Monthly Archives: November 2012

Around the triangle basketball: Week 3

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While Duke is off to a spectacular start to the season, sitting at 7-0 after a great week, its Triangle counterparts both had a rough time in the ACC/B1G challenge this week.

No. 18 NC State (4-2)

November 23: UNC Asheville 80, NC State 82

In a nail-biting finish, NC State was able to hold off UNC Asheville to clinch a two-point win in a game they trailed most of the way. Senior Richard Howell starred for the Wolfpack, scoring 23 points including two pivotal free throws with five seconds left along with 15 rebounds to pull his team through. Junior Lorenzo Brown added another 18 points but the biggest performance from NC State’s point of view came from struggling center C.J Leslie. He scored 14 points to go with his 11 rebounds in a much-improved performance that will give head coach Mark Gottfried optimism for the future. However, the team’s 19 turnovers is something that will have to change fast as UNCA was able to score 31 points off of them.

November 27: NC State 72, Michigan 79

In another tight game, the No. 18 Wolfpack were beaten by No. 3 Michigan, which was led by guard Trey Burke. Burke scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists without a turnover in an extremely strong showing. For NC State, TJ Warren was the top scorer with 18 points and C.J Leslie continued to impress with a 16 point, 10 rebound performance, his second double-double of the week.

Analysis: With another 1-1 week, NC State will slide down the rankings, but overall offensively they had a very good week. They shot 56% and 57% in the respective games and if C.J Leslie’s performances are anything to go by, then the offense looks to be in great shape for the rest of the season. However, the 19 turnovers in the first game and 13 in the second continue to affect the team defensively, something Gottfried will have to work on before next week.

Upcoming: December 4 vs Connecticut

No. 14 UNC (5-2)

November 27: North Carolina 59, Indiana 83

In a matchup with the No. 1 team in the country, No. 14 North Carolina was destroyed by Indiana in a 24-point loss. 7-foot sophomore Cody Zeller was immense as he scored 20 points on 8-13 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in a dominating performance. He was assisted by 19 point efforts from Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey. Dexter Strickland was the top-scorer for the Tar Heels with 14, but on a night where North Carolina shot just 37.7% from the field, there were not any other performances of note. The Tar Heels were without sophomore guard PJ Hairston, a presence that was definitely missed.

Analysis: With the only game of the week being a heavy defeat, North Carolina will drop in the rankings further and will continue to do so until it can rectify their problems. The Tar Heels’ free throw shooting continues to be abysmal (43 percent in this game) and a high turnover rate has resulted in some worry. James Michael McAdoo’s strong start to the season came to a halt with his 4-15 shooting on the night. Coach Roy Williams and the rest of his team will be desperately hoping that this is just a minor blip for the sophomore who’s been one of their mainstays this season.

Upcoming: December 1 vs UAB

Coach K invites students back to ‘Club Cameron’

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When you get invited to a club by Coach K, you know you’re doing something right.

That honor belongs to the Cameron Crazies, who created an electric atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Coach K bows to the Cameron Crazies in gratitude after last night's 73-68 win vs. Ohio State. (Photo by Faith Robertson/The Chronicle)

Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who praised the Crazies after Duke’s 73-68 win against Ohio State, was asked by a Chronicle reporter if he could recall the last time the buzz at Cameron matched the one vs. the Buckeyes for a non-North Carolina game.

His response?

“No, why do you think that happens?” Krzyzewski said, referring to the unusually energetic crowd. “If you went to a club and that was really good, wouldn’t you want that club to be that way again no matter who we’re playing?… Well maybe that should be something we do. Like Saturday [against Delaware] would be a heck of a thing, for everybody to come to the club again. Club Cameron.”

If Cameron is the top club, what does that make the Blue Devil head coach—the No. 1 promoter? Either way, there’s no doubting the buzz in the crowd last night. A significant portion of the student section tented for the game, giving it a North Carolina-like atmosphere in the crowd.

“The students were great. Even our coaches were saying that was vintage Cameron,” said Mason Plumlee, who paced Duke with 21 points and 17 rebounds. “They were so good tonight, I just want to say thanks to them.

Fellow senior forward Ryan Kelly agreed with his classmate.

“That was as good as Cameron has been in a long time,” he said.

And this was freshman Rasheed Sulaimon’s first taste of Cameron Indoor Stadium at its finest.

