Monthly Archives: March 2013

Duke Basketball

Duke throttles UNC behind Curry and Plumlee

The Duke Blue Devils were all business as they rolled out to a 14-0 lead over archrival North Carolina and never looked back, winning 69-53 to secure sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Duke was led by Seth Curry in the first half, as the senior scored 20 points on a wide array of shots, and in the second half the Blue Devils rode the play of Mason Plumlee, who ended he game with a game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds.

"Seth was the best player on the court in the first half and Mason was the best player in the second," said Coach Mike Krzyzewski during the post game press conference. He continued, "The second half was a man's half. Mason was superb and has had an unbelievable year for us."

The play of the two seniors was the difference, as was a Duke defense that held Reggie Bullock scoreless in the first half, held the Tar Heels to a single made three point shot in the entire game, and switched off well all night long.  "Our defense was outstanding. They missed some open shots and we defended well, limiting second chance opportunities," Krzyzewski said.

The Blue Devils simply took it to the Tar Heels and by doing so, they were able to take the home crowd out of the game. Every time North Carolina tried to make a run, a Duke player stepped up for a big bucket giving them a constant double-digit lead.

Krzyzewski also praised his team's unselfishness, and it was apparent to all that the Blue Devils are on their way to finding that early season chemistry which made them so efficient in the early season against one of the nation's toughest schedules.

A few weeks ago, Krzyzewski wondered out loud how good his team would be when Ryan Kelly returned.  This game may have provided the answer.  That return means that teams can no longer double down on Plumlee, and while Kelly did not have a stellar game against UNC compared to his two previous performances, his presence was felt in multiple ways.

In a game most thought would go down to the wire and indeed many felt it would not even be an upset if the Tar Heels were to win, Duke made a statement, and that statement is that they are still tops in this league going into the tournaments.  And I'm not the only one who thinks so.  While Duke finished second to Miami in the regular season standings, and that season included an unbalanced schedule, the Blue Devils' win convinced ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi to consider them the tournament's overall #1 seed at this point.

Duke will next play in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro on Friday at 7 PM against the winner of Thursday's Maryland-Wake Forest game.

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Duke hopes to bring another Monroe star to Durham in WR Jaylan Barbour

Jaylan-Barbour-3-8-13
Monroe WR Jaylan Barbour says that Duke is recruiting him hardest.

In each of the last three recruiting classes, the Blue Devils have added a speedy playmaker from Monroe, North Carolina to the program. Can Coach Cutcliffe make it four in a row? Duke has offered a scholarship to and remains in close contact with WR Jaylan Barbour, a 5'10" 175 pound playmaker from Monroe High School. That's the same program that has produced current Blue Devils Issac Blakeney, Jamison Crowder, and Quay Chambers. In fact, Barbour is a cousin of Crowder, one of the Blue Devil's preseason All-ACC selections at WR this year. The competition for Barbour is fierce, however, with both North Carolina and South Carolina in pursuit, along with ECU, NC State, and West Virginia. BDN spoke with Jaylan this week to see how his spring is going, and get an update on where his recruitment stands. [private]

How did your junior season end up?

​Last year, I had a pretty good season, well, I missed like four, about four or five games, with an ankle injury, but I came back strong and helped my team win a couple games at the end.

With your athleticism, you've played several different positions; where do you see yourself playing at the next level?

​I usually play, mostly I play a receiver.

What are some of the things you’re working on this off-season?

​I am trying to get faster, you know what I’m saying.  Get my foot work right.  ​And, definitely stronger.

What are some of the things that college coaches say they like about you, and what do they see you bringing to the college game?

​They like my hands a lot and then like what I can do when I catch the ball if I have to, how I can break things down and make things happen.

What are some of the most important things you’re looking for in a school?

​Well, first thing is always somewhere I can go get an education. That’s always important.  Then I look at like the athletic program and and like how the coaches treat you and stuff like that; little things like that in the community.

Who are some of the schools that have been recruiting you the hardest? Where do you stand with scholarship offers?

​Duke.  Duke is recruiting me -  they're always recruiting me hard.  They stay on me.  That’s really about it.  Duke.  I did get an offer by West Virginia not too long ago though, but Duke stays on me.

Is that a good thing?

​Oh, yeah.  That’s a good thing, I like that. I prefer it. I like it.

