Monthly Archives: August 2011

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

Monday Musings – Football, Hoops and more

Good Morning Blue Devil Nation!  Monday Musings has returned as have I after a few days of vacation which helped recharge my batteries.  As it turns out I left  the Triangle just before the earthquake and then Wilmington, North Carolina before the hurricane but I now must face the storm ahead.

The coming storm is not necessarily a bad one mind you for I am talking about wall to wall coverage of Duke Football and Basketball which begins this week and ends around April before I recharge again for recruiting.  It's time for football and Duke takes on Richmond at 7:00 in Wallace Wade Stadium this Saturday.

Duke opens with Richmond

Duke has dropped two consecutive games to the Spiders and that has left a bad taste in the mouths of fans.  Richmond is not a game you schedule when you want a gimme and they come in 7.5 underdogs according to Vegas Insider.  While it is true they lost their coach this past week due to a DUI, teams sometimes rally during times of adversity.

The Blue Devils simply need to win.  They are an ACC school and this is the first season we'll see all of Coach David Cutcliffes players since his arrival.  Coach Cut has been able to redshirt kids,  something that hasn't happened in the past at Duke unless there was an injury.  As a program, Duke has made some much needed facility improvements, but the improvement most care about is on the field itself each Saturday afternoon or evening.

Basketball team returns

Duke went 4-0 during their China-Dubai trip but reading too much into anything is a mistake.  The games in China were disjointed due to officiating and that never allowed for a game flow.  In short, the experience itself was a big deal in that these trips grow young men off the court.  Duke has yet to harness team chemistry but they got an idea of what it will take for that to come about.  Duke ran a total of three offensive sets, so to think you have an idea of what the offense will look like could prove inaccurate.  In fact, Duke held back a lot during the trip and the staff will sit down and break down film before deciding how they'll attack on offense this season.

Visits being set

The Blue Devils are in the process of setting up visits from their key basketball prospects and we'll be taking a look at those in our Premium section.

BDN Premium represented at the Elite 24

If you have followed Blue Devil Nation over the years, it is clear that we cover the recruiting trail like no other site.  It's one of our calling cards in our premium section.  This past week we covered the Elite 24 in Venice Beach, California where live updates from the four days appeared on our private (members only) message board.  This week, we'll hear from Duke prospects and verbals and we'll start it off with a Rasheed Sulaimon interview.

BDN Premium Special, one week left!

We are currently running a special for new members of BDN Premium and this is the last week to save.  A yearly membership is an all time low 85.00, 15% off our regular price and the other rates are discounted as well.  Just go to the join page to see the prices and come on in for full site access.  You'll be glad you did.

Changes are coming!

We've been flirting a bit with networks but have yet to make a decision on anything as of today.  I can assure you that even if we remain independent [and we're more than okay with that] that site changes are in the works.  Blue Devil Nation has set a new standard for other Duke sites to follow with our coverage and in turn made all of them better.  Our ideas will continue to set the pace due to the best staff of any Duke site.  Others can copy our ideas, format and style but they will never duplicate the genuine passion this site has for Duke Athletics.

Duke Football

Duke will make their second trip to Miami on November 5 to take on the Hurricanes

Duke travels to Miami to take on the Hurricanes on November 5

The Blue Devils will finish up the 2011 season playing three of their final four games on the road, starting with their second trip to South Florida on November 5 to take on the Miami Hurricanes. Despite continued turnover struggles, Duke nearly knocked off “The U” last year in Durham, ultimately falling 28-13. While all eyes are on the Miami program’s off the field issues, we’ll keep this preview focused on the Blue Devils’ 2011 opponent on the field. Of course, that can be hard to predict at this point, with 12 Miami players under investigation by the NCAA for eligibility concerns.

To help us straighten all this out, BDN is pleased to welcome in Chris Stock from InsideTheU.com to give us an inside look at the 2011 Hurricanes.

BDN: We could talk for hours about the various allegations against the Miami program, but we're here to preview the 2011 Hurricanes. With that in mind, how do you expect the investigation to affect the 2011 Miami season? Which current players might be ineligible or suspended, and how does their potential absence alter the expectations for this fall?

Regardless of who plays there is talent on the team.  If everyone is eligible, this team has the capabilities of competing for the ACC crown.  Now, we have been saying that for a number of years and it hasn't happened, but first-year coach Al Golden appears to be onto something and the players appear to be buying in.  There's no question the investigations can affect the team and the defense could take a hit, but there's still reason for optimism in Coral Gables.  Lamar Miller has the ability to ease a lot of stressful minds and he's nowhere near the investigation.  If quarterback Jacory Harris is deemed unable to play, Stephen Morris will be ready to go and with a solid offensive line, that will help tremendously in terms of putting together a successful season.

QB Jacory Harris' turnover issues may be the least of his problems this season

BDN: Talent never seems to be in short supply at The U, but that talent didn't always translate into wins during the Randy Shannon era. What are some of the most important changes that have been made under new Head Coach Al Golden, both on and off the field?

Communication and organization are two key factors Golden has stressed.  These are two areas coach Shannon struggled with during his four years as the head coach.  Players now have a clear understanding where they stand on the depth chart and the program as a whole is more organized.  When it comes to on-field production, I think you will see a more inspired unit playing an intense brand of football from the opening whistle regardless of the opponent.  This was clearly not the case in recent years, which led to a number of losses.