“The Cameron Crazies gave us a lot of energy,” Sulaimon. “It was crazy. Without those guys we wouldn’t have won today. They gave us tremendous energy in there. The atmosphere was crazy.”

The last time the bleachers shook like that in the student section was in 2010 when No. 1 Duke beat No. 6 Michigan State 84-79 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, led by a 31-point performance from freshman point guard Kyrie Irving. That turned out to be Irving’s second-to-last regular season game with Duke before suffering a mysterious toe injury.

Duke basketball beats Ohio State video and links

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Despite trailing most of the way, No. 2 Duke rallied past No. 4 Ohio State 73-68 at Cameron Indoor Stadium last night, giving the Blue Devils the win in this year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge and revenge for last year’s embarrassment at the hand of the Buckeyes.

Here are today’s game stories from the action that you should make sure to catch up on:

Even with Duke trailing nearly the entire game, Mason Plumlee looked like a man unwilling to lose. The forward recorded a double-double less than five minutes into the second half, but the Blue Devils were still losing, unable to break through with their senior co-captain looking as if he were playing one-against-five at times.

But thanks to Rasheed Sulaimon and Ryan Kelly emerging as his perfect sidekicks, Duke’s senior superhero walked off the court a man who maintained his team’s undefeated record with a third win against a top-five opponent.

The No. 2 Blue Devils (7-0) rallied to defeat No. 4 Ohio State (4-1) 73-68 at Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday night with Plumlee recording 21 points and 17 rebounds in a highlight-filled but grueling 39 minutes of action.

“He’s one of the best players in the country. His performance tonight was magnificent,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “My guys are unbelievable to win this game.”

Even with Duke failing to generate any offensive mojo in the first half, scoring just 23 points in the period on 6-of-20 shooting, Plumlee was able to send the crowd into a frenzy on multiple occasions. None was more impressive and emblematic of his man-on-a-mission mentality than a one-handed alley-oop he slammed home off a Quinn Cook pass that appeared to be off target.

With Ohio State leading 31-23 at halftime, having outplayed the Blue Devils in every facet of the game, Duke looked sluggish and out-of-sync, but it was lucky that its deficit was not greater. The athletic Buckeye lineup was outhustling Duke and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds in the first half. On both ends, the feisty Ohio State guards were having their way with Duke’s starting backcourt, which combined for a meager four first-half points.

“I thought we were being put in positions that were less advantageous to run good offense [in the first half],” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. The raucous crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium could sense the post-Thanksgiving hangover reoccurring for Duke.

After all, the Blue Devils were virtually in the same position a year ago—coming off the emotional-high of winning one of the premiere Thanksgiving tournaments in college basketball. Last November, a host of factors—fatigue, immaturity and lack of togetherness—led to Duke’s embarrassing 85-63 demise on the road against Buckeyes, who eventually marched on to the Final Four. The early-season setback foreshadowed the Blue Devils’ future: an upset loss on the opening-weekend of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils were seemingly on the verge of getting knocked out for the second-straight year in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge. With its 96-game non-conference-home winning streak on the line and payback on the players’ minds, Duke came out of the locker room with a swagger in the second half—something fans never saw in last season’s squad.

And here is our postgame video from the floor of Cameron Indoor Stadium alongside Duke Student Broadcasting:

Photo of the game: Duke basketball vs. Ohio State

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Senior forward Mason Plumlee lead No. 2 Duke with 21 points and career-high-tying 17 rebounds in their 73-68 comeback win over No. 4 Ohio State earlier tonight in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Photo by Sophia Palenberg/The Chronicle

Click through to check out more photos from the game.

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Beyond the arc: Duke basketball vs. Ohio State

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In the premier matchup of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Duke surged to beat Ohio State 73 to 68. The Blue Devils and the Buckeyes showed their tough defensive side as each team had one their lowest scoring games, Ohio State earning their lowest point total of the season. Down eight points at the half, Duke stormed back with the leadership of veteran Mason Plumlee and the pure athleticism of freshman Rasheed Sulaimon.

