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Kentucky currently a 7.5 point dog against Dook

I think Duke covers.

I can see them winning 88-80.
They may very well do so. But it is definitely NOT going to be anything resembling a lopsided blowout. That's as far as I would go if I were a confident Blue Devil fan. I just don't see them covering 7.5 at all, personally. Too much experience on the floor for UK.

I'd bet the farm on that.
 
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Maluach does have great size. But Williams is quicker, much more athletic and probably stronger. I think UK can win that battle, but I can't guess as to how much impact that would have on the final score. I would also like to see UK coax Flagg into being "the man" and taking a lot of 3pt. and midrange shots. Flagg may get lucky and make a higher percentage of those shots Tuesday, but I'd take my chances.

I think you have to fight to keep Flagg off the boards, and otherwise play him straight up. Don’t double and turn him into a playmaker.

He’s a nice player. In some ways he’s like a taller version of Reed. Excellent feel, very active, and tends to make the right read.
 
There's really no reason UK shouldn't win this game due to the experience factor alone.
That experience factor is a great advantage to have. I agree UK has that here, and I’m very glad. But Proctor, Foster, James, Gillis and Brown are no slouches to have in that department either, right? My guess would be without James, Gillis and Brown, UK would win by 10 points or more. Against those guys, I still can’t help but like UK for the (closer) win. Call me a homer.
 
I like our chances. I'd think unlike the last roll the ball out 13 years, we have coach who will be watching film on the opponent and will have a good game plan ready. Pope knows this could be his and Kentucky's coming out party on the national stage. I think he is waiting in the tall grass ready to pounce IMO.
techno portugal GIF by Festival Forte
 
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I think you have to fight to keep Flagg off the boards, and otherwise play him straight up. Don’t double and turn him into a playmaker.

He’s a nice player. In some ways he’s like a taller version of Reed. Excellent feel, very active, and tends to make the right read.
I agree with that. Except that Flagg puts me in mind of a more skilled Tyler Hansbrough, rather than a young player with game feel on par with Reed Sheppard. I tend to think the attribute that most separates Flagg from other freshmen is his confident aggression – and he has enough skill to make it useful aggression.
 
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I am hoping for a good game. This UK team is made up in a way that many of you have been calling for, for years. A team with talent, depth and great experience. Duke is built like they have been for years, similar to Cals UK teams. They have supposedly great talent but, inexperience. I am hopeful the experience wins out this time. A concern moving forward is that Duke may have a higher ceiling. Their freshmen and sophomore talent may take greater (in season) strides than a UK team with players that are 3 to 4 years older. jmo I will worry about that in March.
 
I agree with that. Except that Flagg puts me in mind of a more skilled Tyler Hansbrough, rather than a young player with game feel on par with Reed Sheppard. I tend to think the attribute that most separates Flagg from other freshmen is his confident aggression – and he has enough skill to make it useful aggression.

You’ve probably watched him more than I have, but Flagg seems to be all over the court, while TH was mostly a bulldog under the rim.

Flagg definitely gave me those Reed/Luka/Joker kind of vibes from the brief times I’ve watched him, as far as feel for the game and nose for the ball.
 
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I do not bet on sports.......but if this is an indicator of who wins.....its all hype.

Basically Duke's Cooper Flagg is about all they talk about....Wonder who else they got?

The story will be who out defended who.

I wanna believe we got some fight in us to defend this year.
 
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I do not bet on sports.......but if this is an indicator of who wins.....its all hype.

Basically Duke's Cooper Flagg is about all they talk about....Wonder who else they got?

The story will be who out defended who.

I wanna believe we got some fight in us to defend this year.
They have two other freshmen who are projected first round draft picks. One seems to be an elite shooter who has been Dukes leading scorer through the first two games and the other is a 7’2” big man who played for South Sudan in the Olympics this summer.

They return two guards, a sophomore and a junior, who have been good in college but not exceptional. Duke obviously hopes they make a jump in their respective years.

They bring in a transfer big from Syracuse who was very efficient for them but not a volume scorer.. A transfer guard from Tulane known for defense and driving to the basket. And a transfer guard from Purdue who is a really good shooter and was Big Ten Sixth man of the year last year.

Those with Flagg are their top 8.
 
There's really no reason UK shouldn't win this game due to the experience factor alone.


Well we are a 7 point underdog and they’re ranked 15 spots ahead of us in polls and we returned ZERO players from last year which is insane and it’ll only be their third game playing together so I’m not sure “there’s really no reason to lose”. It would be considered a massive upset if we won.
 
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They have two other freshmen who are projected first round draft picks. One seems to be an elite shooter who has been Dukes leading scorer through the first two games and the other is a 7’2” big man who played for South Sudan in the Olympics this summer.

They return two guards, a sophomore and a junior, who have been good in college but not exceptional. Duke obviously hopes they make a jump in their respective years.

They bring in a transfer big from Syracuse who was very efficient for them but not a volume scorer.. A transfer guard from Tulane known for defense and driving to the basket. And a transfer guard from Purdue who is a really good shooter and was Big Ten Sixth man of the year last year.

Those with Flagg are their top 8.
Yeah, I think Duke has much more experience than some seem to realize.
 
