Duke Hoops

Since Duke is #1 in the polls I guess now is a good time to talk about how the Blue Devils have done so far this season.

I thought this team would be solid coming into the season seeing as they only lost Demarcus Nelson from last year's team keeping the core group from last season's team in tact. People forget that that team started 22-1. That's why I don't have my hopes too high after the 18-1 start this year. In the end, all that matters is winning six straight in March.

I know people say Duke "lives and dies by the three" which might be true, but their defense is really what make this team so good. They have held their opponents to an average of 59.5 ppg. In their ACC games they have held their opponents to 58 points or less. I realize Florida St., Georgia Tech, VA Tech, NC State, and Maryland are not the top teams in the conference but when you look at what those teams average for the season you realize how dominant Duke has been on D.

VA Tech- 71.4 ppg. vs Duke-44
Florida St.-68.1 vs Duke-58
Georgia Tech- 72.3 vs Duke-56
NC State-70.8 vs Duke-56
Maryland- 71.4 vs Duke-44

They start playing the tougher teams in the ACC tonight when they travel to Wake Forest. If they hold the Demon Deacons to around 60 points they should win by at least 10.

Moving on, let's take a look at the main players for the Blue Devils and how they have done so far:

Kyle Singler: Singler is averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds a game as a sophomore, do you know who the last Blue Devils to do that was? Shelden Williams did it as a Senior and before him it was Carlos Boozer as a Junior. Singler reminds me of Duke great Shane Battier. They are both 6'8" and can shoot from the outside. Singler is further along than Battier was as a sophomore (Battier averaged 9 points and 5 boards his second season).

Gerald Henderson: I will always like Henderson thanks to how his dad being one of the biggest plays in Celtics history. When Henderson started his career at Duke I think people had their expectations set a little too high and when they saw his high school teammate Wayne Ellington playing great for UNC people thought that Duke come up short on their choice of recruits. Henderson always shows flashes of potential greatness including taking over (and turning around)the first round game last year against Belmont (which saved me from having to deal with jokes that Duke lost to a team like that...in the first round no less). Henderson's numbers have improved greatly since last season. He is averaging more points, rebounds, assists, and steals, while committing fewer turnovers. He is also shooting better from the field, free throw line, and from beyond the arc where he has gone from shooting 31% up to 47% this season.

Jon Scheyer: Scheyer is the poor mans J.J. Redick which is not an insult. Scheyer is lethal from downtown and as much as I love Singler and Henderson if the game is on the line and they need a three I want Scheyer taking that shot. Fun fact - Scheyer went to the same high school that the 'Breakfast Club,' was filmed at.

Nolan Smith: Great defensive player who forces the other team into turnovers. Not only is he great on D but has played really well running the show since taking over for Greg Paulus.

Greg Paulus: I know Paulus hasn't turned into the player everyone thought he was going to be, but at least he has been a team player and hasn't complained about losing his starting job. That's another thing I like about this team - you have guys coming off the bench who have played in big games like Paulus and Lance Thomas.

Brian Zoubek: Zoubek has done a nice job of providing some tough D down in the paint which Duke has been lacking since Shelden left. Zoubek didn't play much his first two years but has been a big part of this team success so far.

Looking ahead, do I think this team can win it all this year? Sure...but I fee the same way about UConn, Pitt, Louisville, Mich. St., Wake, and UNC. As much as it pains me to say I still think UNC will win it all.

Looking even further ahead to next season, this is really the season I think that Duke will win their first title since 2001. The only seniors are Paulus, David McClure, and Jordan Davidson. No real losses there. The only underclassmen that might enter the draft would be Singler and Henderson but I just don't see it happening, considering that right now they are projected late first or early second round picks.They would be better off coming back. Factor in more minutes for Elliot Williams, Olek Czyz, and Miles Plumlee combined with incoming freshman Ryan Kelly and the other Plumlee brother Mason and Duke is looking strong next year.

With Duke looking stacked, UNC will in turn lose both Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green to graduation. You have to figure that with Hansbrough gone Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Deon Thompson will bolt for the NBA also. Remember - last year Lawson and Ellington went to some pre-draft camps and workouts before deciding to come back and give it one last shot with Psycho T.

Before all the Tar Heel fans get on my case, yes I realize you will have Tyler Zeller back and healthy plus Ed Davis who has already played well this year. Then you have the best group of freshman coming in led by John Henson, Dexter Strickland, and the Wear twins Travis and David. I still think that Carolina will take a step back next year and maybe the year after, but by the time those guys are juniors you are looking at a dominant team just like in '05 when Sean May, Raymond Felton, and Rashad McCants became juniors and they won it all. And the rivalry will continue to roll on.