SLU-DUKE

[bk18]

Keep in mind the difference in time of preparation. SLU has had a ton of time to prepare for this and Duke has another game tomorrow.

[slubilliken09]

Keep in mind the difference in time of preparation. SLU has had a ton of time to prepare for this and Duke has another game tomorrow.

Seeing the first 3 votes is the reason I love this board. Go bills.

[Pistol]

The choices to this are about as optimistic as any poll I've ever seen. This should more likely start at Duke by 15+, not end with it. And yet, I'm the first to vote for that. When I said yesterday I never bet on SLU, scratch that- if anyone wants to bet me we'll lose by less than 15, I'll take it.

More accurate poll choices:

SLU wins

Duke by 1-10

Duke by 11-20

Duke by 21-30

Duke by 31-40

Duke by 41-50

Duke by 50+

[slufan13]

Loe, Ellis, McCall, Cassity combine 17-20 from 3.

[NashvilleBilliken]

I went with Duke 8-14. This could easily be a blowout...but I have faith in Rick. There is only so much he can do when we don't have the horses, but i'm hopeful he comes up with a defensive plan to stop these guys. Doubling down on the block will probably be a necessity and slowing down transition is a must. I think we can stop transition...we have always been able to do this...and I think we can do it against Duke too. My fear is points in the paint. The key will be to let the guards beat us. If we do that...they will still win, but I think we can keep it close. We have a lot of guards and they are damn good defenders for the most part, so you never know. Rebounding is obviously another issue, so we need a lot out of Jett, Evans, Remekun...and dare I say Ellis. I'm not confident that Rob will be able to do much for us Saturday other than rolling off the pick for a trey. I'm hoping Ellis comes out with a fire from sitting last game and steps it up in the rebounding and defending areas. It could get ugly, but i'm ready for Saturday!

[SLU_Nick]

I agree with Pistol. I am all for optimism but come on guys.

We are completely outmatched. We might as well play the Miami Heat.

[slubilliken09]

I agree with Pistol. I am all for optimism but come on guys.

We are completely outmatched. We might as well play the Miami Heat.

Chris Bosh is soft.

[Box and Won]

It seems like we usually get creamed when Rickma has a long time to prepare.

[Bizziken]

It seems like we usually get creamed when Rickma has a long time to prepare.

I also don't see how he can 'prepare' for Singler and the Plumlee's inside games...we just don't have the personnel to defend these guys...

I guess we put Evans on Singler? Cody? Loe?

[OC]

Keep in mind the difference in time of preparation. SLU has had a ton of time to prepare for this and Duke has another game tomorrow.

I'd like to know what SLU does specifically that will give Duke fits due to lack of preparation time.

Do you think Duke hasn't spent time defending ball screens? Contesting threes? Attacking man defense?

What is it that Duke would have spent extra time on, but can't because they have another game?

Getting out of the way of Conklin's moving screens?

I love SLU hoops but this stuff kills me.

[P.B.]

I'd like to know what SLU does specifically that will give Duke fits due to lack of preparation time.

Do you think Duke hasn't spent time defending ball screens? Contesting threes? Attacking man defense?

What is it that Duke would have spent extra time on, but can't because they have another game?

Getting out of the way of Conklin's moving screens?

I love SLU hoops but this stuff kills me.

+4

There is no way anyone can reasonably say they expect slu to lose by less then 15, and that is quite optimistic itself. Duke outmatches not only at each position, but also the coach, trainer, waterboy, etc.

Duke beat butler by 12 and k state by 14, not to mention big wins over mich state and marquette. Their 8-12 guys on this team could beat us by 15

I hope I sound like an idiot on saturday and would love to rush the court after a win but it only happened in my dream with carrie underwood, chocolate pudding and a lacrosse stick

[Billsrmajic]

+4

There is no way anyone can reasonably say they expect slu to lose by less then 15, and that is quite optimistic itself. Duke outmatches not only at each position, but also the coach, trainer, waterboy, etc.

Duke beat butler by 12 and k state by 14, not to mention big wins over mich state and marquette. Their 8-12 guys on this team could beat us by 15

I hope I sound like an idiot on saturday and would love to rush the court after a win but it only happened in my dream with carrie underwood, chocolate pudding and a lacrosse stick

Disagree that Coach K is a better at game preparation than Rick. Better recruiter, yes. Better at game prep, not in my opinion.

[Box and Won]

If we keep the deficit under 30, I'll consider it a major accomplishment.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

I'd like to know what SLU does specifically that will give Duke fits due to lack of preparation time.

Do you think Duke hasn't spent time defending ball screens? Contesting threes? Attacking man defense?

What is it that Duke would have spent extra time on, but can't because they have another game?

Getting out of the way of Conklin's moving screens?

I love SLU hoops but this stuff kills me.

+1

[Billiken4life5]

I'd like to know what SLU does specifically that will give Duke fits due to lack of preparation time.

