Duke News & Notes, March 25th Edition - SCACCHoops.com

Duke News & Notes, March 25th Edition

by Duke Hoop

Posted: 3/25/2013 9:21:42 AM


In the absence of a Morning Linkfest this morning, here is the Duke F.I.S.T. post from DukeHoopBlog.com.  Its a great morning update with a Duke focus.

NCAA Duke Creighton Basketball.JPEG-0ce18

Duke is back to the Sweet 16 yet again after outlasting Creighton last night.  Duke had 3 players with 4 fouls before the under 16 timeout in the second half.  At that point, they had a 5-7 point lead and honestly, I thought the game was over.  They were cold shooting, Mason was the only inside presence we had, and Kelly was the only one who was able to contain McDermott.  Alas they proved me wrong as they were able to extend their lead thanks to Curry finding his shot and Amile Jefferson playing OUTSTANDING defense on McDermott.  Amile’s effort last night is why we all wish he was the first one off the bench.  Hopefully he’ll see more time against Michigan State who Duke will face on Fri. night.  It’s another late game as it tips off at 9:45pm and it definitely will not be an easy one as MSU has the size inside to get our bigs in foul trouble.

Sulaimon, Curry Lift No. 6 Duke Over Creighton 66-50

Rasheed Sulaimon scored 21 points, Seth Curry had 17 and the No. 2 seed Blue Devils beat seventh-seeded Creighton 66-50 on Sunday night to advance to the NCAA round of 16 for the fourth time in five years. A year after they lost their NCAA tournament opener, the Blue Devils (29-5) return to the regional semifinals for the 27th time. They’ll play No. 3 seed Michigan State (27-8) on Friday in Indianapolis. Let upsets strike down the other heavy favorites. It’s back to business as usual for the Blue Devils. “We’ve got another five days to live here,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We’ve going to have to be really good playing Michigan State.” The Blue Devils will have to silence the whistle to keep the run alive. Mason Plumlee, Josh Hairston and Ryan Kelly battled foul trouble all game long that could have doomed the Blue Devils. Throw in 39 percent shooting, and the Blue Devils are far from playing their best in March.

Duke Beats Creighton in War of Attrition

If the NCAA Tournament got some exciting games over the last two days, the Duke-Creighton game was not one of them. Duke managed to hold off the Blue Jays in their first ever meeting winning 66 to 50 for their 2000 victory as a school and more importantly it is a victory that will send them to the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis where they will face Michigan State. The Blue Devils won an ugly, whistle ridden game that prevented any offensive flow and any semblance of the game most were expecting between two of the more potent offensive teams in the country. Duke, a team often criticized for always getting the favorable calls had three key players with 4 fouls with more than 15 minutes left in the game and two of those players fouled out. Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly were completely ineffective scoring only 11 points combined (Plumlee 10, Kelly 1) as both were sidelined with foul trouble early in the first half as both showed difficulty staying with Creighton star Doug McDermott who finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds.

As Kansas wakes up to blow past UNC, Ben McLemore continues his sleepwalk

The Kansas Jayhawks couldn’t hit a jump shot to save their lives. Then they tore the lid off the basket. They couldn’t finish at the rim, keep both hands on an offensive rebound or beat North Carolina to a loose ball. Then they exerted their will in angry, frightening fashion, forcing their way deep inside the Tar Heels’ heads. This was a No. 1 seed with glaring flaws at the offensive end, many undoubtedly were convinced. Then KU ripped off one of the best—and most compelling—halves of basketball in the school’s rich, storied NCAA Tournament history. Some might say all the Jayhawks did here Sunday is beat a No. 8 seed—as they should’ve.

FGCU becomes first 15 seed to reach round of 16

Florida Gulf Coast can only hope its second weekend in the NCAA tournament is as much fun as its first. The little-known Eagles made NCAA tournament history Sunday night, becoming the first 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 – and they did it in style with a convincing 81-71 win over No. 7 San Diego State that had the Wells Fargo Center partying. A couple of hours later, Duke joined them with a 66-50 win over Creighton – and a decidedly more subdued postgame celebration. Both will have a tough time next weekend. Second-seeded Duke gets No. 3 Michigan State in the Midwest Regional semifinals, while FGCU – the upstart state school – plays the system’s flagship university, third-seeded Florida, in the South Regional semifinals at Dallas.

Sweet 16 Teams 2013: Louisville, Indiana, Kansas Survive, Advance In NCAA Tournament

After 52 games, the field of 68 teams in the 2013 NCAA Tournament has been narrowed to 16. In a typically mad stretch of March, the unheralded Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University earned a spot in this select group while the team atop the AP poll on Selection Sunday did not. Top-seeded Gonzaga was ousted in the third round by No. 9 Wichita State in the wild West Region. In that same section of your very likely busted bracket, No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast ousted both No. 2 Georgetown and No. 7 San Diego State. The East Region went a bit more predictably, sending its top four seeds into the round of 16. In the Midwest, No. 1 overall seed Louisville overwhelmed its first two opponents, doing nothing to disappoint the many experts who tapped them to cut down the nets in Atlanta.

 

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