BDN has some audio chats from Duke's win over Cal Poly last week which we couldn't get up due to time constraints. But as promised here are comments from Mason Plumlee, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith who all stated that as a team they can play better.
Mason Plumlee post game one on one -
Kyle Singler -
Nolan Smith -
DURHAM - Here's a couple of post game interviews with Nolan Smith and Kyrie Irving who form the Blue Devils starting backcourt. Smith led the team with a game high 9 assists while Irving tallied 7 and the two have a friendly competition going. Just press play -
And here is Kyrie Irving -
CHARLOTTE - We sat down with Duke's Nolan Smith at the annual ACC Operation Basketball festivities in Charlotte, North Carolina yesterday. Smith, who was named 1st team All ACC, shared his thoughts on twitter, the coming season, his relationships with coaches, teammates, Johnny Dawkins and his ability to be a leader and make people laugh. Coach K would later say that when Nolan smiles it lights up the whole room. In this audio clip, you get a good feel for Nolan Smith's character. Enjoy!
Just press play -
CHARLOTTE - ACC Operation Basketball held it's annual gathering on Wendesday and BDN was there and will bring you a ton of taped interviews from Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Coach K. We'll start with Nolan Smith Part 1 of 4.
Just press play -
Good Monday morning Blue Devil Nation! Talk about a big week ahead for Duke athletics, hey? It doesn't seem like that long ago when I was coming back from Indianapolis having followed the men's basketball team on their magical run to the national championship, yet the reality of a new season is here.
It's been almost hard to put the 2010 season behind me in that it was such a special and at times surreal ride. One can only hope that this year's team, talented as it is can produce similar moments for there are many factors which go into getting a team to come together at just the right time. There will be no Z-Beard, no energy bunny Lance Thomas and "Steady-Eddie" Jon Scheyer on this seasons team. Those three seniors left Duke as champions but it wasn't always a walk in the park.
Winning national championships is not an easy thing to do folks! How many times has the pre season number one ranked team failed to win the big enchilada? The answer is more often than not for expectations can create some serious pressure, especially down the stretch. The saving grace is that Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith opted to return for their senior seasons and that means Duke will once again have some steady leadership in the senior class.
The season kicks off this Friday evening with the much anticipated Countdown to Craziness II invades Cameron Indoor Stadium. The event is becoming a religious experience for true blue Duke fans in that it brings you up close and personal with the players and coaches. Last seasons event was off the charts fun from beginning to end and in serves in memory as the starting point on the road to Indianapolis.
Despite last season's successful event, this years will be just as good and very likely better. A much hyped freshman Kyrie Irving will be making his CIS debut where he'll join newcomers Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton as well as redshirt sophomore Seth Curry. Then there is the welcoming of the returning aforementioned senior players who will all get their national championship rings as a new banner is unveiled in the backdrop.
In the stands will be a bevy of future Blue Devils and their most recent get in Austin Rivers and special guests will be making an appearance as well. All of the faithful will be gathered in the Holly Temple that seats just over 9000 fans elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder. Seriously, what else can be said and how much more hype does this event need?
Meanwhile, the football team will take on a mad bunch of Canes as Miami invades Wallace Wade Stadium. Duke is playing for the future, one which is brighter than it might seem as this time. Duke has nothing to lose the rest of the way and there are still winnable games on the schedule. Take away a couple of mistakes and Duke would have two ACC wins over Wake Forest and Maryland and games. And with Virginia and Boston College on the home schedule it's looking like the Blue Devils have a shot to garner a few more wins. Please continue to support this young team and they will in time give you reason to cheer loud and proud.
Stay tuned to BDN for full CTC and Duke-Miami coverage.
Los Angeles- The John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list was announced today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club. The list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor. The Women's Preseason list will be released later this week.
Returning players from past Wooden Award ballots include four seniors: Duke's Kyle Singler (2009, 2010), Robbie Hummel of Purdue (2008, 2010), Kalin Lucas of Michigan State (2009, 2010) and BYU's Jimmer Fredette (2010). Singler was the MVP of the 2010 Final Four, leading the Blue Devils to the NCAA title in averaging 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds his junior season. Hummel was a 2008 and 2010 All-Big 10 selection, and also a two-time Academic All-Big 10 pick who averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 2010. Lucas is considered among the nation's top point guards after leading the Spartans in scoring (14.8 ppg) and assists (4.0 ast) during their Final Four campaign a year ago. Fredette was his team's top scorer (22.1 ppg) and playmaker (4.7 ast) and was an All-MWC player as a junior.
Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason
list. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be
evaluated and considered for December's Midseason list and the official
voting ballot released in March. The National Ballot consists of
approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they
are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a
cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced
the week of the "Elite Eight" round during the NCAA Tournament.
