Tag: Shamir Bogues

Mark Mitchell, Duke grind out 64-47 win over Vermont to advance to Round of 32

Duke grinds out 64-47 win over Vemront to move on to the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was not pretty, but it was more than adequate.

Duke’s defense and a balanced scoring effort featuring four players in double figures were enough for the Blue Devils to beat Vermont 64-47 on Friday evening and advance to the round of 32.

Duke dropped its last two games leading up to the NCAA Tournament as they slid from fighting for a chance at a 2-seed to landing on the 4-seed line come Selection Sunday. The reasoning had everything to do with Duke’s play against its in-state rivals, UNC and NC State, in its final two games. The Blue Devils didn’t look like themselves, and it showed on the court. As they prepared for their first-round matchup against a tough Vermont team, Duke needed a level of toughness they hadn’t shown in weeks.

On Friday night, they showcased that as they held America East Conference champions to just 47 total points, including 18 in the second half.

The offense was hardly fluid, but early on, sophomore Mark Mitchell terrorized Vermont in ball screens as he repeatedly rolled to the basket, finishing with 11 first-half points and four dunks. Vermont opted to double Kyle Filipowski on every post touch. While the 7-footer finished with just one shot attempt from the field, he impacted the game in every other category, collecting 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks.

Vermont made a late push at the end of the first half to go into the break with Duke leading 34-29.

The two teams struggled to put the ball in the basket in the first eight minutes of the second half, and Duke scored on just one of their first five possessions.

Vermont cut the Blue Devils’ lead to 36-34, possessing the ball with a chance to tie or even take the lead, only to see Nick Fiorillo miss a 3-pointer that would have put the Catamounts out in front.

McCain answered with a 3-pointer for Duke, and when Proctor added a 3-pointer with 14:46 to play, Duke led 42-35.

For the remainder of the second half, Duke kept Vermont at arm’s length thanks to defense and inspired play from senior captain Jeremy Roach, who added 10 of his 14 points in the final ten minutes of the second half.

Jared McCain provided 15 points on 4/9 shooting, while Tyrese Proctor added 13 points. Shamir Bogues and Aaron Deloney led the way for Vermont with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

Duke needed to get back in transition, and they did that. They were also +12 in rebounding, holding Vermont to one shot on over half of their possessions.

With Duke’s win, they move on to Sunday’s second-round matchups, where they will face the winner of James Madison and Wisconsin.

Starting fast and getting back on defense in transition key to a Duke win vs. Vermont

Three keys to a Duke win over Vermont.

Duke has departed Durham and arrived in Brooklyn as it prepares for its first-round NCAA Tournament game against the Vermont Catamounts.

Duke’s season has been an up-and-down affair, but the Blue Devils can change the entire narrative in six games. They’ll do so without a piece of their depth in freshman guard Caleb Foster, but make no mistake: the Blue Devils have plenty of offensive firepower to make a run in this tournament.

Their opponents are no strangers to the NCAA Tournament. The Catamounts will not be intimidated, considering this will be their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance out of the America East conference.

With tournament experience under their belt, expect the Catamounts and coach John Becker to fight.

With that said, Duke has the talent and size advantage, and barring a nightmarish day, they should advance. However, there are a few keys we wanted to lock in on that should help the Blue Devils push through to the round of 32 and get one win closer to a Sweet 16 appearance.

Dominate the Glass

If it sounds simple, it’s because it is. Duke has no reason not to dominate the glass in this contest. Vermont’s leading rebounder is a 6-foot-4 guard named Shamir Bogues. The Blue Devils have a starting point guard who is 6-foot-5. They start the 6-foot-9 Mark Mitchell, and Kyle Filipowski is a full 7-foot. There’s no reason that Duke should not be +12 or more in rebounding by the end of this game, especially with Sean Stewart and Ryan Young coming off the bench. Eliminating second-chance points is an easy way to shut off the offense for a team that doesn’t need extra opportunities. If Vermont tosses a shot up, that should be their only shot of the possession.

Start Fast

This may be the most essential key to this game. This is the NCAA Tournament, and anything can happen if you play with your food. Duke needs to set the tone early. Race out to an early lead by the under-16 media timeout, or the under-12 at the latest, and keep the foot on the gas. If Vermont is within three possessions by halftime, things could get dicey in that Duke locker room. The doubt would settle in on one side while belief would rise in Vermont’s, and after that, all bets are off. Duke needs a fast start like they had last year against Oral Roberts.

Get back on defense

Jordan Mann, a former collegiate basketball player who breaks down Duke games and their opponents, laid out an interesting stat. Vermont is in the 99th percentile across Division I basketball in points per possession via transition offense.

They shoot 71% from inside the 3-point line in transition and 40% behind it.

Make or miss, Duke needs to get back and set its defense up. While many talk about Duke’s offensive efficiency, they remain in the top 25 defense in adjusted efficiency per KenPom, meaning Duke can play some defense when they are willing and engaged. If they play defense that way come Friday, they will be fine.

Duke is well-positioned to win this game. It ultimately will come down to how well Duke starts this game and if Jon Scheyer’s team can impose its will early and often. Duke should see itself coasting into Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 if they can do that.