Rick, you are right the Dukes absolutely can not look past this team.  They need to take ever game as they come.  Plenty of things to work on after the SF game. 

Preview

http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/121415aad.html


 

Halftime-  this game is up to us to win or lose. Get 00 out of there and put powell in. LG is not having a great day on D. This game should be a W for us. I think ferry will motivate the troops during halftime. 

The Dukes struggling with their three point defense in the first half.  Way way too many open three point looks.  SCS making us pay.     

Students are on break

currentstudent wrote:

We are going to hate castro next year...

Not necessarily. If he doesn't get better, he won't play much. We have two point guards, and there are other prospects for shooting guard.
 

duq81 wrote:

currentstudent wrote:

We are going to hate castro next year...

Not necessarily. If he doesn't get better, he won't play much. We have two point guards, and there are other prospects for shooting guard.
 

I have a hard time seeing him getting minutes.  Tarin Smith will start with Mike Lewis II  playing as a backup.  SG can be the new recruit (Littleston), Eric James, and Josh Steel.  Castro currently moves about as fast as the old guy from UP on the court, so I don't expect much.  He just lacks explosiveness and doesn't appear to shoot it well.  He doesn't even lock down on defense which I thought might be his surprise strength.  

applecorps wrote:

How good will Powell turn out to be? Man, he is showing some fine skills to go with the elevation capability.  

Powell was terrific defensively in the second half.  He, Sanders and James have tremendous talent and will be fun to watch. 
 

Tejas_Duke wrote:

CLK wrote:

Steel city AJ wrote:

Terrible environment here. Not even a band. Atleast bring in a HS band. This is pathetic. SC state is gonna try to slow up the game and limit the dukes number of Posessions

Are there any students there?  Student section looks completely vacant.

 

This is pretty depressing. Not even 500 people total in the house, counting cheerleaders.  I realize the students are on break, but still.  Amazing how much damage Amodio and Ferry, up until this season, did to the ticket buying fan base.

You have to have strong season ticket sales to get a decent crowd for this type of opponent. Even Pitt can't draw the casual fan to games vs lower level teams, but since they sell a fair amount of season tickets, the Pete won't be empty for those games. I want to see how they draw for the better teams in the league. I would think that some of the folks who gave up their season tickets will still come out for the Dayton game. If they don't, oh well, it will be about drawing the students, and getting some of the local hoops fans who have no tie to Duquesne, to start coming to the bigger games on the schedule. Have to keep winning.
 

Umass lost to a very mediocre FGCU team down here last week, they also lost to them last year but the Eagles were better then.....

WEB wrote:

Simms wrote:

duq81 wrote:

Not necessarily. If he doesn't get better, he won't play much. We have two point guards, and there are other prospects for shooting guard.
 

I have a hard time seeing him getting minutes.  Tarin Smith will start with Mike Lewis II  playing as a backup.  SG can be the new recruit (Littleston), Eric James, and Josh Steel.  Castro currently moves about as fast as the old guy from UP on the court, so I don't expect much.  He just lacks explosiveness and doesn't appear to shoot it well.  He doesn't even lock down on defense which I thought might be his surprise strength.  

I think it's entirely possible you will see Mike Lewis getting some time in the game alongside Tarin Smith.  I was very impressed with him in the ESPN game I watched.  He looked extremely fast to me. 

We will have another year of development for our big guys.  You'd presume James steps in to the role of Jeremiah Jones.  Smith takes over one of the guards.  Seems like we are set at 4 of the 5 positions next year.  I would not at all be surprised if someone decides to transfer, Ferry brings in a graduate transfer SG. 


 

 

That gives me pause.  Of all the positions in Jim Ferry's offense, IMHO, the one where you can't afford to be weak is the #2.  We've gotten spoiled with Mason these three years, and need a legitimate three point gunner in that slot, or you are going to be seeing a few games like last year, where ice cold shooting cost us conference wins against opponents we should have beaten.