AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 10
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Getting the Dookies on the rebound
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Glancing at a few things relative to Duke, whose game against Tech tonight is very large for both teams, especially the Yellow Jackets.
This is the first time in 11 years the Blue Devils are coming off a loss in their ACC opener. That was also the last time, 1996 that is, that Duke started the ACC 0-2. It was K’s first season back after back surgery, and the Blue Devils finished 18-13. He’s not really happy, whether his team is 13-2 or not.
“We’ve got to be a hungrier basketball team,” he said after being upset at home by Virginia Tech Saturday. “We’ve got to be a tougher basketball team. I don’t like to learn by losing. We try to do a lot in practice so we don’t lose. Losing is not the way to become better. Practicing hard and having a realization of who you are and what you do is the reason you win.
“We all need to be hungrier again. This decade we’ve won about 85 percent of our games. A lot more than anybody. We are not that team or those teams. We are not that Duke.”
This will be the first true road game of the season for K’s team, as Duke has played several games at neutral sites, but none on an opponent’s floor. Ball security is usually more of a problem on the road, and ball security has been a problem for Duke no matter where the Blue Devils have played.
They have 204 assists, and 242 turnovers - 23 more turnovers than opponents. That’s not normal, obviously.
Forward Josh McRoberts figures to be the biggest problem for Tech tonight in part because he’s Duke’s best passer, with a team-high 63 assists. He’s not exactly a scoring machine (12.8), but rebounds quite well (8.1) and with those passing skills he has the ability to enable Duke’s offense in a different way than PG Greg Paulus, who’s really struggling, by the way.
If McRoberts pulls one of Tech’s big men out in defense, there could be problems in the paint, although he won’t be inside to rebound when he does that. More importantly, when Tech plays defense poorly, it’s usually because they ball watch. That is, when defenders’ men don’t have the ball, they tend to look away toward the ball and their men can get free to either slice to the basket, or set up for an open shot. Watching McRoberts will be especially tempting.
Elsewhere, Javaris Crittenton is playing very well at point guard, and figures to give Tech a big edge there over Paulus, who went scoreless against Virginia Tech with three assists, and six turnovers.
As long as the Jackets mind their P’s and Q’s, and don’t get stuck ball-watching, they match up well in this one.
Lastly, good news regarding Lewis Clinch. He’s being allowed to stay in school, and as long as he fares well in the classroom this spring and summer, he’ll re-join the team in the fall.
