indygjm wrote:

Wow.  That was disappointing.  Playing before a nice crowd (13K) and a national TV audience and the Dukes laid an egg.  I hope the taste stays with them and they learn something from that whipping.  I don't agree with those who believe we don't have the athletes to compete with Pitt - that game should have been closer.  I wonder if we did (as was stated in the press conference) treat it as 'just another game on the schedule'.  Clearly, Pitt didn't.  They were out to make a statement.  A poster on the Pitt board offered that with the supposed trash talking by Duquesne combined with the loss to Purdue, he felt the Dukes were in for a bad night.  Right he was.  Maybe next year we treat it as 'not just another game.'
 

You hit the nail on the head. Pitt came out sleepwalking against Purdue, and got punched in the mouth. They were determined not to let that happen again. This time they came out and punched us. The Dukes are one of the better teams on their ooc schedule. They needed this win, and they approached it like it was an important game. Learn from it, and move on. Win the next 4.
 

CLK wrote:

Switching gears a little, I keep waiting to see some sign that Castro will ever be an impact player.  At least he did not have any turnovers last night in 7 minutes, however, for a guy that was as highly touted as he was I just don't see it.  It almost seems like he just goes through the motion.

He did have two decent looking drives last night. One rolled off the rim and the other he finished, but you're right. That's the biggest disappointment for me so far

When you shoot lights out, play inspired defense, make your foul shots and your opponent can't throw the ball into the ocean let alone the bucket, you will blow out just about anyone.  That is precisely what Pitt did and what the Dukes did not do in the first half.  The game was over then and there.  No amount of effort, herculean or otherwise, would or would have changed the result.  What the Dukes need to do is forget the game, don't belabor the negativity of what is on the film and go back to the basics that got them six wins.   They didn't become a good team overnight that led to six wins.  They did not become a bad team overnight that got them blown away.  There are still more positives than negatives on this team.  Win the next four or five and no one will remember the December 4 game.  

Gill is big and strong, Powell is big and quick, these are not typical three point specialist traits. I would also like to see them inside making baseline moves and scoring and drawing fouls.

Dukes2012 wrote:

Phildog wrote:

Gill is big and strong, Powell is big and quick, these are not typical three point specialist traits. I would also like to see them inside making baseline moves and scoring and drawing fouls.

I don't mind them taking open jumpers when they are there but I wish they'd take notes from what James is doing. All three have great length and athleticism, which needs to be used attacking the basket

Agree 100%. When Ferry came here, it was said he wanted to attack the rim. These guys need to do more of that. I think that because Mason, and Colter can shoot the three, the other players have fallen a bit too much in love with that shot.
 

duq81 wrote:

Agree 100%. When Ferry came here, it was said he wanted to attack the rim. These guys need to do more of that. I think that because Mason, and Colter can shoot the three, the other players have fallen a bit too much in love with that shot.
 

Agreed. Imagine if they attacked the rim or sometimes kicked the ball back out to the shooting specialists? Could open up the inside and the outside.

It appears that this team is improved over last year but not a really good team at this point.  Whether it develops into a good team will unfold over the next few months.  I would hope that Ferry plays more of Robinson and less of Lewis especially when the opponent has decent inside players.  Robinson is stronger and moves better--he did a better job last night than Lewis.  Also, Gill is in love with the three and he just isn't a good enough shooter to warrant the number of attempts.  He has been rebounding well however.  James has been impressive (to me) and hopefully he will continue to improve.  He is getting to the hoop and finishing and his defense is decent.

All in all the team is deeper and better and should win a fair number of games.  It will probably win a couple it shouldn't and lose a couple it should win.