BDN: Miami has been haunted by turnovers in recent years, and it has started at the quarterback position with Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris. What have been the reports from training camp on the play of the quarterbacks? With one of the conference's top rushers in Lamar Miller, what do you expect from the Hurricanes' offense in 2011?

Miami was last in the country last year throwing 27 interceptions.  That's far too many especially considering the quarterbacks they have in Harris and Morris are very capable of being solid, dependable players.  Throughout training camp, the quarterbacks have thrown a very limited amount of interceptions.  In two scrimmages, the quarterbacks threw over 100 passes with just one interception.  That can be a double-edged sword as the defense failed to disrupt the passing game, but for a unit that was dead last a year ago, it has to be considered a positive sign.  UM led the ACC in total offense last year, but was just fifth in scoring offense.  Cutting back on penalties, which UM ranked among the nation's worst, will be a key this season as well and I expect that to happen.  Miller will have a breakout season and back-up Mike James will provided steady play in a rushing attack that should pace the offense behind a big offensive line.

BDN: The Miami defense showed improvement in nearly all categories in 2010 from the previous year, and returns 7 starters in 2011, led by LB Sean Spence. What are the key question marks for this group in training camp, and what will be the strengths of new DC Mark D'Onofrio's defense?

The UM defense is a question mark especially considering eight of the 12 players being investigated by the NCAA are on the defensive side of the ball.  In particular the cornerbacks have a lot to prove after three left for the NFL last season.  The linebackers, led by Spence, should be solid although they are not the biggest group around.  The defensive line could be plagued by a lack of depth.  The strength of a Miami defense is their speed, which they will have to use to their advantage.

BDN: Despite a significant talent gap, the Blue Devils have managed to compete with the Hurricanes in recent meetings. Why do you think Duke has had success against Miami? Do you think the Blue Devils are capable of pulling off the upset on Miami's Homecoming this fall?

Point blank, UM did not respect Duke and came out flat against them, which nearly cost them multiple occasions.  Also, former Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis had some success against UM.  If Duke were to pull off an upset, quarterback Sean Renfree will have to show plenty of poise, stay on his feet, and attack UM through the air.  The two teams don't play until November and a lot of things can happen between now and then.  For anyone to predict an upset by Duke, the Blue Devils will have to show they are capable of doing so before the UM game.

BDN: Thanks for your insight, Chris. Good luck this season!

 

Previous week: October 29, Virginia Tech at Duke

Next week: November 12, Duke at Virginia

Duke Basketball

What Did We Learn Over Summer Vacation?

Participation in the Friendship Games provided an early look at the 2011-12 edition of the Duke Blue Devils. In three games against the China Junior National Team and one game against the United Arab Emirates National Team, Coach Krzyzewski was able to get an early jump on melding the individual Blue Devils into a cohesive team.

The dog days of summer are usually spent watching the pennant races heat up and preparing for the upcoming football season, while plenty of time was still devoted to those meaningful activities, Duke Basketball fans were treated to competitive international basketball in August. For diehard college basketball fans, those games were a sweet appetizer for the upcoming season.

So, what did we learn during the four games? In no particular order, we learned the following:

Ryan Kelly is looking really good

Ryan Kelly led the Blue Devils in scoring with 60 points over the four games. He also collected 33 rebounds for an impressive 15 points and 8.2 rebounds per game stat line. But the story isn’t Kelly’s stat line, but rather his calm, collected attitude on the court. The story is how smooth and confident Kelly looked knocking down a jump shot, collecting a rebound or delivering a pass to an open teammate.

If Kelly can build off his play in the Friendship Games, and continue to improve his all around game, he could be a player who gives opponents match-up fits and develops into an All ACC performer in 2012.

Starting Rotation

Over the four games, the same five players started: Miles Plumlee, Ryan Kelly, Andre Dawkins, Austin Rivers and Seth Curry. While I am sure Coach Krzyzewski will still mix and match line-ups in the early season games, with some fluctuation in the starting line-up based upon practice intensity and previous game performance, the fact the same five guys started all four summer games is indicative that a solid pecking order has been established.

The perimeter is deep and talented

Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins and Austin Rivers combine to be a formidable three guard back court. Curry and Rivers can both handle the ball even though they are not true point guards, while Dawkins, who has always been a very dangerous shooter, appears ready to be a threat to attack the rim via back door cuts and by working the baseline.

Dawkins and Rivers each scored 57 points in the four games with Curry right behind them at 54 points. Dawkins sank a blistering 48.3 percent of his 3-point attempts, while Curry led the team with nine steals.

Rivers has the ability to create his own shot and drive to the rim; however, these international games demonstrated he still has a lot to learn. There will be further discussion on Rivers in a bit.

Turning to the bench players, Tyler Thornton is a pest and I mean that in the best possible way. His tenacious approach to playing defense will continue to earn him significant playing time.

Alex Murphy has length and the ability to run the court. While he struggled early on, he improved every game and was impressive in the United Arab Emirates game. Murphy should see time on the wing in relief of Dawkins and at power forward when Coach Krzyzewski decides to go with a small line-up.

Post game is in good hands

Led by senior Miles Plumlee, and including juniors Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee, this year’s Duke Blue Devils are as talented and experienced in the front court as they have been in a number of years.

The three upperclassmen combined for 134 points and 96 rebounds, which averages to 33.5 points and 24 rebounds per game, from the center and power forward positions, against legitimate competition. We are not talking summer pick-up games here. Last season, those three players combined for 18.6 points and 17 rebounds per game.

I realize the comparison is apples to oranges, four international games to an entire NCAA season, but I’m just throwing it out there as food for thought. It is data points fanatic fans can chew on.

