This game is for the double bye thanks to the SLU win last night. Fordham wants to make this a rock fight - a slow paced, physical, ugly game. Two players will be key for the Dukes - Dixon and McGriff - since they add athleticism to our lineup. Obviously, we must make some threes and try to up the tempo. We win a game in the mid to high 60s, I would think. In the 50s, I don’t know. Biggest regular season A10 game we have played in a long while. Go Dukes! Beat Fordham!

I know, as fans, we expect the Dukes to come out and lay an egg in this situation.  Sure, we are optimistic.  Sure we want them to win and believe they can win but, as Dukes fans, deep down, if we are being honest, we expect them to lose this one.  But consider this:  IT'S FORDHAM!  I don't care what their record is.  IT'S FORDHAM!  If there is any team in the A-10 less prepared than the Dukes to win a meaningful game IT'S FORDHAM!  We don't have to beat Richmond, or Dayton, or VCU, or even George Washington to get 4th place and the double bye - we have to beat FORDHAM!  I think we go out there today at 2pm and blown their doors clean off!  We reaffirm the natural order of things!  Fordham is the Beechview to our Dormont!  the Mt Oliver to our Carrick.  The Sharpsburg to our Aspinwall.  No matter how bad it has been for the Dukes in the A-10, at least we've always had Fordham to kick around.

Wildwood13 wrote:

CityDuke wrote:

I hope the team isn’t putting as much pressure on this game as we are. Yes, it feels like a HUGEgame. Yes, a double bye would be nice, but it certainly isn’t the end all be all. This team is at its best when we are playing loose. I hope we let our hair down and have fun in this one. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the opportunity, and beat a team that we owe revenge. Go Dukes!

Are you kidding me ? Put too much pressure on college kids to win a game. This is the perfect scenario for you to prepare for the one and done upcoming tournament. Prepare mentally and physically and let the chips fall. Attack their weaknesses and play to our strengths, stay away from our weaknesses and stay away from their strengths. After 30 games the coaching staff should be aware of these tendencies. When competing at a top level, you better be prepared to pressure yourself to perform at this level or otherwise go home. No it’s not the end of the world, if you are prepared and perform and still come up short, that’s ok because you gave it all mentally and physically.

I understand both perspectives, but feeling too much pressure is the thing that makes those 3-pointers and driving layups hit the back iron. Confidence is paramount. We have seen the difference when our long-shooters have that. 

Us fans always put pressure on these types of games. That is natural. I was speaking about within the team internally (coaching staff and players). I hope they do not view this game the same way a lot of us might and just play loose and enjoy it.

Last edited by CityDuke (3/04/2023 10:12 am)

https://twitter.com/hoopsnut351/status/1632018058700005376

Tristan Freeman
@hoopsnut351
·
1h
The game between Duquesne and Fordham is huge for obvious reasons but Dukes could finish anywhere between 4-7 today.

4 seed with a Fordham W

5 seed with Fordham L and both GMU/GW lose

6 seed with Fordham L and either GMU/GW win

7 seed with Fordham L and both GMU/GW win

stew wrote:

As much as Id like a victory today I look at Fordham clobbering the Dukes with that suffocating defense and 
physical play around the bucket.Hope the Dukes let RJ sit this one out.Hes had only one outstanding game
against St. Joes .Doesnt excel rebounding or playing defense.Play Dixon.

I think Gunn is of utmost importance today. A good game from him helps us dramatically. Gunn is a four that stretches the floor, meaning that Fordham cannot play that weird I-formation defense with their bigs when he is in the game. When we play with Williams at the 4, they are able to zone with their two bigs in the paint and play man on our three perimeter guys. If Gunn has a good shooting day today, I think we win by double digits.

I truly believe that Dixon could be a difference maker today if he only gets a chance to get on the floor for 15 or 20 minutes. That being said, we need to have some threes drop today also if we're going to have a chance in this one. Play uptempo vs half court as well. What are the odds that all this happens today?  GO DUKES!!

G Mason up 15 in 2nd half.

Mason won by 2.

Last edited by townsonkid (3/04/2023 2:51 pm)

We just got hosed.

Offensive foul on Tre Williams on one end. Then Moore does the same thing to Grant and refs swallow their whistles. Get a T Dambrot. I am sick of this. 14 to 2 free throws.

Even with their team getting every call, these two game-callers are crying constantly.

What a complete disaster that first half was. Looks like Bye Bye Double Bye. I know that no road game in the A-10 is easy, but this is ridiculous!