Today will undoubtedly be the toughest challenge to date for the Blue Devils as they take on 9th ranked Michigan State. This is a team that always scares me because they do a few things great and everything else good. They run rebounding drills like NFL players run special team drills (blood, guts and the whole 9). And there isn’t a coach in the NCAA that can instill fear in a player like Tom Izzo does, he is like a teacher, an army general and an angry step-dad all in one. I have seen him on the bench looking redder than NC State unis, the man has passion, a passion for execution (not the bad kind) and a passion for the game. He and K definitely admire each other and have had some battles over the years, especially in the tournament.

It is easy to look at last years score and say well this one should be an easy one for Duke but a lot changes over a year..players migrate, or just don’t show up at all (thanks shaun) systems change. I do believe this one will be a battle. Michigan State is on a roll, scoring in bunches and it will be a very good test of Dukes newfound defensive pressure. The Duke teams of old would put offensive pressure on teams and dare them to match them shot for shot, resulting in sloppy play and forced turnovers…this years team is not an offensive juggernaugt by any stretch of the imagination. If duke can hang with MSU like I think they can they will have a chance to pull this win out in the end, but it should be close if all of the indicators are correct. I don’t like predictions but I will say 75-70 duke wins…but don’t be surprised if that is flipped.

As for the sparse part of this post..it refers to Dukes lack of bodies and scorers, they have really about 3 scoring options and a lot of garbage point players, they will need every point and assist to pull out the win, turnovers will be another key..can Dockery handle the freshman guard (Drew Neitzel) that the Spartans are so high on??

I am grading on a curve considering the last Duke outing against Davidson, but I think they earned a B in this one, perhaps a B-.  I thought the intensity on D was amazing in the first half, they really got them rattled and there was little to no hesitation on the offensive end.  Seems like everyone got in the scoring column, even Lee Melchioni hit a few treys. 

I thought there was too much let up in the second half, I am not sure why, perhaps they were trying to run sets and experiment with different lineups. 

Redick has had some slumping with his shot, but once he found the groove he blasted quite a few, and had some nice dishes and drives as well.

The most impressive to me were Melchioni and the confident threes he shot, as well as Dockery, he has proven at least to this point that he can nail the open shot.

I am not sure how harshly to judge or not to judge the performance last night against Davidson-I know I must take into account this isn't the Davidson of old, they did down Missouri, and I would bet that thay would give most ACC teams a decent game, if not beat them, so I will judge the way Duke played and not the way Davidson played (if that makes any sense).

First the minuses-Shavlick Randolph is not showing any kind of explosiveness--at all, missed several layups, several defensive assignments and looks a bit perplexed...maybe this is early in the season jitters.  I just know with several oppurtunities to dunk the ball he tried and missed layups..at 6-10 you need to stick that in the hole with authority.  I am not sure what is going on with all that, maybe he just needs a kick in the butt from coach. 

Shelden Williams--I am not sure what goes on in the closed door practices but I am sure they had to have practiced what happens when you get double teamed or collapsed upon.  This shouldn't be an issue (in my eyes).  I couldn't tell if the guards were making themselves easy targets but this inside to outside has to work for Duke to win any games this year (still trying to take into account that Davidson is really good). 

My thoughts on the game against the University of Tennessee-Martin:

Overall I thought the effort at least in the first half was disjointed at best.  I thought the offense struggled quite a bit, there were some wild shots and lot's of hesitation.  I think the team will struggle with not having a go to guy--at least for a while.  That go-to guy cannot be Redick (in my opinion) it has to come from someone who can get to the basket as well as hit the outside shot, I am not sure with Daniel Ewing playing the point that there is such a player on the squad.  Dock is going to have to seriously step up his game.  If he can't run this squad effectively then this season will quickly turn sour, especially come acc time. 

you forgot where I stand....

I hate that expression "game on", not sure why but it makes me want to vomit..anyway I digress.

The first game of the season is upon us, and D Day is the 20th of November against Tennessee-Martin of the Ohio Valley Conference..with the way the season has gone so far for the so-called elite teams I would look for this game to be a bit closer than one might think.  Of course Duke will win the game but it might not be by 30 points, this is a team (UTM) that possesses a great deal of confidence and confidence  has been known to slay giants.  So this will be a good test of the team in a few different respects:

1. It will be a good test of whether Duke is believing what the media is saying and that this is an off year-they can respond to that in a couple of different ways, hopefully they will respond by putting teams away, especially teams that they are supposed to beat like UTM.  Taking a team lightly or taking a game, or even a play off isn't an option for this team..they will have to come into every game mentally fit, to match their newfound physical fitness.

2.  The big men will be playing guys that may be a tad smaller, and aggressive moves to the hoop might get some whistles, I am sure the Skyhawks will try to exploit the lack of big man depth of Duke by going inside--at least I would.  Why not try to bait Shel and Shav into committing fouls?

