Tag: Duke

On this day in history: Michigan State shocks Duke in Elite 8 on Kenny Goins dagger

On March 31st, 2019, the Michigan State Spartans shocked the world and knocked off Zion Williamson and Duke in the Elite 8.

To this day, the 2018-19 Duke Men’s Basketball roster is one of the most talked about in basketball. Headlined by megastar Zion Williamson and flanked by top ten picks RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish and a stud point guard in Tre Jones, that year’s Duke team was considered one of the most talented in NCAA Men’s Basketball history. However, they were not unbeatable as some thought, and that was proven when they ran into Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans on March 31, 2019.

In a hard-fought game, with 35 seconds left, Izzo drew up a play that didn’t focus on one of his three stars in Aaron Henry, Cassius Winston, or Xavier Tillman. Instead, after Cassius Winston passed the ball to Tillman, it was Kenny Goins who flared out to the three-point line. Zion Williamson, distracted by a cutting Cassius Winston, was just a half-second late to stop Goins as he put up a dagger three which put MSU up 68-66 over the Blue Devils.

You can watch that play here:

Duke had a chance to tie, but RJ Barrett missed one free throw, allowing the Spartans to get the ball back with a 68-67 lead. Cassius Winston, now infamously, was able to slither away from Duke to avoid a foul and run out the clock, ceiling the Elite 8 win for Michigan State.

You can watch the last seven minutes of that game here:

Former Warriors’ guard Quinn Cook announces his first children’s book

Quinn Cook is revealing his “10 recipes to success” in his new children’s book, “The Cook Book.”

While the NBA season is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, a bevy of players across the league are finding new ways to fill their free time. Players have been getting creative on social media while playing video games and watching old highlights during the league’s hiatus.

However, former Warriors‘ guard Quinn Cook is taking a unique route while there are no games on the calendar until further notice. On Tuesday, Cook announced his first-ever children’s book. The Lakers’ guard’s text is cleverly titled “The Cook Book.”

Via @QCook323 on Twitter:

According to Cook, the book will reveal his “10 recipes to success.” After winning championships at the college and pro levels, it’s safe to say Cook has some experience in the field of success.

In 2015, Cook hung an NCAA Tournament championship banner in Cameron Indoor as a second-team All-American for the Duke Blue Devils. The G League All-Star later won a Larry O’Brien Trophy coming off the bench for the Warriors in 2018.

In his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Cook is averaging 4.8 points and 1.1 assists in 10.8 minutes per game.

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Notre Dame Basketball Player Review: Juwan Durham

As a senior, Juwan Durham averaged the fewest minutes of any regular Notre Dame starter (17.1).

As a senior, Juwan Durham averaged the fewest minutes of any regular Notre Dame starter (17.1). In spite of this, he built on one solid performance after another. On Dec. 10 against Detroit Mercy, he matched what was then a career high of 16 points to go with nine rebounds and five blocks. He turned in another 16-point performance Jan. 25 at Florida State before setting a new career best Feb. 15 at Duke with 21 points.

Durham averaged 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a game while accumulating a team-high 66 blocks. With another year of eligibility, the Irish expect him to return as a graduate student next season. That will be a relief to a team that won’t have John Mooney anymore. While not a double-double machine like Mooney, Durham will continue to provide the Irish with much-needed size and the productivity it requires on both ends.

Notre Dame needs a leader in the paint with Mooney not there anymore, and assuming he comes back, Durham will be that man.

Notre Dame Basketball Player Review: Elijah Morgan

You have to give freshman walk-ons the benefit of the doubt because you probably won’t know what their value to the team will be ’til later.

You have to give freshman walk-ons the benefit of the doubt because you probably won’t know what their value to the team will be until later on. Such is the case with guard Elijah Morgan, who didn’t even play a game’s worth of minutes in his first year for Notre Dame. Consequently, there wasn’t a lot of exposure for the New Orleans native, so there’s no photo of him on our service and no video highlights of him on the athletic department’s YouTube channel. It’s a reminder that unless you can make a big difference right away, you’re typically stuck on the bench in your first year with a major program.

But if Morgan can take one thing away from this season, it’s that the best of his 12 games came at Cameron Indoor Stadium. In five minutes of Notre Dame’s blowout loss to Duke, he scored five points, three of which came on his first and only trey of the season. He also picked up one assist. Hopefully, he’ll have more to offer the Irish in the future.

Tyus Jones offers scouting report on brother, NBA prospect Tre Jones

As the NBA responds to coronavirus, scouting has become more challenging. So we asked Tyus Jones for help evaluating his brother Tre Jones.

As the NBA responds to coronavirus, scouting has become more challenging. So we asked Tyus Jones for help evaluating his brother Tre Jones.