To take the apples to oranges comparison one giant leap further, on the 2004 team, Luol Deng, Shelden Williams and Shavlik Randolph combined for 34.7 points and 19.9 rebounds per game.

While I am not trying to suggest this year’s front court will be as formidable as the 2004 front court, I am suggesting this front court has the potential to be very, very good and perhaps the best front court we’ve had since 2004. And that is saying something seeing as the 2006 front court of Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts was not shabby.

To maneuver this section back into the here and now, before this year’s trio of front court players can reach their maximum potential, they must prove themselves in two areas: consistency of play and foul management. If those prerequisites are achieved, the sky is the limit.

Austin Rivers is ready to start as a freshman

Rivers was simultaneously impressive and inconsistent. He scored 57 points, but he led the team in turnovers with 15 and only connected on 5 of 21 3-point attempts.

The poor 3-point shooting can easily be explained away by the deeper arc on an international court. The turnovers are more a result of poor decision making and playing out of control. On multiple occasions Rivers drove too deep into the teeth of the opponent’s defense and was left without an option other than to throw the ball toward a teammate on the perimeter.

So, should Duke Fans Worldwide go into a panic and chew their finger nails until they bleed? No! Rivers is a freshman so those type plays should be expected. Like every other freshman, Rivers must adjust to the speed of the game and the increased talent level on the court.

Rivers’ decision making will improve and he will rapidly learn to play within himself and once that happens, which I expect will take place sooner rather than later, he will be a force to contend with on the hardwood.

During the Friendship Games, we learned Austin Rivers is ready to immediately start and be an impact player.

Duke Football

Blue Devils will host defending ACC Champion Virginia Tech on October 29

Duke will look to end a 10-game losing streak against Virginia Tech on October 29

The Blue Devils last defeated Virginia Tech in 1981, but they will be trying to do just that when they welcome the Hokies to Wallace Wade Stadium on October 29. In Head Coach David Cutcliffe’s first two seasons in Durham, Duke gave Virginia Tech a scare, coming within a few plays of pulling off the unlikely upset. When the Blue Devils traveled to Blacksburg a season ago, however, the Hokies put the game away early, cruising to a 44-7 victory.

This year, the defending ACC Champions are the consensus pick to win the ACC Coastal Division, despite the loss of several stars on both sides of the ball. BDN is excited to again have the help of furrer4heisman from Gobbler Country to give us an inside look at the 2011 Hokies.

BDN: Despite all of the scandals in college football over the past several years, Virginia Tech continues to win the right way, year in and year out. What would you consider to be the keys to the Hokies' consistent success? Do you think they receive enough credit for their success, and more importantly, for how they achieve it?

GC: I think they get the proper amount of credit. I don't have the links on hand, but just about any time a news outlet polls the coaches and asks them who they respect, Beamer is usually pretty high on the list. His peers recognize what he's done and how he's done it.

The way they've done it is through good talent evaluation. They go after kids that fit their system and fit their attitude. Not many five-star recruits come to Virginia Tech, but very often you get guys who play above their star rating. A lot of the credit for that goes to Mike Gentry, who runs the S&C program.

There was also a little bit of luck involved. They came to the ACC just as FSU and Miami went in the toilet. If that doesn't happen, who knows? maybe there's one or two fewer 10-win seasons for the Hokies since 2004.

BDN: Some pundits predict that Virginia Tech could go undefeated in 2011, but most still predicted Florida State to win the ACC Championship. How good can this Virginia Tech team be in 2011? Are the expectations among the media and the fan base too high or too low?

GC: I think, right now, it's too high. I'm never a fan of picking a team based on their schedule. I remember there were years in the Big Ten that some teams would have a random year where Ohio State and Michigan would cycle off their schedule and suddenly everyone thought Purdue or whoever was a threat to win the league. Then they'd go 6-6. Virginia Tech has a favorable schedule based on what teams did last year and what's usually expected out of the Hokies.

But we're paper thin on the defensive line, weren't very good against the run last year and will be starting a first-year quarterback. There are a lot of things that could potentially go wrong for the Hokies. No. 13 in the country in both polls is too high in my opinion. Anywhere 16-20 is a much better spot and I think you'll see Tech go 10-2 or 9-3 in the regular season. They'll lose to someone they shouldn't, just like they do every year.

QB Logan Thomas is set to take over for 2010 ACC POY Tyrod Taylor this season

BDN: The Hokies return 12 starters from last year's ACC Championship team, but will have to replace several stars on offense, including ACC POY Tyrod Taylor. The expectations are high for first-year starters David Wilson and Logan Thomas, and they have big shoes to fill. Can they carry the load for the Virginia Tech offense? What are the question marks for the 2011 Hokie offense?

GC: The question marks always exist on the offensive line. For the last four or five years, the offensive line has struggled due to injury or graduation at the beginning of the year and gets much better by the end. Then, in the offseason we're told the line has turned the corner and that this year's line is going to be improved. Then, it's a disaster to start the season again and the process starts over. So until the line actually performs well at the start of the season, I'm not going to believe it.

As for Thomas, he should be fine as long as he isn't asked to win games himself and the line is able to keep him upright. He's thrown a few interceptions during fall practice, but he's a first-year starter so I expect he's going to throw a few of those. As long as we only ask him to manage the game, I'm confident in him. Plus, he has several veteran receives who will make his life easier. It won't be like Taylor's second year when the Hokies' receivers had something like nine career catches and Taylor had no clue if the route called for them was going to be the one they ran.

