Duke factoid

[Blueheart32]

Am I willing to bet against the Rory Mcilroy of college basketball? Probably,. First tell what an avatar bet is?

Duke makes it to the elite 8, I pick out an avatar that you have to use the entire next season. They don't make it to the elite 8, you pick mine.

 

[gharding07]

The Kenpom rankings for previous years are all post-tournament.

Found it.

 

[ftp000]

Duke makes it to the elite 8, I pick out an avatar that you have to use the entire next season. They don't make it to the elite 8, you pick mine.

Bet

 

[lakercat]

People are really letting their anti-Duke bias get in the way of evaluating their team this year. I get it, Duke might be the most annoying team in college basketball. But the weak conference argument is really overblown.

Gonzaga plays in a weak conference and it's never hurt them in the tournament. They have the longest consecutive sweet 16 streak and recently got to two Final Fours and a title game.

Houston was supposed to be overrated because they played in the AAC. "Wait until they get to the Big 12 and they'll learn what a real conference looks like," everyone said. Well they just won two straight conference titles.

Our 2012 title team played two ranked games in conference, both against Florida. Our 1996 title team played one ranked team in conference.

If you're banking on Duke being overrated because of their easy competition you're going to be disappointed. Everything about them is elite and they're ranked #1 in the NET, Kenpom, and Barttorik. Advanced metrics aren't everything, but when everything is in this strong of an agreement it's impossible that they're all that wrong. Duke is elite this year and probably at minimum the second best team in the country.

Duke is good. The ACC is trash. Duke is destroying bad teams. None of these are mutually exclusive

 

[Blueheart32]

Bet

Cool! Should be fun!

 

[ukcatz12]

Yeah, the stat is always pre tournament though. Just like only 2 teams outside the 20/20 club(off and def efficiency) have ever won a title in the kenpom era. That's always before the tournament starts.

The efficiency numbers definitely aren’t pre-tournament. The day the 2021 tournament started Baylor had the 44th ranked defense but at the end of the season it was ranked 22nd.

 

[Haggin_Hall_1983]

I think it has been pretty obvious that two teams are better than the rest this season: Duke and Auburn. I won’t be surprised if those two meet in the championship game like Gonzaga-Baylor in 2021, which was another year where two teams were far better than everyone else

Florida is the best and most balanced team in the country when healthy. Top defense, 2 guards that can create their own shots, make the 3, and drive the basketball. their 2 bigs are very good, especially when they play at the same time. That made Auburn look silly at times- Auburn did not match up with them. Just my opinion

 

[gharding07]

The efficiency numbers definitely aren’t pre-tournament. The day the 2021 tournament started Baylor had the 44th ranked defense but at the end of the season it was ranked 22nd.

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Yes they are.

 

[gharding07]

The efficiency numbers definitely aren’t pre-tournament. The day the 2021 tournament started Baylor had the 44th ranked defense but at the end of the season it was ranked 22nd.

View embedded media

Only 2 teams have won it outside the 20/20 club.

"Dating back to 2002, all but two teams have been inside KenPom's adjusted offensive and defensive metrics top 20. The teams that win it all are not only elite but are balanced and able to win in different ways more times than not.

The two teams that didn’t are 2014 Connecticut, paced by a sensational run from Shabazz Napier, and 2021 Baylor, who had a mid-season blip that weighed down the team’s overall rating."

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

Florida is the best and most balanced team in the country when healthy. Top defense, 2 guards that can create their own shots, make the 3, and drive the basketball. their 2 bigs are very good, especially when they play at the same time. That made Auburn look silly at times- Auburn did not match up with them. Just my opinion

Possible you may be right. In terms of preference, I’d much rather see a 64-year old head coach lead Auburn to their first national title rather than a 39-year old head coach lead Florida to their third national title. I’m actively cheering for Auburn to win the title if Kentucky doesn’t. That keeps Duke from winning and also Florida.

 

[shodaman]

If they beat Duke somehow or win a couple ACCT games they will try to force them in somehow.

that is why I think the acc gods will find a way for nc to win saturday. duke keeps it's #1 seat

 

[catfan220]

People are really letting their anti-Duke bias get in the way of evaluating their team this year. I get it, Duke might be the most annoying team in college basketball. But the weak conference argument is really overblown.

Gonzaga plays in a weak conference and it's never hurt them in the tournament. They have the longest consecutive sweet 16 streak and recently got to two Final Fours and a title game.

Houston was supposed to be overrated because they played in the AAC. "Wait until they get to the Big 12 and they'll learn what a real conference looks like," everyone said. Well they just won two straight conference titles.

Our 2012 title team played two ranked games in conference, both against Florida. Our 1996 title team played one ranked team in conference.