3. Dock will have to prove himself to teams, he has already been up and down and the season hasn't even started yet.  Shot selection is the golden rule as well as control.  If he chooses to take good shots and he can stick them, then half the battle is won--either he gets tons of open shots, or he makes the defenses  honest enough to penetrate and dish or just feed the bigs.  As far as control, I would say Dock just needs to choose when and where his crafty drives will be most effective, and try to have that big man option in case the other teams bigs step in.

Ok here is my problem with this article by Seth Davis, ( http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/seth_davis/11/16/hoops.1116/index.html ), :

First off, why can't we just take a kid at his word and let the situation play out, this so reminds me of the Jason Williams situation when Seth seemed as if he was trying to get Jason to leave Duke after his Sophomore year.  Jason said on numerous occaisions that he would stay another year, he informed the coaching staff to that effect.  Jasons word was never enough for Seth.  Is it something about Duke players? Or something about future and present Duke point guards??

Paulus has not given any indication that he is not going to honor his verbal committment to Duke University..if he doesn't that is his choice, but do we have to put a high school student on blast by continuing to feed rumors that are baseless???

There are no sources sited, there is no evidence at all, none that Paulus has wavered in any way. 

Let him concentrate on his job right now which is going to high school and finishing up his season in the playoffs, and winning a state title, then perhaps he will focus on the next task.  Why not find something worthwhile to write about..this is not a diss of Seth in any way, just my opinion on the continuing rumors.

There had been rumors circulating that Duke recruit Greg Paulus, who not only is one of the best high school point guards in the country but also probably the best high school quarterback as well, might skip out on his committment to Duke for greener football pastures...Gregs Dad has assured the Duke staff that Greg fully intends on being the starting PG at Duke in his freshman year..that is good enough for me. 

Duke defeated St. Francis Xavier (Canada) 107-56, not a real shocker there but a much needed exhibition in order to peep Daniel Ewing in the position of point guard.  He faired well aside from shooting, the key was assists and turnovers.. and he was 7-1 and the is impressive, very impressive for a kid who was said not to have a handle.   Doc (sean dockery)played under control only took one shot and made it, which is fine, he doesn't have to shoot for this team to win, he just needs to run the offense.

Sheldon and Shav were beasts, Shav is looking like he did when he was in high school and that is a sigh of relief for all Duke fans.  Sheldon is just going to be instoppable, that is all I can say, he has some Kevin McHale style shots to compliment his hooks with either hand and he will be a force.

The only other performances of note were JJ, who shot well, and also McClue who while is no offensive juggernaught is a playmaker, a loose ball gatherer, and  has a nose for rebounding and passing, a great addition to the team.

HOME TEAM: Duke 0-0
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
05 Daniel Ewing........   f  7-17   2-9    0-0    4  1  5   3  16  7  1  0  3  35
42 Shavlik Randolph.... f  9-10   0-0    4-7    1  4  5   3  22  2  0  0  1  25
23 Shelden Williams.... c 14-16   0-0    4-4    5  7 12   1  32  1  1  6  0  26
04 J.J. Redick..............g  6-12   4-8    2-2    0  2  2   0  18  4  2  0  1  30
15 Sean Dockery........ g  1-1    0-0    1-3    0  3  3   3   3  1  2  0  1  21
13 Lee Melchionni......    2-7    1-4    5-6    2  1  3   3  10  0  0  0  0  21
14 David McClure.......    1-2    0-0    0-0    3  2  5   0   2  2  0  1  0  16
30 Reggie Love.........    0-0    0-0    0-0    2  1  3   2   0  0  3  0  2  10
40 Ross Perkins........    1-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   2  0  0  0  0   2
41 Patrick Davidson....    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   3
45 Joe Pagliuca........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  1  0  0  0   3
50 Tom Novick..........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   2
51 Patrick Johnson.....    0-1    0-0    2-2    1  2  3   0   2  0  0  1  0   6
   TEAM................                         1  2  3
   Totals..............   41-68   7-21  18-24  19 26 45  16 107 18 10  8  8 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 18-36 50.0%   2nd Half: 23-32 71.9%   Game: 60.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  5-15 33.3%   2nd Half:  2-6  33.3%   Game: 33.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-12 83.3%   2nd Half:  8-12 66.7%   Game: 75.0%   3,1

Tonight is Dukes first exhibition game versus St. Francis/Xavier of Canada. DeMarcus is the only injury to report as he heals from surgery on his finger...

As I expected Chris Duhon did make the Bulls roster, shot much better than Ben Gordon, I guess Ben is lucky he plays the 2.

Not so fortunate for Nate James and Trajan Langdon who were cut by the Sixers and the Clippers respectively.