Purdue (Hummel, JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore) was the only school with
three players named to the Wooden Award preseason Top 50. Five schools had
two players chosen to the list: Colorado (Alec Burks, Cory Higgins); Duke
(Singler, Nolan Smith); Gonzaga (Steven Gray, Elias Harris); Michigan State
(Lucas, Durrell Summers); Syracuse (Kris Joseph, Brandon Triche).
Eleven conferences are represented on the Wooden Award Preseason List.
Leading the way is the Big 10 (10), followed by the ACC (8), Big East (7),
SEC (3), Big 12 (7), Pac-10 (6), Atlantic 10 (3), Mountain West (2), West
Coast (2); and Conference USA, and the Horizon League with one apiece.
The 35th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement
of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winners, a special tribute to Coach
Wooden and Wooden Award founder Duke Llewellyn, and the presentation of the
Wooden Award All American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will take
place the weekend of April 8-10, 2011.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and
maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such
notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Blake
Griffin ('09) and Maya Moore of Connecticut ('09). Ohio State's Evan Turner and Connecticut's Tina Charles won the Award in 2010.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a
million dollars to universities' general scholarship fund in the names of
the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000
underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the
Award's name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on the Friday prior to the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by
logging on to www.WoodenAward.com. For more information on the John R.
Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.
2010-11 John R. Wooden Award
Preseason Top 50 List
Name Height Class Position University Conference
Ty Abbott 6-3 Sr. G Arizona State Pac-10
Lavoy Allen 6-9 Sr. F Temple Atlantic 10
Kevin Anderson 6-0 Sr. G Richmond Atlantic 10
Talor Battle 6-0 Sr. G Penn State Big Ten
Kenny Boynton 6-2 So. G Florida SEC
William Buford 6-5 Jr. G Ohio State Big Ten
Alec Burks 6-6 So. G Colorado Big 12
Randy Culpepper 6-0 Sr. G UTEP Conference USA
Malcolm Delaney 6-3 Sr. G Virginia Tech ACC
LaceDarius Dunn 6-4 Sr. G Baylor Big 12
Kim English 6-6 Jr. G Missouri Big 12
Corey Fisher 6-1 Sr. G Villanova Big East
Jimmer Fredette* 6-2 Sr. G Brigham Young Mountain
West
Austin Freeman 6-4 Sr. G Georgetown Big East
Ashton Gibbs 6-2 Jr. G Pittsburgh Big East
Steven Gray 6-5 Sr. G Gonzaga West Coast
Jordan Hamilton 6-7 So. G/F Texas Big 12
Elias Harris 6-7 So. F Gonzaga West Coast
Jeremy Hazell 6-5 Sr. G Seton Hall Big East
John Henson 6-10 So. F North Carolina ACC
Cory Higgins 6-5 Sr. G Colorado Big 12
Tyler Honeycutt 6-8 So. F UCLA Pac-10
Robbie Hummel* 6-8 Sr. F Purdue Big Ten
JaJuan Johnson 6-10 Sr. F/C Purdue Big Ten
Kris Joseph 6-7 Jr. F Syracuse Big East
Kawhi Leonard 6-7 So. F San Diego State Mountain West
Jon Leuer 6-10 Sr. F Wisconsin Big Ten
Kalin Lucas* 6-1 Sr. F Michigan State Big Ten
Shelvin Mack 6-3 Jr. G Butler Horizon League
Demetri McCamey 6-3 Sr. G Illinois Big Ten
E'Twaun Moore 6-4 Sr. G Purdue Big Ten
Marcus Morris 6-9 Jr. F Kansas Big 12
Jacob Pullen 6-0 Sr. G Kansas State Big 12
John Shurna 6-8 Jr. F Northwestern Big Ten
Kyle Singler* 6-8 Sr. F Duke ACC
Chris Singleton 6-9 Jr. F Florida State ACC
Nolan Smith 6-2 Sr. G Duke ACC
Tracy Smith 6-8 Sr. F North Carolina State ACC
Durrell Summers 6-5 Sr. G Michigan State Big Ten
Jeffery Taylor 6-7 Jr. G/F Vanderbilt SEC
Isaiah Thomas 5-9 Jr. G Washington Pac-10
Trey Thompkins 6-10 Jr. F Georgia SEC
Klay Thompson 6-6 Jr. G Washington State Pac-10
Joe Trapani 6-8 Sr. F Boston College ACC
Brandon Triche 6-4 So. G Syracuse Big East
Nikola Vucevic 6-10 Jr. F USC Pac-10
Kemba Walker 6-1 Jr. G Connecticut Big East
Derrick Williams 6-8 So. F Arizona Pac-10
Jordan Williams 6-10 So. F Maryland ACC
Chris Wright 6-8 Sr. F Dayton Atlantic 10
(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)
*indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden Award ballot
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