Duke -16.5
Pomeroy: Duke 76, Pittsburgh 60 (93% WP)
Injuries: Moore (hand). K. Chukwuka (hip)

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History:

Duke is 6-2 vs. Pittsburgh in the Coach K era (1-0 in the Capel era)

Games in Durham with the current coaching staffs:

None (Duke is 3-0 however, since they entered the league)

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What they're saying:

I used to love college basketball. I just can't get into it anymore. I don't watch games, I used to watch pretty much any decent matchup, now I don't watch anything. I do miss the brotherhood of the Big East. Having trouble with say UVa/FSU on my radar. But I just I don't know. The one and dones. No continuity. Anonymous players. It is all about the coaches now. It is over coached. It is immature basketball.



With all the fees its closer to $300 [game tickets]. My 13 year old and I will be there, heading from Eastern North Carolina over tomorrow night. Looking forward to the big upset.

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Notes:

Dreadful shooting team that doesn't take threes, only thing done well offensively is rebounding their own misses and getting to the line, where they hit at an okay clip. Players of note include their senior PG Xavier Johnson, who is their best shooter from deep and distributor, but is awful around the rim, like just about the rest of their backcourt players. Small team, generally running four or more guys 6'6 and under, they are awful at keeping other teams off their offensive glass. However they are elite at generating turnovers both through steals and indirectly, considerably better than Duke, and above average at guarding the rim and defending without fouling. Could be a lot of chances to score off of missed shots for us. Should be a win but there's a scenario where we turnover the ball 20 times and embarrass ourselves. Capel also might be better poised than anyone to take advantage of Kfense.

Doesn't need to be said, but this is just about the easiest remaining game on the schedule, and a loss here spells the death of any 1 and likely 2 seed hopes, or a ACC league win.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Duke is favored by 15.5.

There’s an unwatchable but important 7pm game: FSU at UVA is a pick ‘em.

Zion is favored by 8 in Cleveland at 7:30. Cavs are on a back end of a back to back.

 

[Slap the Floor]

FSU will kill them, IMO.

 

[childress22]

I posted "Final score: 64-43 FSU," but then I realized they played 12 days ago in Tallahassee and FSU only won by a point. So, I don't fucking know, I guess toss-up is more like it.

 

[Slap the Floor]

Leonard Hamilton has actually been on a very good run. He's always done well and has always had a good program, but they've really elevated it the last few seasons. In 2012 they won the ACC Tournament (the year they beat us at Cameron on a buzzer beater versus the Rivers team). After that, they went to the NIT in consecutive seasons and then missed the post-season completely in 2015, and then made the NIT in 2016. From 17-19, FSU made the Round of 32, the Elite Eight, and the Sweet Sixteen, and now they're 17-2 and ranked within the top 10.

They've developed into one of the better programs in the ACC the last few years. Probably top 5 along with Duke, UNC, Louisville and UVA. You could argue Syracuse, but I wouldn't because they haven't finished higher then 7th in the ACC in the last 4 seasons. Even in the year they made the Final Four they finished 9th in the conference.

 

[DrKlahn]

Note that the Zion game is League Pass tonight, so it might actually start at the listed time of 7:30 and be over in roughly 2 hours

 

[DrKlahn]

Zion 30 and 15 tonight. Book it

 

[DurhamSon]

I believed in the Zion/Ingram pairing the whole time

 

[dukeboy911]

huge loss for FSU. gives K a little hope he doesn't royally fuck up this conference season.

 

[DurhamSon]

*clank*

 

[dukeboy911]

jesus goldwire

 

[DurhamSon]

we still need Louisville to lose twice, which probably won't happen

 

[dukeboy911]

prolly

 

[DurhamSon]

oh gold wire oh god no

 

[ZackM]

BIG VERN

 

[DurhamSon]

We're going to need a youtube TV chat at this rate

 

[ZackM]

A what?

 

[dukeboy911]

LOU could lose @FSU

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Carey may be back.

 

[dukeboy911]

And I think they're good for one wtf-type loss. There's a sliver of hope.