After the 2018-19 NCAA Men’s Basketball season concluded, the point guard tested the waters to be in the 2019 NBA draft alongside Duke teammates Zion Williamson as well as RJ Barrett and Cameron Reddish. One of the reasons that he opted to return to college, according to his older brother Tyus, who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, was to try to make another impact in March Madness.

HoopsHype caught up with Tyus when he was in Brooklyn to play the Nets on March 4. He said that Duke was “ready to go on a run” and that he knew his brother “was going to do his thing.”

Now that the season is over, Tre officially averaged 16.2 points with 6.4 assists and 1.3 three-pointers per game while shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc. Those marks helped him secure ACC Player of the Year in 2020.

Tre also averaged 1.8 steals per game, securing his conference’s Defensive Player of the Year Award as well.

“I know he is an NBA player. He has been. I’ve known that for a few years now,” explained Tyus. “Obviously, I’ve seen him from a closer perspective. But I’ve known for a few years that he is an NBA player whenever he decides he is ready for it.”

One of his most impressive accolades: Tre had the second-most assists in his conference during both of his collegiate campaigns thus far.

He also averaged 1.9 assists per game in a transition offense, per Synergy Sports, which ranked Top 10 among all D1 players in 2019-20. Duke also played at the fastest adjusted-tempo of any team ranked Top 50 or better, per KenPom.

“He can continue to be who he is but in the league,” noted Tyus. “He is a tremendous leader. He is a guy who can get to his own shots when he needs it. But he can also run the team as a crazy, on-ball defender. He can take any point guard out of the game and make his night long. I see him continuing to be who he is at the next level because he has done at every level.”

Opponents finished 297 possessions when guarded by Jones but scored just 0.66 points per possession on these opportunities. That ranked in the 96th percentile among all NCAA players, per Synergy Sports.

It was also the second-best mark among all D1 players who had at least 275 finishes, as noted by WhiteAndBlueReview.com.

His adjusted defensive rating (89.7 percent) and his steal percentage (2.8 percent) both ranked Top 5 among underclassmen in his conference who played at least 55 percent of minutes possible for their team this year, per Bart-Torvik.

“We both play the game the right way with a high basketball IQ. We are unselfish. We are leaders,” added Tyus. “He has got me on the defensive end. That is just something that I can’t even begin to claim. Tre is one of the best defenders I have ever seen.”

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Kansas and Duke didn’t wait on the NCAA to make their decisions about the tournament

Decision made.

The sports world’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic has been fluid and seemingly changing by the minute. What was initially going to go forward as events being held behind closed doors has turned into mass cancellations and postponements.

In college basketball, specifically, the major conferences canceled their tournaments on Thursday, pointing to the likely cancellation of the NCAA tournament.

Well, two of the tournament’s leading contenders weren’t going to wait on the NCAA to make a decision. Kansas and Duke have decided to not participate in the NCAA tournament should it even go forward. In separate statements, Kansas — the unanimous No. 1 team in the country — announced that it would be suspending all athletic-related travel indefinitely.

Duke Athletics also suspended all sports indefinitely.

It’s also important to note that Duke athletic director Kevin White is on the chair of the NCAA Tournament committee — a sign that March Madness’ cancellation is inevitable.

Arizona State — another tournament team — also suspended its athletic activities.

While it’s unclear exactly where the NCAA stands, these schools are acting independently in the absence of the NCAA’s decision. And honestly, it’s difficult to see how the NCAA tournament goes forward without Duke and Kansas.

These schools are taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously. Let’s hope the NCAA follows suit.

Update: Kansas has not ruled out participating in the NCAA tournament despite its statement.

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ACC Issues Statement on Conference Tournament

My professional advice: wash your hands, be smart and don’t panic and you’ll probably be fine.

The 2020 ACC Tournament gets started tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina and despite other athletic associations changing their plans and playing in empty venues or cancelling games altogether, the ACC will stay the course with this week’s tournament.

Mostly, anyway.

Tuesday afternoon the ACC issued the following statement:

“After consultation with local and state health authorities, including the Governor and his medical staff, the Atlantic Coast Conference will hold its men’s basketball tournament as scheduled this week at the Greensboro Coliseum. As was outlined by the Governor during his press conference, high-risk individuals are discouraged from attending mass gatherings. We will continue to take precautionary measures and follow the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, the league and the Greensboro Coliseum are taking additional proactive measures to provide a safe and clean environment for its institutions and fans.
The below proactive and response measures are currently in place:
  • Frequent cleaning and sanitizing of common areas, restrooms, concessions stands, media areas, team areas;
  • Increasing the number of hand-sanitizer stations throughout FanFest and the concourse;
  • Posting and distributing the CDC “Stop the Spread of Germs” information to ensure all fans are aware as they enter and move about the building;
  • Emergency Medical Services will be on scene for any medical concerns that arise.
As an extra precaution, postgame media availability will be altered for this year’s tournament. In an effort to secure the team locker rooms for the players, coaches and essential team personnel, the postgame media access will take place in the Odeon Theatre, with additional player availability in secured areas designated by the league office.”
So pretty much the ACC:

 

Encourages everyone to wash their hands which we’re learning by the day is a very forward thinking concept.