Here’s your postgame recap:

Revisiting the three keys to the game:

  • Points of Concern: The Cook-Craft Matchup: Cook and Craft virtually contained each other, scoring two and three points respectively and each shooting at or under 30 percent. Cook finished 3-for-10 with 12 points and Craft totaled 11 points, going 3-for-15.
  • Chairmen of the Boards: Ohio State dominated in both offensive and defensive rebounds, grabbing 20 compared to Duke’s 14 in the first half. This momentum shifted in the second half, as Mason Plumlee and the Blue Devils controlled the boards 21 to 15.
  • Success from the Charity Stripe: The Blue Devils made the most of their foul shots, shooting 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) from the line, barely edging out Ohio State’s 72.7 percent. Mason Plumlee, who began pregame warmups at the line, was 9-for-12.

Three key plays of the game:

  • 13:26, first half. Ohio State guard Lenzelle Smith, Jr. missed a three-point shot, which ricocheted off the rim into the hands of  guard Aaron Craft. Craft backed up to the arc and fired a wide open three into the hoop. The Buckeyes went on a 16-to-12 run in the following nine minutes, the Blue Devils were unable to make a field goal during this time.
  • 17:42, second half. Duke guard Cook launched a pass to Mason Plumlee, who met the ball at the basket and slammed it down with one hand. Already fired up from a Rasheed Sulaimon jumper and a Cook defensive rebound, the Cameron Crazies erupted in cheers and forced Ohio State coach Thad Matta to take a timeout.
  • 6:15, second half: Duke forward Ryan Kelly received a quick pass from guard Tyler Thornton, squared up, and knocked down a three to tie the game 53-53. On the next possession, Mason Plumlee missed a dunk but was able to grab his own rebound, pass the ball to Cook, who tossed it back to Kelly. Kelly proceeded to make a second three to propel the Blue Devils into the lead. Duke never looked back.

Three key stats:

  • Duke out-shot the Buckeyes 47 to 34 in field goal percentage. Ohio State straight up beat Duke in overall shots 68 to 41. In the second half, Duke began to take better shots and greatly improved their overall field goal percentage from the first half.
  • Ohio State beat the Blue Devils on the offensive glass 16 to seven. The Buckeyes seemed to always be in the right place at the right time, clearly outplaying Duke underneath the basket on offense. Ohio State center Amir Williams had 10 rebounds off the bench, six on offense side. In the first half, the Buckeyes benefited greatly from offensive rebounds.
  • 17 Rasheed Sulaimon second half points. Scoreless in the first half, the young guard went 7-for-11 in field goals, adding two three-point shots and a free throw. Sulaimon also managed to collect four rebounds.

And the Duke game ball goes to … Mason Plumlee: The standout Duke forward had a very impressive second half. Plumlee totaled 21 points, and dominated the boards with 17 rebounds. He shot 75 percent from the free throw line, just under his season average.

And the Ohio State game ball goes to … Deshaun Thomas: Thomas continued his reign as the team’s leading scorer, contributing 16 points to Ohio State’s total. The star forward also had two rebounds and a steal.

Duke basketball vs. Ohio State updates

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Duke 73  Ohio State 68  (Final): Plumlee went 2-for-2 from the line and Cook converted on a crafty drive to build Duke’s edge shortly after they took the lead. The Blue Devils were in control the rest of the way. ‘Sheed is a big reason why. The youngster has scored 17 points, all in the second half, to help Duke battle back. Cook came up clutch in the closing seconds by making his free throws.

Duke 58 Ohio State 56 (2:31, second half): It’s coming down to the wire here at Cameron Indoor. Craft hit a tough mid-range shot to cut Duke’s lead to two. Duke has possession.

Duke 58 Ohio State 54 (3:48, second half): Ryan Kelly for three. Tie game. Ryan Kelly for three again, and the Blue Devils had the lead.

I’m not sure when Cameron Indoor Stadium has been loudest tonight, but that could be because I’m going slowly deaf—this is a UNC-like atmosphere here. Oh, and another Mason Plumlee dunk, go figure.

And even though the offense has been running less through Mason Plumlee late in the second half, he has continued to grab rebounds every step of the way. He now has 15.

Duke 50 Ohio State 53 (6:30, second half): ‘Sheeeeeeed. Getting aggressive on the offensive end, he got a trip to the line and then nailed a trey to bring this game within one.

Ohio State was able to respond to extend it back to three, but now they really have to deal with him and Plumlee, not to mention Cook’s aggressive tempto.

Duke 46, Ohio State 48 (8:40, second half): The only man consistently helping Mason Plumlee on offense is Rasheed Sulaimon. Cook has helped a lot without scoring, regularly pushing the ball up the floor, but it’s been ‘Sheed who has been getting buckets. He has nine second half points after going scoreless in the first 20 minutes. And he seems to have Coach K’s trust, staying in the floor, after regularly getting subbed in and out earlier.

