"Average players" don't average double digit scoring over 30 to 40 games, not even at a mid major.
We have 10 good players. No great players. Maybe 2 average players.
Who Thinks We Can Beat Duke In Basketball and Why
- Thread starter shadowman4
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We have 10 good players. No great players. Maybe 2 average players.
100%. We have the experience, size and shooting to beat anyone. They will have a hard time with Butler in my opinion. I agree we have lots of new faces but so does Duke. If we shoot a high % from three and contain Flagg we will win. 🏆
You’re stuck in the Cal fog.
Cal had the 2 best players on the floor against Kansas last year. Where did that get us?
No, I’m glad cal is gone, I’m on board with pope. Cooper Flagg is a Zion. AD, level prospect, he will be the best player in college ball next year, and Kentucky has nobody to guard him. Duke will win by 6-12 points.
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Need to see him in a college game first.
We shall see. If you listened to Tom leach this morning they talked about only one team with more than 6 transfers have done any good.
Yes, but how many teams had to literally add 12 new players?
UK is in a very unique position. We lost our ENTIRE roster. Did Leach mention that in all of his analysis? How many teams have added 12 guys simultaneously; and further than that, how many of them have been on the same level of quality as this UK roster?
It's probably not wise for people like Leach (or you) to try to make an argument that is based off a incongruent comparison where the comparable sample size is null.
But you like that. You loved you some Calipari, and you've been nothing but dismissive since Pope has been here.
That's kind of weird, wouldn't you say?
He did not look better than any other top 20 FR player during the McD-week.
But ok.
I also recall many on this board believing Boston was going to be an elite guy, maybe our best since Towns. 😂
I correctly predicted him to be a bust.
Not saying I think Flagg will bust. No , I think he will be good, contender for ACC POY, maybe 2nd-3rd team AA. But not Zion or AD level.
Doesn’t Duke only return 2 players.
I’ll take good 4th-5th year players over non-elite FR every day; and those vets will learn new system faster than FR. Now Flagg is elite. Not so sure about the other guy.
A exhibition where they dunk and shoot 3s all day is not a way of determining how good he is. Flagg went against the USA team for the Olympic squad and got a lot of good press. I hate Duke like everybody else here, but Duke has a superstar and a really good team, and that matchup early does not favor UK
I get what both of you are saying, Kentucky is most likely somewhere in the midddle. Not really challenging for anything, but a really fun team that shows growth and sets up pope for years 2 and 3
I like Kentucky's chance better with a real coach on the sidelines, and not CCC.
I think it was Parrish his guest brought up the statistical data. yes small sample size they agree but that's all that's out there.
You people you just go to the Cal thing just make up what you want. I never 1 time said Cal should stay. Do better. I haven't dismissed anything Pope has done. I think the recruiting is going well but cautiously approaching this season. Keep making things up though. Sounds great.
We always have a chance but anyone who expects to beat Duke this year is probably going to be disappointed. Instead you should expect to do better than last year. That's what my expectation is and I think that's far more likely and in the realm of reality.
I remember when Rick Stansbury had to add a lot of talent at WKU when Ray Harper was fired. The roster almost completely turned over. Fans were hopeful but that season they went 15-17.
Now granted, that's WKU and we're not talking about UK but its very hard to bring in a lot of people and have them mesh. We could be in for a rough fall but things might start clicking in January.
Now granted, that's WKU and we're not talking about UK but its very hard to bring in a lot of people and have them mesh. We could be in for a rough fall but things might start clicking in January.
I'm generally in agreement with you and your sense of this. Might quibble to say I think Flagg could be (probably be) an elite freshman, but not necessarily in regard to all of CBB.
Still, to give the “blue” devil his due, the two returning players for Duke were their starting backcourt. That’s a very good start to a team, right? Particularly if you think highly ranked guys improve with years and experience. Then their transfers were all solid dependable guys, although not superstars by any measure. I do think losing Roach was really bad for Duke. He should have been the starting PG last season and this season for them. Because I dislike Duke so much, I’m hoping they take what appeared to me to be the Calipari approach and start freshmen based on recruiting rankings/projected draft position instead of which player currently gives them the best chance to win.
But who do the majority of longer-term, hard-core Duke basketball fans think Scheyer starts? I'm particularly interested in seeing where Flagg starts. I assume he will deserve to start, but I think Scheyer would start him whether he deserved it or not due to his status. My fingers are crossed Duke starts Flagg at SF, rather than PF. I think that move alone will make Duke weaker.
I see no situation in which Flagg does not start. His work ethic and how he goes about his business is as advertised. His play vs Olympic team and practice, I certainly think he deserves it.
I am all but certain the following four will start:
Proctor
Foster
Flagg
Maluach
If i had to guess as to the other starter, it would be Brown at the PF which would put Flagg at the SF OR Sion James at the SF and Flagg at the PF. James has really been impressive. He is a specimen, very strong. Could be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup.
It should be a really good game.
Duke is going to be very good for everyone that is saying they will rely on freshman talent. They might only start one maybe two freshman Cooper and Maluach. Everyone else will be experienced players, some who also had played and made deep runs in the NCAA tournament.
The hype around Cooper flag I believe was solidified this summer when he played with team USA select and he began to get praise from the likes of Kevin Durant and other elite NBA players. It’s easy for the media to pick the next big thing, but it means more when the best players in the game also recognize you for the unique talent you are. He may not dominate the same way Zion did, but he is someone that will effect the game on both ends of the floor and have a state line of 17pts 7 rbs 5 assist 2 steals 2 blocks. Just making winning plays all game long.
I don’t see this being a 10 point blow out. But I fully expect Duke to be a far more complete team then what many expect and to have control of closed game.
Duke 76 UK 70.
The hype around Cooper flag I believe was solidified this summer when he played with team USA select and he began to get praise from the likes of Kevin Durant and other elite NBA players. It’s easy for the media to pick the next big thing, but it means more when the best players in the game also recognize you for the unique talent you are. He may not dominate the same way Zion did, but he is someone that will effect the game on both ends of the floor and have a state line of 17pts 7 rbs 5 assist 2 steals 2 blocks. Just making winning plays all game long.
I don’t see this being a 10 point blow out. But I fully expect Duke to be a far more complete team then what many expect and to have control of closed game.
Duke 76 UK 70.
We have a better chance winning in the Champions Classic than we’ve had in several years. Just because of the empty suit that’s been occupying our sideline.
Agreed.
It’s called a “game”, not an “outcome”.
I hope Duke wins, but would not be shocked if UK wins.
Pope is a coach that can be a bit of a showman.
Calipari is a showman that can be a bit of a recruiter.
I like Coach Pope. Hope he does well at UK, just not not as well as Duke.
In games like this especially early in the season the team with the best player usually wins. In this case duke will have that, Flagg will make a couple of plays that will end up being the difference.
Wait, Flagg is a AD type talent and can only beat this UK team by 6-12? That looks like a good year for us then, that amount is in the margin of error.
Personally, I think it will be close at the end and I need to see more of Pope’s decision making before trusting him to pull it off after my experience the last 10 years. I’m not impressed with Scheyer, if it was K that’s a different story. K, was a good X’s and O’s coach and got a favorable whistle all the time.
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