Duke closed the book on another strong season earlier tonight, even if it did so in a remarkably disappointing manner. As a Duke alum and lifelong Duke fan, this one hurts, but it is what it is. Some thoughts on the game, the season that was, and the future for Duke:
1) Arizona played a damn, damn good basketball game. In the first half, Arizona's offense was merely the Derrick Williams show (and what a show it was). In the second half, it was anything but. Williams only logged 7 points out of Arizona's 55 point outburst in the second half, while the Wildcat role players Lamont Jones, Solomon Hill, and Jamelle Horne delivered debilitating haymakers and humiliating posterizations to the Devils. Even on the few possessions Duke managed to play decent D, Zona still managed to knock down tough, mid-range jumpers or at least scrap around for an offensive rebound and get a putback. The second-half rebounding imbalance was astronomical--something like 25-8 before garbage time truly began. While Duke could have done better, any impartial observer has to give the lion's share of the credit to Arizona. Those guys played their butts off, huslted to every loose ball and routed Duke to show for it. Also, Derrick Williams made himself a rich(er) man tonight. That guy is something else. He just needs to pin his damn ears back.
2) The Pac-10, which many considered down, may not be so down. Arizona dismantled Duke like no one has this year; Washington gave UNC all it could handle in a de-facto home game for the Heels in Charlotte; and UCLA knocked Izzo out and gave Florida a scare in Tampa for 38 minutes. For a conference whose highest seed in the tourney was a 5, that's a pretty solid effort. And looking forward, the Pac-10 is positioned to be one hell of a conference next year. The Wear twins will debut for the Bruins, Arizona will likely continue its resurgence under Sean Miller, and LoRo will have the Huskies barking as usual in Seattle. Now if only my boy Johnny Dawkins could get something going out at The Farm...
3) It's tough to see Duke's season end. I think I speak for Blue Devil Nation when I say I was absolutely ecstatic for Kyrie Irving's arrival in Durham. To only see the kid play for 11 games is crushing. I am left wondering just how good he could have been--and how good this team could have been--if Kyrie had 37 games under his belt. Sadly, because the Cavs totally suck and need a PG, I think we've seen the last of Kyrie in a Duke jersey. Best of luck to him going forward, and I personally will follow his NBA career with great interest.
4) But with Irving's (likely) exit, Duke can open the book on another scintillating recruit: Austin Rivers. Rivers has already made history in Florida (no school had ever won consecutive 6A state titles before Rivers' Winter Park squad did it this year), and we hope he'll do it again at Duke next year. While his youtube videos don't seem as fascinating as Irving's from last year, we've yet to see Rivers against a true crop of elite recruits--that will come in about a week when he suits up for the McDonald's All-America game. The early thinking on Rivers is that he'll be a great mismatch guy positioned at the 2 for Duke. In addition, Duke will add Quinn Cook, another highly-touted recruit who can dribble, drive, and finish with the best of them. We'll look for Cook and Rivers to contribute almost immediately for Duke next year with the losses of Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler. Finally, Marshall Plumlee will come into the fold, and hopefully he'll have some post moves that he can teach his brothers. With the recruits and the return of Dawkins, Curry, Plumlee, Plumlee, Kelly, Thornton, and Hairston, Duke could probably be looking at a preseason top 10 or 15 ranking. If Irving returns (and that's an enormous if, because, again, the Cavs suck), then Duke could legitimately be a preseason top 5 team.
5) I'm done with all the Dos Equis in the house, and am now onto the Miller Lites. It's 2:30 am, and I have no intention of quitting anytime soon. I might drink straight til Sunday evening.
6) Teams I'll be rooting for on Friday: Kansas (shoutout to my boys The Face and MattyJ), FSU (gotta show my ACC loyalty, though I love the VCU story), Ohio St (unstoppable so far), and Marquette (I know UNC will win, but I can't root for them. Realistically though, they are just too much for Marquette; looking for a big game from Barnes on a big stage).
7) My picks Saturday/Sunday (same as teams I'll be rooting for): Butler over Florida (can't get enough of Brad Stevens and what he's done there, and that Butler D is STOUT), UConn over Zona (Kemba pulls a Kemba; Oriakhi and Okwandu can battle on the boards), Ohio St over UNC (experience over youth, Marshall could clam up in the big game), and Kansas over FSU (too much to deal with inside for FSU).
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