Wilson's already a folk hero on campus and as long as he stays healthy will have a big year. He's not a concern, but what is a concern is what effect having to handle most of, if not all, of the significant carries will have on him.

BDN: We know how good the Virginia Tech defense and special teams units usually are, producing a +19 turnover margin in 2010. With just five starters returning on defense, who will be expected to step up this year alongside All-ACC candidates Bruce Taylor and Jayron Hosley?

GC: Anyone on the defensive line. And we have no clue who it will be. Every defensive end on the roster is a sophomore or freshman. All have little or no playing time under their belts. At defensive tackle, the injury to senior Kwamaine Battle means the Hopkins Brothers will start at the two DT positions and be backed up by true freshmen Luther Maddy and Corey Marshall, who is 6-1, 253. A 253-pound defensive tackle.

So really two or three of those freshman and sophomore have to step up. I think James Gayle, one of the sophomore defensive ends, is set to have a big year but at this point it's anyone's guess. Somehow, we have to do better than 4.7 yards per carry against, which was 10th in the ACC last year. If we do that again, I don't care if you're playing Alabama or Appalachian State in your opener, it's just not going to get it done.

BDN: Last year's game in Blacksburg seemed to be a blowout before Duke had even snapped the ball. In previous years, the Blue Devils had given the Hokies a bit of a scare. What do you expect to see in Durham this year, and what would the Blue Devils have to do to pull off the unlikely upset?

GC: I don't think Duke's going to go to a bowl this year, I do think they're going to beat someone they have no business beating. Will be the Hokies? Well, in order for that to happen I think Duke's going to have to catch Tech a little fatigued. It's possible since Duke is the last game before Virginia Tech's bye week and will be the Hokies' ninth game in as many weeks. Then, the Blue Devils are going to force turnovers like they did in the 2008 game in Blacksburg. Then they're going to have to get some production on the ground to take some pressure off Renfree. If all three of those things happen, then you might see an upset.

I'm biased, but I don't think it's going to be the Hokies. However, someone other than the usual suspects are going to go down against you guys this year. You guys had so many games last year where you looked good and then turned into a pumpkin that you can't help but learn from that and find some kind of killer instinct.

BDN: Finally, Duke will host Andrew Luck and Stanford in week 2 this fall. After seeing his performance in last year's Orange Bowl, do you have any advice for the Blue Devils?

GC: Sure, watch out you don't get killed.

BDN: Thanks so much for your insight. Good luck this season!

 

Previous week: Wake Forest at Duke, October 22

Next week: Duke at Miami, November 5

Duke Basketball

2011-12 Duke Basketball Schedule Released

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke and the Atlantic Coast Conference released its 2011-12 men's basketball schedule on Wednesday. All 31 games on the regular season schedule will be televised.

The Blue Devils, who return eight letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that finished 32-5 overall and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, face another challenging schedule in 2011-12.

The Blue Devils open the season on Friday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. against Belmont in the regional site game for the EA Sports Maui Invitational. Duke turns right around for a 4:30 p.m. game on Nov. 12 versus Presbyterian. The Maui Invitational will continue Nov. 21-23 in Lahaina, Hawaii with Duke set to face Tennessee in its first game at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 21.

The first game away from Cameron Indoor Stadium will be Tuesday, Nov. 15 when the Blue Devils travel to New York City to square off against Michigan State at 9 p.m. in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. Other non-conference games include Davidson at home (Nov. 18), at Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Nov. 29), Colorado State at home (Dec. 7), Washington at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 10), UNC Greensboro (Dec. 19), Western Michigan (Dec. 30) and Pennsylvania (Jan. 1) in Cameron, at Temple (Jan. 4) and a home game against St. John's (Jan. 28).

Duke's ACC slate starts on Saturday, Jan. 7 with a road contest against Georgia Tech. The following Wednesday, Jan. 11 will mark the Blue Devils' conference home opener against Virginia. Duke will play home-and-home ACC series with Wake Forest, Florida State, Maryland, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. They have single games against Georgia Tech, Virginia, Clemson, Miami, N.C. State and Boston College.

The regular season finale will feature Duke vs. North Carolina in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, March 3. The game has been tabbed a "flex pick" for ESPN's College GameDay Driven by State Farm coverage.

Duke has won eight ACC regular season championships in the past 15 years and 10 of the last 13 ACC Tournament titles. The Blue Devils have compiled an impressive 191-49 league record over the past 15 seasons, including a 13-3 mark last year.

Duke opens the 2011-12 preseason on Oct. 14 with Countdown to Craziness. The Blue Devils will then play Bellarmine (Oct. 29) and Shaw (Nov. 2) in exhibition games prior to the start of the regular season.