If you're banking on Duke being overrated because of their easy competition you're going to be disappointed. Everything about them is elite and they're ranked #1 in the NET, Kenpom, and Barttorik. Advanced metrics aren't everything, but when everything is in this strong of an agreement it's impossible that they're all that wrong. Duke is elite this year and probably at minimum the second best team in the country.

I agree with everything except a slight quibble w the Gonzaga claim. To say playing in a weak conference never hurt them is to cite a counterfactual, which is impossible to disprove. You could make the case their sweet sixteen streak but struggles deeper in the tournament is bc the weak conference taught them how to beat lesser teams but didn’t prep them for harder competition.

With that said Duke should probably be only slightly below Auburn as a favorite to win it all. I hope they lose to a 16 seed.

 

[yes_takeaside]

I think it has been pretty obvious that two teams are better than the rest this season: Duke and Auburn. I won’t be surprised if those two meet in the championship game like Gonzaga-Baylor in 2021, which was another year where two teams were far better than everyone else

This is wrong. They’re clearly not better than the rest and I’ll be surprised if either makes the title game

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

Memphis has won 0 titles. Though they had the title won in 2008 if they could shoot free throws. This Duke team shoots 78% from the FT line which is 19th in the country. Knueppel is 90% and Flagg is 80%. I don't see a resemblance at all. Those Memphis teams were all athleticism and no shooting.

The weak competition has been beaten like a dead horse. Gonzaga generally goes further than their seed suggests. Villanova and UCONN have won 4 titles over the past 10 years, and the Big East is never great

 

[BBNinSC]

People are really letting their anti-Duke bias get in the way of evaluating their team this year. I get it, Duke might be the most annoying team in college basketball. But the weak conference argument is really overblown.

Gonzaga plays in a weak conference and it's never hurt them in the tournament. They have the longest consecutive sweet 16 streak and recently got to two Final Fours and a title game.

Houston was supposed to be overrated because they played in the AAC. "Wait until they get to the Big 12 and they'll learn what a real conference looks like," everyone said. Well they just won two straight conference titles.

Our 2012 title team played two ranked games in conference, both against Florida. Our 1996 title team played one ranked team in conference.

If you're banking on Duke being overrated because of their easy competition you're going to be disappointed. Everything about them is elite and they're ranked #1 in the NET, Kenpom, and Barttorik. Advanced metrics aren't everything, but when everything is in this strong of an agreement it's impossible that they're all that wrong. Duke is elite this year and probably at minimum the second best team in the country.

They are very good, but still a young team. I can hope that their youth catches up with them in a bad matchup in the tournament.

 

[Fox2monk]

that is why I think the acc gods will find a way for nc to win saturday. duke keeps it's #1 seat

I could see that at their house too.

 

[Fox2monk]

They are very good, but still a young team. I can hope that their youth catches up with them in a bad matchup in the tournament.

They need a physical athletic team to play them. Preferably one with decent shooters.

 

[JonathanW]

My observation of Duke has been that in close games both Flagg tries to do too much, and his teammates step back, combining for errors and turnovers and bad shots by him.

 

[Creed Bratton]

And last night Karl Ravich was trying to rationalize UNCheat getting into the NCAAT.

Was it that 1-10 record against Quad 1 opponents or the four 1 & 2 point wins over Quad 2 opponents?

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

Memphis has won 0 titles. Though they had the title won in 2008 if they could shoot free throws. This Duke team shoots 78% from the FT line which is 19th in the country. Knueppel is 90% and Flagg is 80%. I don't see a resemblance at all. Those Memphis teams were all athleticism and no shooting.

The weak competition has been beaten like a dead horse. Gonzaga generally goes further than their seed suggests. Villanova and UCONN have won 4 titles over the past 10 years, and the Big East is never great.

And you're a fool if you don't see it being relevant. Just like that Memphis team you mentioned, Dook has entered the NCAA-T as the favorite or one of the favorites to win it all. Yet, slipped up to the Lehigh's of the post season.
Ever heard of the crucible? Teams don't get better beating up on basement dwellers. They get better when they are pushed night in and night out. But, we will see. My money is on Auburn, Florida and Houston...not necessarily in that order.

 

[rick64]

I'm sure the NCAA and the refs will do everything they can to protect their golden child.

 

[Blue wood]

I’m not sure the significance of 811 posts sorry. That one flew over my head like many things do. I’m just saying he’s a good poster that’s all. No need to go for the jugular because he said something positive about a school you don’t like. Frankly, I hate Duke but you do have people who rearrange the truth a lot when it comes to them due to our hatred.

Wow bromance going on here