Five Most Memorable Duke Games Of 2010-11
Top 5 Most Memorable Duke Blue Devil Games Of 2010-11
1. UNC Game 3 – ACC Championship Game
After losing the final game of the regular season to UNC, which gave the ACC Regular Season Championship to the Tar Heels, Duke responded by winning the ACC Tournament for the tenth time in 13 years. Heading into the ACC Tournament is was UNC that was playing the better basketball, they had won 7 straight and 12-of-13. Duke had lost 2-of-3 and had gone from a sure 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament to a 2 seed in their conference tournament. The teams that played the final regular season weren’t the same teams that played in the ACC Tournament. It was Carolina that came out flat, needing a pair of huge comebacks wins just to get to the ACC Finals, despite being the 1 seed. Duke rolled into the Finals with a pair of double-digit wins, including one over a Virginia Tech team that had defeated Duke two weeks previous. It had been almost a decade since the Blue Devils faced the Tar Heels in the ACC Finals and this one was over by the half. Duke jumped out to an 8-0 start and had the lead as high as 18 before the half ended. Carolina got as close a 9 in the second half, but Duke put any thoughts of a third comeback away with a 10-2 run. It was a complete reversal from the game just one week ago and gave Duke fans a much better feeling heading into the NCAAs.
2. 900 – 3rd Round Game v Michigan
It ended up being the biggest individual milestone for Coach K in the season. Yes, he also passed a pair of coaching legends this season (Dean Smith & Adolph Rupp), but 900 is a special number. Its a number only two coaches have reached. With the lose to Arizona in the next game it ensured that Coach K will break the record some time in mid- to late-November, at home, in front of a raucous crowd and really there is nothing better.
3. UNC Game 1
Down by 14 points at half, Duke outscored the Tar Heels 50 to 30 in the second half to win the first meeting of the season. It had been 10 days since the blow out by St. John’s and this game was heading in the same direction, but the Blue Devils had something in their favor. The Cameron Crazies. The crowd was into the game the entire time, even when Duke was getting blown off their own floor. The building was electric and you could sense the sway they held over the game, even through the television. I wasn’t the only one to feel it. ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt talked about the crowd and how he felt that the Crazies were worth 6-8 points that game and willed Duke back into the game in the second half. I couldn’t agree more. I have never heard, or seen, Cameron as alive and electric as I did that night. The Crazies won that game that night for Duke.
4. ACC/Big 10 Challenge v Michigan State
In what was supposed to be an early season match up between two Top 10 teams turned into Kyrie Irving’s coming out party. Although Michigan State would eventually fall by the wayside in the season, this was an big time matchup for Duke and the biggest threat to the Blue Devil’s non-conference home win streak, which would eventually be stretched to 86 games at the end of the season. He became the fourth Duke freshman to score 30 or more points in a game and showed the nation just why he was being talked about as a lottery pick and number one overall pick in the NBA draft. It was also his biggest splash as a Duke player in his short time.
(tie) 5. Kyrie’s First Out & Kyrie’s First Back – Bradley Dec 8 & 2nd Round Game v Hampton
The first game after Kyrie Irving went out might not be the most memorable game of the season, but it may end up being one of the most important games. For next season. Had Irving not been injured for the majority of the season, then Duke would be heading into next season with a pair of point guards who never played a minute of ACC ball. As it stands, the toe injury is the only reason that Tyler Thornton didn’t spend the season sitting at the end of the bench. The game against Bradley displayed the look that Duke would use for the rest of the season. Nolan Smith handling the ball and running the offense. With Irving in the lineup, Smith probably wouldn’t have been a Player of the Year Candidate or ACC Player of the Year.
Irving’s first game back was nothing more than a chance to get his feet wet against Hampton. He came off the bench and led the team with 14 points in just 20 minutes. It wasn’t his play that made this game memorable, it was his appearance. Duke fans held out hope that Irving would return, but it was always with guarded optimism. It all happened so quick, on the court Sunday in street clothes, announcement was made on Tuesday, off the bench on Friday. In the end his return didn’t bring the results that Duke fans wanted, but we were able to see him in a Duke uniform three last times before he moved on to the next level.
Kyrie Irving To Leave Duke
No real surprise here. Kyrie Irving has decided to take his talents to the next level.
After spending just 11 games in a Duke uniform, the electrifying point guard will be shaking the commissioners hand in about 10 weeks.
“This was a special year for me. I love everything about Duke and I’m going to miss it,” added Irving. “Duke has a special place in my heart. Even though I’m leaving this year, Duke will always be in my mind and my heart. I’m going to miss putting on that No. 1 jersey.”
His stats, though incomplete, were stellar. 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Blue Devils, who were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by the Arizona Wildcats in just his third game back in the lineup.
“It was a great experience playing for Coach K,” Irving said. “He taught me a lot about the game. Even when I was hurt, I learned a lot. Also a special thanks goes to the medical staff for getting me back on the court for the NCAA Tournament and my teammates for sticking with me throughout the entire year. Duke offered me an experience I could never have imagined.”
After injuring the big toe on his right foot in a December game against Butler, he didn’t play again until March, when he came off the bench against Hampton in the Blue Devil’s opening game in the NCAA Tournament.
In an statement issued by the school on Wednesday, Coach K said that Irving plans to hire an agent, which would end his college career.
“Our whole program is overjoyed with having Kyrie here for one year and that he has the chance now to pursue a dream of being a high draft pick and a great player in the NBA,” Krzyzewski said. “We are totally supportive of Kyrie, his family and his decision. We look forward to continuing to work with him during the upcoming months leading to his entry into the NBA and afterwards while he is an NBA player.”
Why Duke Fans Should Want Butler To Win The National Championship
It should be simple. Every Duke fan should be pulling for Butler tonight against UConn in the National Championship game.