2011-12 Duke Basketball Schedule

Fri., Oct. 14 Countdown to Craziness Cameron Indoor Stadium 8 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 29 Bellarmine (Exhibition) Cameron Indoor Stadium 7 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 2 Shaw (Exhibition) Cameron Indoor Stadium 7 p.m.
EA Sports Maui Invitational
Fri., Nov. 11 Belmont Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 9 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 12 Presbyterian Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 4:30 p.m.
Champions Classic
Tues., Nov. 15 vs. Michigan State ^New York, N.Y. ESPN 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 18 Davidson Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 6 p.m.
EA Sports Maui Invitational (Chaminade, Georgetown, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan, Tennessee, UCLA)
Mon., Nov. 21 Quarterfi nals - vs. Tennessee +Lahaina, Hawaii espn2 5:30 p.m.
Tues., Nov. 22 Semifi nals +Lahaina, Hawaii ESPN 7 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 23 Championship Game +Lahaina, Hawaii ESPN 10 p.m.
ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Tues., Nov. 29 at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio ESPN 9:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 7 Colorado State Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 7 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 10 vs. Washington ^New York, NY CBS 12 noon
Mon., Dec. 19 UNC Greensboro Cameron Indoor Stadium TV - TBA TBA
Fri., Dec. 30 Western Michigan Cameron Indoor Stadium espn2 TBA
Sun., Jan. 1 Pennsylvania Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 5 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 4 at Temple %Philadelphia, Pa. espn2 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 7 at Georgia Tech &Atlanta, Ga. ESPNU 12 noon
Thurs., Jan. 12 Virginia Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN/espn2 9 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 15 at Clemson Clemson, S.C. ESPNU 6 p.m.
Thurs., Jan. 19 Wake Forest Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN/espn2 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 21 Florida State Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN 4 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 25 at Maryland College Park, Md. ESPN 9 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 28 St. John’s Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN/espn2 12 noon
Thurs., Feb. 2 at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Va. ESPN/espn2 7 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 5 Miami Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPNU 3 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 8 at North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. ESPN/ACCN 9 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 11 Maryland Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN 4 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 16 N.C. State Cameron Indoor Stadium ACCN 9 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 19 at Boston College Chestnut Hill, Mass. ESPNU 6 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 23 at Florida State Tallahassee, Fla. ESPN/espn2 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 25 Virginia Tech Cameron Indoor Stadium ACCN 12 noon
Tues., Feb. 28 at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. ESPNU 9 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 3 North Carolina Cameron Indoor Stadium ESPN 7 p.m.
Thurs., Mar. 8-
Sun., Mar. 11 ACC Tournament &Atlanta, Ga. ESPN/ACCN
^Madison Square Garden
+ Lahaina Civic Center
%Wells Fargo Center
&Philips Arena
All Game times are Eastern Time Zone
Duke Basketball Schedule Link

Duke Basketball

2011-12 ACC Basketball Schedule Released

GREENSBORO, N.C. – An all-time high 189 national television appearances highlight the 2011-12 Atlantic Coast Conference basketball schedule released today by Commissioner John Swofford. In addition, each of the league’s 96 conference games will be broadcastlive.

In the first year of a new 12-year agreement with ESPN, all of the league’s conference games schedule will be carried by either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com, the ACC Network or the ACC Regional Sports Networks (RSN). All conference games carried by theACC Network, or the Regional Sports Network (RSN), will also be broadcast live nationally on ESPN3.com, as will selected games by ESPN.

Highlights:

• Full national telecasts on all games televised on an ESPN platform (had been local market blackouts on handful of telecasts).

• The new weekly ACC Sunday Night Basketball franchise on ESPNU;

• The continuation of ACC action on ESPN’s Super Tuesday, Wednesday Night Hoops, Thursday Night Showcase and Saturdays;

• The rights to every ACC Tournament game for distribution across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU (with no blackouts).

The ACC Network, which under the previous TV agreement, syndicated games only within the ACC footprint, will now syndicate ACC games through-out the country.

Further non-conference game selections by the conference’s Regional Sports Networks will be forthcoming and announced at a later date.

Through a new sublicense arrangement with ESPN, Raycom Sports will continue its long-standing position as the syndication home of ACC content for over-the-air and regional cable network distribution in the ACC market and beyond. As a result, every regular-seasonintra-conference game and the entire conference tournament will be produced and distributed via ESPN and Raycom Sports.

2011-12 ACC National Appearances Breakdown

Title Games App.

ESPNU 50 72

ESPN/ESPN2 17 32

ESPN2 20 24

ESPN 13 18

ESPN/ACC Network 4 8

ESPN2/ACC Network 4 8

ESPNU/ACC Network 4 8

ESPN/E2/EU 6 6

ESPN3 4 4

National TV (other) 3 3

CBS 2 2

CBS College Sports 1 1

ESPN2/ESPNU 1 1

MASN 1 1

ESPN2/ESPNU 1 1

2011-12 ACC Basketball Schedule

All Times Eastern

ACC Office will update additional television coverage at a later time. Game times are subject to change.

Friday, November 11

Michigan State vs. North Carolina ESPN 7:00

USS Carl Vinson, San Diego, Calif.

Loyola (Md.) at Wake Forest 7:00

Tennessee Tech at Miami 7:00

UNC Asheville at NC State 7:00

Jacksonville at Florida State 7:00

Gardner-Webb at Clemson 8:00

Florida A&M at Georgia Tech 8:00

Belmont at Duke ESPNU 9:00

ESPN EA Sports Maui Invitational

Saturday, November 12

East Tennessee State at Virginia Tech 2:00

Presbyterian at Duke ESPNU 4:30

Sunday, November 13

S.C. State at Virginia 2:00

North Carolina at UNC-Asheville 3:00

Morehead State at NC State 6:00

Legends Classic, Raleigh, N.C.

UNC-Wilmington at Maryland 8:00

Monday, November 14

New Hampshire at Boston College 7:00

Central Florida at Florida State 7:00

Delaware State at Georgia Tech 7:00

Monmouth at Virginia Tech ESPNU tbd

Preseason NIT, Blacksburg, Va.

Tuesday, November 15

Preseason NIT at Virginia Tech ESPNU 6:00

Preseason NIT, Blacksburg, Va.