Mason Plumlee has 16 points and 13 rebounds. He might need to have a 20-20 game for Duke to win. He is getting a much-needed break now, though, he was looking worn out from all his work.

Duke 38, Ohio State 42 (11:55, second half): Ohio State had extended its lead back to eight but Duke is finally gaining some consistency on the offensive end. The margin narrowed back to four after an acrobatic jumper from Sulaimon and a nifty lay-in from Cook.

Coach K finally subbed in near the 12-minute mark, for the first time in the second half. The sub? You guessed it—or, I mean, you probably didn’t—Alex Murphy.

Duke 34, Ohio State 37 (14:16, second half): There are few bigs in the nation. who run the floor as well as Mason Plumlee. He’s in a class with Cody Zeller. Although Duke has struggled in halfcourt sets, Quinn found him again in transition for a slam.

On the next possession, after Plumlee battled for an offensive rebound, he found Rasheed Sulaimon who hit a much-needed 3-pointer when Plumlee dished it out.

He already has a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Duke 27, Ohio State 33 (17:28, second half): If Cameron Indoor Stadium needed a jolt, they just got it. Pushing the ball up court, Quinn Cook floated one to Mason Plumlee and the ball appeared to be out of his reach. But Plumlee extended and slammed it home one-handed with authority for the alley-oop, one destined for Sportscenter. And it forced Thad Matta to call a timeout, with the Buckeyes rocked by the slam.

That was the loudest Cameron has been all night—and it has been loud.

Duke 23, Ohio State 31 (halftime): Duke was able to survive in the Battle 4 Atlantis despite poor 3-point shooting, usually a trademark of Coach K teams, but the same has not been true today. Duke is 1-of-7 from deep midway through this game. Their savior? Going 10-of 12 from the foul line. Ohio State, meanwhile is just 5-of-8.

The Blue Devils had no offensive flow in the half. The Buckeyes have athleticism at every position on the floor and they’re smothering Duke from even outside the 3-point arc.

The player struggling the most may be freshman guard Rasheed Sulaimon, who has been regularly subbed in and out throughout the half. The same has been true for Ryan Kelly, who began the game guarding Deshaun Thomas. But after Thomas racked up eight early points, Kelly has seen some time on the bench. They were attacking him—Kelly has improved as a technically sound defender, he recorded 10 blocks in three games in the Bahamas, but he still lacks a natural athleticism. The Buckeyes have exploited that early.

Oh, and say this about Quinn Cook: He’s becoming a demigod among the Cameron Crazies. His defensive effort at the end of the first half was phenomenal, knocking away loose balls and diving for them on the ground. Something else the Crazies love: He has spent a lot of energy jawing at the Buckeyes, clearly frustrating them.

There was a potential for a brawl at the end of the half, fighting for a loose ball in front of the Ohio State bench, with Mason Plumlee at the center. But he maturely just ran out and to the locker room, avoiding all confrontation.

Notable halftime stats:

  • Duke 1-of-7 from 3-point range.
  • OSU with 11 offensive rebounds, Duke with three.
  • Overall, Duke just 6-of-20 from the field.
  • Ohio State with just four turnovers.
  • Mason Plumlee is leading all scorers with 10 points. He also leads all with eight boards. Makes it even more remarkable how Duke is getting killed on the boards.

Duke 21, Ohio State 28 (3:24, first half): If you could give a summary in one statistic, it would be this: Nine offensive rebounds for Ohio State, one for Duke.

And the Blue Devils’ first just came from Josh Hairston, who put home a pretty put-back to bring Duke within five. Smith Jr. responded quickly with a floater, though.

And there’s no doubt things are getting chippy out there—Cook looked like he wanted to start something after fighting for a ball near halfcourt.

Duke 18, Ohio State 24 (6:09, first half): Say this about Duke—the reason the Blue Devils are hanging in this game is free throws. They are currently 9-of-10 from the floor. But they have no offensive mojo and aren’t finding the open guys. On one possession, Lenzelle Smith Jr., who is just 6-foot-4, switched onto Plumlee after a screen. The Duke guards couldn’t Plumlee. Even after that, he continued to demand the ball, getting to the line on the next possession. And he hit both.

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