You’ve got some former teammates that play at Duke.  Do they stay in touch with you?

​Yes, sir. Yeah, actually Jamison Crowder is my cousin, so I talk to him on a regular basis.

Can you talk a little about where you’ve been able to visit, and what you have seen on your trips?

​Well, my first visit I went to UNC-Charlotte for like a little junior day.  I didn’t go to the basketball game though, but I mean, I liked it.  They've got new stuff because they’re getting a new program and what not, but when I went to the Duke game, Duke-Carolina game, I liked the vibe if you know what I’m saying.  It was crazy down there at that game.  I just liked it.

You mentioned that Duke is recruiting you hard; who are some of the coaches you’ve been in contact with, and what are some of the things they’re talking to you about?

​Coach Jones, he’s the recruiting coach down here, well recruiter.  He recruits our area and stuff like that. He talks about me coming down there and what not, and I have talked to Coach Montgomery one time, the receivers coach.  He talked about how he wanted me down there also so he can coach me and I talk to Coach Faris all the time and I talk to Coach Cutcliffe.  That’s about all though.

Do you have some other visits planned for this Spring for some other junior days, or Spring practices or Spring games or anything like that at any schools?

​Well, I might go to like Carolina on a junior day, but other than that I really don’t know right now.

I know it's early in the process, but do you have an idea for when you would like to make your final decision?

​I’ll probably wait until signing day, and chill out a little bit and just make my decision on signing day and go from there.

Thanks a lot, Jaylan.

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Highlights

Duke Basketball

Blue Devils up for ACC Post Season Honors

37Media members have until early Sunday evening to turn in their votes for ACC Post Season Awards.  Here is a statistical breakdown of the Duke players issued by Duke for thir consideration.

Mason Plumlee - All-ACC & ACC Player of the Year

Career Notes

• Member of Duke’s 1,000-point club

• Became the 31st player in ACC history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds

• Top-10 all-time at Duke in rebounds (6th, 1,033), field goal percentage (9th, .570), blocks (5th, 195) and dunks (1st, 195).

• Five blocks shy of becoming the second player in ACC history to record over 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 assists, 200 blocks and 100 steals in a career.

2012-13

• Second in the ACC and 15th nationally in rebounding (10.2)

• Tied for third in the ACC in scoring (17.0)

• One of two players in in the ACC and 14 nationally averaging a double-double

• Double-figure scoring in 27 of 30 games ... double-figure rebounding in 17 of 30 games

• One of only seven players in the country averaging over 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game

• Seven games with 20 or more points scored

• Capital One First Team Academic All-America ... named to All-ACC Academic Team

• Oscar Robertson & Wooden Award Finalist

• USBWA National Player of the Week (Feb. 12) ... two-time ACC Player of the Week (Dec. 3, Feb. 11) ... ESPN.com National Player of the Month (November)

Seth Curry – All-ACC

Career Notes

• Member of Duke’s 1,000-point club

• Top-five all-time at Duke in three-point field goal percentage (3rd – .419, 207-of-494) and free throw percentage (5th – .826, 266-of-322).

• Has 207 made three-pointers in just three seasons in Durham

• Makes up one half of NCAA’s highest scoring brother tandem, along with his older brother, Stephen, who played at Davidson from 2006-09

2012-13

• Tied for third in the ACC in scoring (17.0)

• Second in the ACC with 2.7 made three-pointers per game

• Shooting .439 from three-point range, the third-highest clip in the ACC

• First in ACC in conference play with 3.1 made three-pointers per game

• Second in ACC with 15 20-point games ... at least 20 points in 10 of 17 ACC games

• Wooden Award Midseason Watch List

• ACC Player of the Week (Dec. 31)

• Tied Duke’s single-game three-point percentage record (min. 5 attempts) by going 6-of-7 from beyond the arc on Jan. 17 against Georgia Tech

Quinn Cook – All-ACC

2012-13

• Top-five in the ACC in assists per game, steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio

• Has scored in double figures 19 times with three 20+ point efforts

• Second on the team in three-point field goals (52) and three-point percentage (.426)

• Attempting to join Dick Groat (1952), Jason Williams (2000, 2001) and Chris Duhon (2004) as the only players in Duke history to average at least 10.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game