Michigan State vs. Duke ESPN 7:00

Champions Classic, MSG, New York, NY.

Winthrop at Virginia 7:00

Paradise Jam, Charlottesville, Va.

Rutgers at Miami 7:00

Wednesday, November 16

Princeton vs. NC State 7:00

Legends Classic, Raleigh, N.C.

Georgia Southern at Wake Forest 7:00

Stetson at Florida State 7:00

Clemson at The Citadel tbd

Thursday, November 17

Maryland vs. Alabama ESPN2 5:00

Puerto Rico Classic, San Juan, P.R.

Georgia Tech vs. St. Joseph's 8:00

Charleston Classic, Charleston, S.C.

Friday, November 18

Davidson at Duke ESPNU 6:00

Virginia vs. TCU 6:00

Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands

Boston College at Holy Cross 7:30

Georgia Tech in ESPN Charleston Classic tbd

Charleston Classic, Charleston, S.C.

Maryland in ESPN Puerto Rico Classic ESPN/ESPN2 tbd

Puerto Rico Classic, San Juan, P.R.

Saturday, November 19

NC State vs. Vanderbilt ESPN3 6:30

Legends Classic, East Rutherford, N.J.

College of Charleston at Clemson 7:00

North Florida at Miami 7:00

Virginia in Paradise Jam tbd

Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands

Sunday, November 20

South Alabama at Florida State 3:00

N.C. Central at Wake Forest 7:00

Georgia Tech in ESPN Charleston Classic ESPNU tbd

Charleston Classic, Charleston, S.C.

Maryland in ESPN Puerto Rico Classic tbd

Puerto Rico Classic, San Juan, P.R.

Mississippi Valley State at North Carolina tbd

iBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Virginia in Paradise Jam tbd

Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands

Monday, November 21

Duke vs. Tennessee ESPN2 5:30

Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii

Massachusetts at Boston College 7:00

Virginia in Paradise Jam tbd

Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands

Virginia Tech in Preseason NIT tbd

Preseason NIT, Blacksburg, Va.

NC State vs. Texas/Oregon State ESPN3 tbd

Legends Classic, East Rutherford, N.J.

Tuesday, November 22

Duke in EA Sports Maui Invitational ESPN 7:00

Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii

Coastal Carolina at Clemson 7:00

Florida Gulf Coast at Miami 7:00

Tennessee State at North Carolina tbd

iBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Virginia Tech in Preseason NIT tbd

Preseason NIT, Blacksburg, Va.

Wednesday, November 23

Siena at Georgia Tech 7:00

Duke in EA Sports Maui Invitational ESPN 10:00

Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii

Virginia Tech in Preseason NIT ESPN/E2/EU tbd

Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.

Thursday, November 24

Boston College vs. Saint Louis ESPNU 2:00

ESPN 76 Classic, Anaheim, Calif.

Wake Forest vs. Dayton ESPN2 7:00

ESPN Old Spice Classic, Orlando, Fla.

Florida State in Battle 4 Atlantis National TV (other) tbd

Battle 4 Atlantis, Nassau, Bahamas

Friday, November 25

Green Bay at Virginia 7:00

Furman at Clemson 7:00

Elon at NC State (Reynolds Coliseum) 7:00

Florida State in Battle 4 Atlantis National TV (other) tbd

Battle 4 Atlantis, Nassau, Bahamas

Virginia Tech in Preseason NIT ESPN/E2/EU tbd

Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.

Boston College in ESPN 76 Classic ESPN/E2/EU tbd

ESPN 76 Classic, Anaheim, Calif.

Wake Forest in ESPN Old Spice Classic ESPN/E2/EU tbd

ESPN Old Spice Classic, Orlando, Fla.

Florida Gulf Coast at Maryland tbd

Miami at Mississippi tbd

North Carolina vs. South Carolina in Vegas Experience ESPN2 tbd

Vegas Experience, Las Vegas, Nev.

Saturday, November 26

Florida State in Battle 4 Atlantis National TV (other) tbd

Battle 4 Atlantis, Nassau, Bahamas

North Carolina in Vegas Experience ESPN2 tbd

Vegas Experience, Las Vegas, Nev.

Sunday, November 27

Boston College in ESPN 76 Classic ESPN/E2/EU tbd

ESPN 76 Classic, Anaheim, Calif.

Wake Forest in ESPN Old Spice Classic ESPN/E2/EU tbd

ESPN Old Spice Classic, Orlando, Fla.

St. Bonaventure at Virginia Tech 6:00

Tuesday, November 29

Michigan at Virginia (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN2 7:00

Northwestern at Georgia Tech (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPNU 7:15

Illinois at Maryland (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN 7:30

Miami at Purdue (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN2 9:00

Clemson at Iowa (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPNU 9:15

Duke at Ohio State (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN 9:30

Wednesday, November 30

Penn State at Boston College (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPNU 7:15

Indiana at NC State (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN2 7:15

Florida State at Michigan State (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN 7:30

Virginia Tech at Minnesota (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN2 9:15

Wake Forest at Nebraska (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPNU 9:15

Wisconsin at North Carolina (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) ESPN 9:30

Saturday, December 3

North Carolina at Kentucky CBS Noon

UMass at Miami ESPNU 1:00

Richmond at Wake Forest 1:00

Boston University at Boston College 2:00

Longwood at Virginia 2:00

Georgia Tech at Tulane tbd

Sunday, December 4

South Carolina at Clemson ESPNU 3:30

Notre Dame vs. Maryland MASN 4:45

BB&T, Washington, D.C.