Do you think Duke hasn't spent time defending ball screens? Contesting threes? Attacking man defense?

What is it that Duke would have spent extra time on, but can't because they have another game?

Getting out of the way of Conklin's moving screens?

I love SLU hoops but this stuff kills me.

The more time time to prepare means more time in the film room learning the other opponent's tendencies. It's not that were going to come out with anything new it's that we'll have a better idea what were up against and exactly what to expect. The filmroom is where Rick will figure out exactly how he wants our defense to rotate when we double down and who he wants to sag off their man etc. I expect us to get drilled too but I expect us to be better prepared bc of the time off. Assuming that our guys have been practicing a lot. Rick seems huge into academics and with finals week I don't know how hard he's been on them.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

+4

There is no way anyone can reasonably say they expect slu to lose by less then 15, and that is quite optimistic itself. Duke outmatches not only at each position, but also the coach, trainer, waterboy, etc.

Duke beat butler by 12 and k state by 14, not to mention big wins over mich state and marquette. Their 8-12 guys on this team could beat us by 15

I hope I sound like an idiot on saturday and would love to rush the court after a win but it only happened in my dream with carrie underwood, chocolate pudding and a lacrosse stick

We just don't match up with them at all. If Jack Sickma from Portland scored 16-17 first half points on us in the paint, we have little chance of stopping duke inside let along staying out of foul trouble.

[OC]

The individual tendencies thing has some merit, but Duke has plenty of full-time coaches to hit the video and find these out. Also, do you think Portland's coach will answer the phone if Coack K call to gain some insight into these?

As for game prep--there is no doubt that Rick Majerus is among the elite. Coach K won't ever get the same credit/evaluation method because of the great quantity of games he is *supposed* to win.

But Coach K didn't always have the program he does today--He's earned his stripes. I'm not sure why he's considered by you to be inferior at game preparation. He preps for a big-time opponent on nearly a game-by-game basis.

And he wins at a record clip.

[bonwich]

it only happened in my dream with carrie underwood, chocolate pudding and a lacrosse stick

You mean you went to Duke, too?

[For-DaLove]

The more time time to prepare means more time in the film room learning the other opponent's tendencies. It's not that were going to come out with anything new it's that we'll have a better idea what were up against and exactly what to expect. The filmroom is where Rick will figure out exactly how he wants our defense to rotate when we double down and who he wants to sag off their man etc. I expect us to get drilled too but I expect us to be better prepared bc of the time off. Assuming that our guys have been practicing a lot. Rick seems huge into academics and with finals week I don't know how hard he's been on them.

How do you prepare for a team when they have a guard coming off the bench that would star on our team? It's just a terrible matchup for us.

[slubilliken09]

How do you prepare for a team when they have a guard coming off the bench that would star on our team? It's just a terrible matchup for us.

Voodoo? Prayer? Magic? Chuck Norris?

[Pistol]

Voodoo? Prayer? Magic? Chuck Norris?

Rammer!

[slubilliken09]

Rammer!

Bang, YOU got it.

[Billsrmajic]

The individual tendencies thing has some merit, but Duke has plenty of full-time coaches to hit the video and find these out. Also, do you think Portland's coach will answer the phone if Coack K call to gain some insight into these?

As for game prep--there is no doubt that Rick Majerus is among the elite. Coach K won't ever get the same credit/evaluation method because of the great quantity of games he is *supposed* to win.

But Coach K didn't always have the program he does today--He's earned his stripes. I'm not sure why he's considered by you to be inferior at game preparation. He preps for a big-time opponent on nearly a game-by-game basis.

And he wins at a record clip.

I didn't say Coach K was inferior at game prep. I think he's an awesome coach, including game prep, in-game decisions, recruiting, etc. I just think Rick is the best at breaking down tape and figuring out how to beat a team.

[dlarry]

I also don't see how he can 'prepare' for Singler and the Plumlee's inside games...we just don't have the personnel to defend these guys...

I guess we put Evans on Singler? Cody? Loe?

I dont know who the hell is going to guard Singler. Butler put 6'1 Zach Hahn on him for most of the game last week. He only had 13 that game so maybe they can stick a guard on him and just try to tire him out.

Cassity maybe? Im not sure why Singler just didnt back down Hahn that entire game but he didnt.

The Plumlee's are going to get thier points. Not much they can do about that. I just hope they dont get double digit offensive rebounds.

If we keep the deficit under 30, I'll consider it a major accomplishment.

I think they can keep it under 30.

Duke will probably be up by 30 at some point but Coach K will call off the dogs midway through the second half and the Bills will get some garbage time points to keep it in the 20's

[billiken_roy]

i will be surprised if a rickma team gets beat by 20-30 points. too much time to prepare plus i am assuming he will pretty much take the air out of the ball. we might not score much but he isnt going to let duke score as usual either.