That experience factor is a great advantage to have. I agree UK has that here, and I’m very glad. But Proctor, Foster, James, Gillis and Brown are no slouches to have in that department either, right? My guess would be without James, Gillis and Brown, UK would win by 10 points or more. Against those guys, I still can’t help but like UK for the (closer) win. Call me a homer.
You are knowledgeable and smart. You are the first UK poster to acknowledge that Duke has PLENTY of experience for that not to be a determining factor.
 
Duke is now -6 on Draftkings so people were hammering the -7.5

I'm not sure I like it at -6 may just build a parlay when it gets closer
 
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We will definitely learn a lot of our team on Tuesday and I do think the veteran players and presence will show this game. If we can jump out early then that puts all the pressure on them and their young players. How do they respond if so and the opposite can be true, if they jump out early then how do our older guys respond…….also, big time game and other than butler, curious to see how our older guys respond in this atmosphere.
I have no idea what to expect. How will a completely new “team” respond to this atmosphere…..how will Duke’s freshmen respond to this atmosphere? I don’t see how anyone can have a feel for how it will go .
 
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That's crazy talk. No one expects this team to be Final Four caliber, which is what it would take to beat Duke. Could they reach that point? Of course, but realistically, this is a Sweet Sixteen, maybe Elite 8 Team at best. That said, all I want to see is continued smart, unselfish, fundamentally-sound basketball. And no drama. That will make me happy. Now next year and the year after that? Expectations naturally go up.

Go Cats!
Well said. Anyone calling this team a bust if they lose to Duke is NOT a UK or Pope fan. He has done a fantastic job thus far, the system he has in place is superb. No team is going undefeated.
 
If Pope wins this game he'll be solidified.

Losing this game will completely lower expectations and excitement.

I particularly don't like any team that loses to Duke. It'll be different for me this year if they lose to Duke.
I wish they didn't have to play duke...ever.
It's not their fault it's just the way it is. 💯

Please win.
Since 1978 we are 2-9 against Duke . Embarrassing.
 
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It’s way too early to get any true understanding of where either team is right now based on opponents played thus far. I have to think the line is based on the public’s interpretation that Duke has a returning coach and Flagg and built roster while we have a new coach and somewhat new roster. Public view is that our team is still learning a new system. I’ll comfortably take UK to cover (but won’t bet on us to win)
 
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I am not impressed by anything that I have seen from Duke. Their primary scoring is expected to come from their frontcourt. With this being the case, I will take our 3-point scoring against their 2-point scoring.
 
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What? What is your problem. I state facts: we have over performed Vegas, Torvik, and KenPom each of first two games and so have they. Why does that make me a troll? I went to school at Jentucky; I don’t understand this vitriol for saying it will be a tough game (which obviously the rest of the country agrees with outside you crazies on here).
Like 85% of your posts on here have been about Duke, you always claim you went to UK.
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Like 85% of your posts on here have been about Duke, you always claim you went to UK.
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Haha I just looked, this post was my favorite

"A good get for us, but I wouldn’t call it a recruiting win over UConn or Duke. Both stopped recruiting after getting top 20 guards in Mullins for UConn and Boozer for Duke. Until we beat out someone either really wants through the very endc, I’m not ready to declare our recruiting prowess is back."

Every team in the country wanted Acaden.
 
I recall reading a headline prior to the Bucknell game stating that Kentucky would have issues with the Bucknell center. Well, that didn't happen. Eventually Kentucky will lose a game which will give all of the know-it-alls an opportunity to say, "Pope wasn't the right choice for the job." I feel this way, because not a single reporter who has suggested Kentucky would struggle with an opponent has stated anything positive about Kentucky after their easy victories. It is like they are hoping that Kentucky would lose.
 
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Butler, Oweh, and Robinson will need to play at their best in order for UK to win. They're going to sag off of Butler and make him shoot. Robinson and Oweh need to play like NBA draft picks in this game. Williams has to stay on the floor. I hope UK stops taking those awful 18 footers. We missed five straight mid-range shots yesterday and it destroyed the flow of the game. Have to play with our heads above water and fight for every breath in a game like this.

I've thought Duke was 6 points better from a talent level going back to the summer. Even still, UK has the pieces to win this game. After all, it's still Scheyer on the other sideline.
 
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Butler, Oweh, and Robinson will need to play at their best in order for UK to win. They're going to sag off of Butler and make him shoot. Robinson and Oweh need to play like NBA draft picks in this game. Williams has to stay on the floor.

I've thought Duke was 6 points better from a talent level going back to the summer. Even still, UK has the pieces to win this game. After all, it's still Scheyer on the other sideline.
When Kentucky wins this game, some will look to the next team Kentucky has to beat to gain respect. At some point, Kentucky will be given the credit that it deserves.
 
History has nothing to do with the upcoming game. Not a single player for any of those previous losses are on this current team.
Well I understand that. I was addressing the guy that said he didn’t like any UK team that loses to Duke . Says it’s a season breaker. I was just pointing out that he’s disliked some pretty good UK teams over the years.
My post had nothing to do with Tuesdays game.
 
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