NC State at Stanford 5:00

Kansas State at Virginia Tech ESPNU 5:30

Monday, December 5

Charleston Southern at Florida State ESPNU 7:00

Tuesday, December 6

Evansville at North Carolina ESPNU 7:00

George Mason at Virginia 7:00

Memphis at Miami ESPN2 9:00

Wednesday, December 7

Colorado State at Duke ESPNU 7:00

Mount St. Mary at Maryland 8:00

Georgia Tech at Georgia tbd

Wake Forest at High Point tbd

Virginia Tech at Rhode Island tbd

Thursday, December 8

Boston College at Providence 7:00

Saturday, December 10

Washington vs. Duke CBS Noon

Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.

Miami at West Virginia ESPN2 7:00

Long Beach State at North Carolina tbd

Clemson at Arizona tbd

Georgia Tech at Savannah State tbd

Wake Forest at Seton Hall tbd

Sunday, December 11

Stony Brook at Boston College 2:00

Norfolk State at Virginia Tech 4:00

N.C. Central at NC State 7:00

UNCG at Florida State 7:00

Wednesday, December 14

Florida International at Maryland ESPNU tbd

Saturday, December 17

Campbell at Virginia Tech 4:00

Winthrop at Clemson 4:00

Appalachian State at North Carolina ESPNU 6:00

Syracuse at NC State ESPN2 6:30

Florida Atlantic vs. Miami tbd

BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Fla.

Sunday, December 18

Gardner-Webb at Wake Forest 1:00

Loyola Marymount at Florida State ESPNU 3:00

Bryant at Boston College 3:00

Virginia at Oregon tbd

Monday, December 19

Nicholls State at North Carolina ESPNU 7:00

North Florida at Virginia Tech 7:00

Alabama A&M at Georgia Tech 7:00

Alabama State at Clemson 7:00

UNCG at Duke TV tbd

Tuesday, December 20

St. Bonaventure vs. NC State tbd

Rochester, N.Y.

Wednesday, December 21

Texas at North Carolina ESPN2 7:00

Sacred Heart at Boston College 7:00

Virginia at Seattle 7:00

UNC-Wilmington at Wake Forest 7:00

Thursday, December 22

Clemson vs. UTEP ESPNU 3:00

Diamond Head Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii

Eastern Michigan at Virginia Tech 7:00

Northeastern at NC State 7:00

Mercer at Georgia Tech 7:00

Florida State at Florida tbd

Miami at UNC-Charlotte tbd

Friday, December 23

Clemson in ESPN Diamond Head Classic ESPNU tbd

Diamond Head Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii

Radford at Maryland 8:00

Sunday, December 25

Clemson in ESPN Diamond Head Classic ESPN2/ESPNU tbd

Diamond Head Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii

tbd

Tuesday, December 27

Md.-Eastern Shore at Virginia 7:00

Wednesday, December 28

Albany at Maryland 8:00

Thursday, December 29

Harvard at Boston College 7:00

Elon at North Carolina ESPNU 7:00

Campbell at NC State 7:00

Yale at Wake Forest 7:00

Georgia Tech at Fordham CBS College Sports tbd

Friday, December 30

Appalachian State at Miami 7:00

Princeton at Florida State 7:00

Towson at Virginia 10:00

Western Michigan at Duke ESPN2 tbd

Saturday, December 31

Virginia Tech at Oklahoma State ESPN2 Noon

Samford at Maryland 1:00

Western Carolina at NC State 2:00

Sunday, January 1

Monmouth at North Carolina ESPNU 3:00

East Tennessee State at Clemson 4:00

Penn at Duke ESPNU 5:00

Monday, January 2

Rhode Island at Boston College 1:00

UNCG at Miami 7:00

Wofford at Wake Forest 7:00

Virginia at LSU tbd

Tuesday, January 3

Cornell at Maryland 8:00

Alabama at Georgia Tech ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, January 4

Duke at Temple ESPN2 7:00

Delaware State at NC State 7:00

Auburn at Florida State 7:00

Saturday, January 7

Duke at Georgia Tech ESPNU Noon

Virginia Tech at Wake Forest ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Boston College at North Carolina ACCN ESPN3 2:30

Florida State at Clemson ESPN2 ESPN3 4:00

Miami at Virginia ESPNU 6:00

Sunday, January 8

Maryland at NC State ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, January 10

Florida State at Virginia Tech ESPNU 7:00

Miami at North Carolina ACCN ESPN3 9:00

Wednesday, January 11

Wake Forest at Maryland RSN ESPN3 7:00

Georgia Tech at NC State RSN ESPN3 9:00

Thursday, January 12

Clemson at Boston College ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Virginia at Duke ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 9:00

Saturday, January 14

North Carolina at Florida State ESPN ESPN3 2:00

Virginia Tech at Boston College RSN ESPN3 3:00

NC State at Wake Forest ACCN ESPN3 1 or 4

Sunday, January 15

Georgia Tech at Maryland ACCN ESPN3 1 or 4

Duke at Clemson ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, January 17

Maryland at Florida State ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, January 18

Clemson at Miami RSN ESPN3 7:00

Thursday, January 19

Wake Forest at Duke ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Virginia at Georgia Tech ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

Boston College at NC State ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

North Carolina at Virginia Tech ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 9:00

Saturday, January 21

Wake Forest at Boston College ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Georgia Tech at Clemson ACCN ESPN3 2:30