• Finalist for Bob Cousy Award

• Named MVP of the Battle 4 Atlantis after leading Duke to wins over Minnesota, VCU and Louisville ... averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game at the tournament

• ACC Player of the Week (Nov. 26)

• Has two games with double-digit assists

• Has played 30 or more minutes in 24 games ... ranks eighth in the ACC in minutes per game (33.6)

• Engineer of a Duke offense that has five players averaging double figures

Rasheed Sulaimon – ACC Rookie of the Year

2012-13

• Wayman Tisdale Award Finalist

• Member of the All-ACC Academic Team

• ACC Rookie of the Week (Feb. 25, March 3)

• Has started 29 of 30 games ... has played at least 23 minutes in all but one game

• Third-leading freshman scorer in the ACC (11.7 points per game)

• Double-figure scoring in 19 games, third-most among ACC freshmen

• Matched a Duke single-game freshman record with six made three-pointers against Maryland on Jan. 26 ... scored a career-high 27 points to lead Duke past Boston College (2/24)

• Has hit at least three three-pointers in seven games and multiple treys in 15 games

• ACC freshman leader in 3-point field goals (45) and seventh in Duke’s freshman record book ... also ranks sixth in the Duke freshmen record books with .391 three-point field goal percentage

• Has grabbed a career-high seven rebounds three times

• Averaging 16.0 points per game while shooting 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from three-point range following losses

• Second on the team with 11 charges drawn

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Mocksville OL Trip McNeill makes another trip to Duke

Davie County OL Trip McNeill visited Duke on Saturday.
Davie County OL Trip McNeill visited Duke on Saturday.

Duke has prioritized recruiting the state of North Carolina under Coach Cutcliffe, and that strategy appears ready to pay major dividends in the class of 2014. The 2014 in-state recruiting class is one of the strongest in years, and the Blue Devils have already offered and hosted many top prospects. Last fall, they hosted junior OL Trip McNeill on an unofficial visit, and the big lineman was back on campus this past weekend for Junior Day. As the Blue Devils transition to a read-option offense, Coach Latina is looking to continue to build strength and athleticism along the offensive line. McNeill, at 6'4" and 290 pounds, has exactly the skills that the Blue Devils are looking for in the class of 2014. Already with seven scholarship offers, the recruitment for the Davie County star is heating up this spring. BDN caught up with Trip after his recent visit to Durham. [private]

Now that you've had some time to reflect on it, how did your junior season finish up?

Our season ended on a bad note to me. We had a hard loss to Mount Tabor. We beat them earlier in the season, but lost in the second round of the state playoffs at home, so that was a real bummer after having a fairly good season and having a good win over them before

That's tough. With that bitter taste in your mouth, I know you're getting ready for your senior year.  What are some of the things you're working on and what are some of your goals for this coming fall?

Maintaining weight, not letting my weight get too high, speed and agility is a big thing, and flexibility.

Where do you stand with scholarship offers, and which schools are recruiting you the hardest?

I've got seven offers right now, UVA, Duke, UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, and ECU and App State.  Right now I'd have to say the three that are recruiting the hardest would have to be State, Duke, and Wake.

Have you had a chance to get out and take any visits since we last spoke, or do you have any planned this spring?

I went to Duke on Saturday.  I went to the Miami game.  I'm going to Wake this weekend.  I think they play Virginia Tech.  I plan on going back to some spring practices.

Can you talk a little bit, since it's fresh in your mind, about your visit to Duke and how that went? Did anything really stand out to you on your visit this past weekend?

I got some one on one time with Coach Latina, which was really nice, the offensive line coach. I had a good talk with him and we hadn't really been able to talk too much so that was really nice.

What were some of the things he talked to you about and how does he see you fitting in with their program?

We didn't talk too much about that.  We talked a lot of about how they do offensive line, how he trains the offensive line and what kind of schemes they run and plays, stuff like that.

Do you have a favorite among the schools that have offered you or a school that has stood out based on your interactions at this point? 

I like them all a lot and getting to know the people at each school is just getting better and better. They're all great people.

Do you have an idea for when you hope to start narrowing things down or naming leaders or anything like that?

Not exactly.

Are you still planning to get your decision done sometime later in the year?

Yes, sometime later this year.

Thanks a lot, Trip, and best of luck!
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View Trip's highlights here.