There is only one instance where it would be okay to pull for UConn tonight. If a UConn National Championship lets you win the office pool over that loud-mouthed jerk who claims to know ‘the secret to winning the brackets every year.’ If a UConn victory will allow you to wave a stack full of cash in his face during a dance where you sing “Winning”, then fine, you can pull for UConn.
If this is not you and you are a Duke fan, pulling for UConn tonight is akin to twisting a knife into your fellow fans backs. And here is why:
1) Butler deserves it more
The underdog is always the team to root for -unless its against Duke- and after getting so close last year, Butler truly deserves to win the National Championship this year.
It would be the blooming of the flower that was planted when the mid-majors began their rise to prominence a dozen years ago when Gonzaga started playing Cinderella. George Mason & VCU have helped fertilize the mid-major rise, but it could be Butler, kicking the door down, opening the way for more than just the 73 teams of the ‘Big 6′ conferences to win the National Championship.
2) UConn already have two
Let’s not get greedy there Husky fans. Plus, a third championship would move them closer to the number that Duke has, four. It’s bad enough we are behind UNC in the number of championships, what Duke fans don’t want is another team closing in on the number we have.
A third championship in 13 years would also be a better run than Duke is currently on and talk of UConn as the ‘best current program’ would gain steam. Yes, fine, I am petty and don’t want anyone to take away any of the Duke program’s shine, so sue me.
3) 1999
It might have been 13 years ago, but the loss in the National Championship to UConn still stings. What should have been the third NC in nine years and an exclamation point to a 38-1 season turned into an painful loss.
The unfulfilled promise of this team is still the second greatest disappointment of any Duke team in my memory as a fan. [Duh, 2002 is number 1.]
4) Twisted math
If 2011 Butler (without Gordon Hayward) > 2011 UConn, and if, 2010 Duke > 2010 Butler (with Gordon Hayward), and if, 2011 Duke was more talented than 2010 Duke, than Duke 2011 > 2011 UConn and should have been in the Final Four.
See, simple, twisted math. It makes more sense in my head than I can translate to pixels, but someone, somewhere must understand what I am trying to get across, even if I am comparing apples to potatoes via bad 10th grade math.
5) 2020ish
I know no one wants to look that far ahead, but there will be a time when Coach K will no longer be on the sidelines for the Duke Blue Devils. Right now, somewhere in Division I there is a coach who will be the next Duke coach. Why not Brad Stevens?
The back-to-back trips to the championship game prove that he’s no fluke. Just about every college basketball talking head gushes over Steven’s in game acumen, that he’s a wizard of X’s & O’s. He’s young, and still will be in 2020, and by winning it all at Butler there will be no ‘what ifs’ or ‘unfinished business’ keeping him at the Indianapolis school.
Whenever Coach K does step down, as long as Brad Stevens continues his winning ways, expect him to be on any short list for the Duke job.
6) A Butler win will be more memorable
Just like I remember where I was during the last two times Duke won the National Championship (an Irish bar in NY & a crappy apartment in Raleigh on an ugly couch), I will remember where I was if Butler wins the National Championship.
I remember where I was, and who was there, when Mark McGwire hit number 62, but I couldn’t tell you where I was when Barry Bonds hit number 71.
A Butler win will be a benchmark in the annals of sports and will become a ‘where were you when’ kind of moment. Yes, it will be that big. Trust me.
There they are. Six reasons why Butler should win tonight, and why Duke fans should root for them.
Nolan Smith Named AP All-American
To no ones surprise, Duke Blue Devil senior guard Nolan Smith was named to the AP All-America team.
Smith finished second, with 61 of 65 votes behind BYU guard Jimmer Fredette, and became the fifth Duke player since 2000 to be named an All-American.
“It’s been a long process for me, just getting better each year and improving,” Smith said. “That’s something I hope to share with younger kids coming up. If you put the time in and get better and better and then by the time your senior year hits, you’ll start to accomplish some of those individual goals, and that’s something that I’ve done.”
Smith averaged 21.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Blue Devils who were ranked number 1 for 10 weeks this season. After super freshman Kyrie Irving went down in December with an injury, Smith took over the majority of the ball handling duties and led Duke to an ACC Championship.
Besides Smith and Fredette, the other members of the AP All-American team were JaJuan Johnson (Purdue), Kemba Walker (UConn) and Jared Sullinger (Ohio State). The three seniors (Smith, Fredette & Johnson) mark the first time since 2006 that more than half of the AP list was made up of seniors.
Duke Predictions – Fulfilled (Sort Of)
I made predictions at the beginning of the season, lets see how I did. You can go back in the archives and check in case you think I changed my answers.
Prediction: Regular season 26-4
Actual: 27-4, somehow I missed a game, don’t know how, but I did get the number of losses correct, so that needs to count for something.
Prediction: ACC Regular season champions at 14-2
Actual: 2nd place ACC regular season at 13-3 (close)
Prediction: ACC Tournament Champs
Actual: ACC Tournament Champs (ding!)
Prediction: Number one seed in the East with a 29-4 record
Actual: Number one seed in the West with a 30-4 record, again, missed game
Prediction: Duke’s win in its Sweet Sixteen game will give Coach K his 900th career victory and an 80th NCAA tourney victory
Actual: Since I missed a game, his 900th win put him in the Sweet 16
Prediction: He will be at 901 career wins when they head to Houston for the Final Four
Actual: They will not be going to Houston (sad)
Prediction: Once in Houston, anything can happen, so I won’t make any predictions beyond getting to the Final Four
Actual: Butler over UConn
So, as you can see, I wasn’t off by much. Still not sure how I missed a game, but the number of losses was correct. I have a feeling next season will be a little harder to predict.