Florida State at Duke ESPN ESPN3 4:00

Maryland at Temple ESPNU tbd

Sunday, January 22

NC State at Miami ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Virginia Tech at Virginia ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, January 24

Miami at Georgia Tech ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, January 25

Florida State at Wake Forest RSN ESPN3 7:00

Brigham Young at Virginia Tech ESPN3 7:00

Duke at Maryland ESPN ESPN3 9:00

Thursday, January 26

NC State at North Carolina ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Boston College at Virginia ESPNU 9:00

Saturday, January 28

St. John's at Duke ESPN/ESPN2 Noon

Wake Forest at Clemson ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Virginia Tech at Maryland ACCN ESPN3 2:30

Virginia at NC State ESPN2 ESPN3 8:00

Sunday, January 29

Miami at Boston College ACCN ESPN3 1:00

Georgia Tech at North Carolina ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, January 31

Clemson at Virginia ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

North Carolina at Wake Forest ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, February 1

Georgia Tech at Florida State RSN ESPN3 7:00

NC State at Boston College ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

Maryland at Miami ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

Thursday, February 2

Duke at Virginia Tech ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Saturday, February 4

Virginia at Florida State ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

Boston College at Georgia Tech ESPNU 1:00

Wake Forest at NC State ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

North Carolina at Maryland ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 4:00

Clemson at Virginia Tech RSN ESPN3 4:00

Sunday, February 5

Miami at Duke ESPNU 3:00

Tuesday, February 7

Maryland at Clemson ESPNU 7:00

Wednesday, February 8

Florida State at Boston College ESPN3 ESPN3 7:00

Wake Forest at Virginia RSN ESPN3 7:30

Duke at North Carolina ESPN/ACCN ESPN3 9:00

Thursday, February 9

NC State at Georgia Tech ESPNU 7:00

Virginia Tech at Miami ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 9:00

Saturday, February 11

Miami at Florida State ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

Virginia at North Carolina ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

Maryland at Duke ESPN ESPN3 4:00

Clemson at Wake Forest RSN ESPN3 4:00

Sunday, February 12

Boston College at Virginia Tech ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, February 14

Virginia at Clemson ESPNU 7:00

Wednesday, February 15

North Carolina at Miami ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Georgia Tech at Wake Forest RSN ESPN3 7:30

Thursday, February 16

Virginia Tech at Florida State ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

NC State at Duke ACCN split ESPN3 9:00

Boston College at Maryland ACCN split ESPN3 9:00

Saturday, February 18

Wake Forest at Miami RSN 1:00

Florida State at NC State ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

Maryland at Virginia ACCN split ESPN3 1:00

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech RSN ESPN3 3:00

Clemson at North Carolina ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 4:00

Sunday, February 19

Duke at Boston College ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, February 21

Clemson at Georgia Tech RSN ESPN3 7:00

Miami at Maryland ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

North Carolina at NC State ACCN split ESPN3 8:00

Virginia at Virginia Tech ESPNU 9:00

Thursday, February 23

Duke at Florida State ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Saturday, February 25

Virginia Tech at Duke ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Boston College at Wake Forest RSN ESPN3 1:00

NC State at Clemson ACCN split ESPN3 2:30

Maryland at Georgia Tech ACCN split ESPN3 2:30

North Carolina at Virginia ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 4:00

Sunday, February 26

Florida State at Miami ESPNU 6:00

Tuesday, February 28

Duke at Wake Forest ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, February 29

Maryland at North Carolina ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Georgia Tech at Boston College RSN ESPN3 7:00

Miami at NC State RSN ESPN3 9:00

Thursday, March 1

Florida State at Virginia ESPN/ESPN2 ESPN3 7:00

Virginia Tech at Clemson ACCN ESPN3 9:00

Saturday, March 3

Wake Forest at Georgia Tech ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Boston College at Miami ACCN ESPN3 2:30

North Carolina at Duke ESPN ESPN3 7:00

Sunday, March 4

Clemson at Florida State ESPN2 ESPN3 Noon

Virginia at Maryland ACCN ESPN3 2:00

NC State at Virginia Tech ESPNU 6:00

2012 ACC Tournament – Philips Arena, Atlanta, Ga.

First Round - Thursday, March 8

Game 1 (#8 vs. #9) ESPNU/ACCN Noon

Game 2 (#5 vs. #12) ESPNU/ACCN 2:00

Game 3 (#7 vs. #10) ESPNU/ACCN 7:00

Game 4 (#6 vs. #11) ESPNU/ACCN 9:00

Quarterfinals - Friday, March 9

Game 5 (#1 vs. 8/9 winner) ESPN2/ACCN ESPN3 Noon

Game 6 (#4 vs. 5/12 winner) ESPN2/ACCN ESPN3 2:00

Game 7 (#2 vs. 7/10 winner) ESPN2/ACCN ESPN3 7:00

Game 8 (#3 vs. 6/11 winner) ESPN2/ACCN ESPN3 9:00

Semifinals - Saturday, March 10

Game 9 (game 5 & 6 winners) ESPN/ACCN ESPN3 1:00

Game 10 (game 7 & 8 winners) ESPN/ACCN ESPN3 3:30

Finals - Sunday, March 11

Game 11 (championship game) ESPN/ACCN ESPN3 1:00

ESPN/ESPN2 = referred to as Net Flex. ESPN and ESPN2 are scheduling some game choices as E/E2 and/or with two time choices listed. These are referenced as Net Flex Games. The network decision will be made 7 to 10 days out. On attached schedule theseare shown as E/E2**.