Duke-VaTech

While I'd like to talk about how Duke played last night (very well--much less JJ-watching; Shelden--solid), I can't help but concentrate on all the issues facing the Hokies: one player has cancer, another just suffered the loss of his grandmother, another's father is basically on his deathbed with lung cancer, and to cap it off, the team is on a 5-game skid and winless in the ACC. Now it's not so hard to see how they got slapped with two frustrated and emotional T's last night. Being winless sucks and invokes unusual measures of desperation...I was on a soccer team that went winless for the better part of four years, and we easily led the state of Louisiana in red and yellow cards.

The Washington-Melchionni bit had me up in arms when it happened, but a very classy move by him and Greenberg after the game made it very easy to let it be a bygone. Greenberg really is a solid coach.

How can you not empathize with this team right now? Here's hoping they can turn the season around and grab a few W's once Collins and Harris return to the team.

Big Game Tonight

Definitely one of our biggest games of the season tonight in Cameron. While the rivalry has slipped in the last couple of years with the losses of Steve Blake, Juan Dixon and co., there's reason for some added tension tonight. They've beaten us three times in a row, and some could make the argument that Gary Williams (like Jim Calhoun) simply has K's number. Make no mistake, Gary Williams is one smart coach, and he is familiar with Duke ball. Maryland is leading the ACC in scoring at about 84 per game, and they always bring their A-game to Cameron (those bastards!). To boot, Maryland is coming off one of those RPI-killing losses to Miami, where they let the Canes drain 12 from three. Look for them to have adjusted accordingly tonight as they'll be all over JJ. If Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts find themselves in foul trouble early (as they did against Wake), the Terps will surely expose the consequent weakness, something they've been able to do to us for years. Duke-Maryland never disappoints, and tonight should be a tough one. Go Devils.

In other news, the wheels could officially fall off the Spartan train tonight. MSU, a popular final four pick, will have to play a helluva game against Indiana to stave off their third loss in a row.