And like pretty much every other sports league they’re keeping the media out of the locker room, something I have trouble understanding becuase if you’re playing in front of thousands, what is it to stand closely to another 20 or so media members?

My professional advice: wash your hands, be smart and don’t panic and you’ll probably be fine.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV.

John Mooney Reps Notre Dame on All-ACC First Team

Notre Dame is hoping against hope that it can win the ACC tournament and punch a ticket to the Big Dance.

Notre Dame is hoping against hope that it can win the ACC tournament and punch a ticket to the Big Dance. For the moment, however, it can celebrate the most reliable member of its program.

John Mooney has been named to this year’s All-ACC First Team, joining Bonzie Colson (2015) and Jerian Grant (2017) as the only student-athletes to earn that honor since the Irish joined the conference. He’s also the second Irish player after Pat Connaughton to make an all-conference team in consecutive seasons. Seventeen Notre Dame players have made all-conference between the ACC and Big East.

During the regular season, Mooney averaged 16.5 points and a conference-high 12.8 rebounds a game while achieving a record 16 double-doubles in 20 ACC games. He received 351 votes for the all-conference team, the third-highest total for anyone. He also finished third in voting for ACC Player of the Year. That honor went to fellow all-conference first-team member Tre Jones of Duke.

ACC Tournament: Betting Odds

The most interesting bet on the board to me is Louisville at +340.

Tuesday night kicks off the 2020 ACC Tournament from Greensboro, North Carolina.  The four top seeds; Florida State, Virginia, Louisville and Duke all get a bye into the quarterfinals that begin Thursday but odds are out for all 14 ACC schools.

Per BetMGM, top-seeded Florida State enters the tournament as a +200 betting favorite.  For the inexperienced gamblers, that simply means for every dollar you risk betting Florida State to win it all, you’ll be rewarded with two dollars in winnings.  For instance – a ten dollar bet on Florida State would pay $30 ($20 in winnings and your $10 bet back).  Keep that in mind for the rest of the odds.

Duke may enter the tournament with the fourth seed but has the second best odds of winning at +240.  No. 3 Louisville (+340) and No.4 Virginia (+700) round out the teams with byes through the first and second rounds.

From there odds drop significantly as you’ll find No. 5 North Carolina State at +2500 while No. 6 Syracuse and No. 8 Clemson both pay +3300 odds.  After that is finally where you’ll find No. 7 Notre Dame at +4000 or 40-1 odds.

No. 14 North Carolina checks in at +5500 before No. 9 Miami and No. 13 Wake Forest at +10000.  No. 11 Virginia Tech has the second longest odds at +15000 while Notre Dame’s first round opponent, No. 10 Boston College has the longest odds on the board at +20000.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 2/8 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The most interesting bet on the board to me is Louisville at +340.  They dropped two of their final three regular season contests and three of their final six but find themselves with plenty of talent and on the other side of the bracket than both Florida State and Duke, instead having a very-beatable despite good Virginia team on their side.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

ACC Tournament Bracket Set

The ACC regular season has come to a close and the transition to college basketball’s postseason now begins. Find out who and when your squad is playing here!

The ACC regular season has come to a close and the transition to college basketball’s postseason now begins. For Notre Dame that means the ACC Tournament which gets started in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday.

In beating Virginia Tech on Saturday, Notre Dame locked up a 10-10 ACC record and seventh place conference finish. They get a first round bye as a result and will play No. 10 Boston College on Wednesday night as tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET.

If Notre Dame wins that they will play No. 2 Virginia on Thursday night at 7 p.m. and the winner of that contest will play the winner of the No. 2 Louisville, No. 6 Syracuse, No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 14 North Carolina pod.

No. 1 Florida State and No. 4 Duke sit on the other side of the bracket.

Early impressions from me are that this is as good of a draw as Notre Dame could hope for. A Boston College team they should beat, a seconded-seeded Virginia squad they should have beat on the road earlier this season and then a potential semi-final draw that wouldn’t be against the only team to really run them out of the gym in an ACC contest this year.

March Madness is upon us. Here’s to hoping for a nice run into maybe Friday night for Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish.