WashPaRick wrote:

Please come out strong in the 2nd half.

Yikes!

Seems that once the Dukes go down a few buckets, everyone tries to take the game in their own hands.

So...I thought that...
-We were competitive the best we could
-The better team won
-I don't want to hear whining about not being mentioned as far as the pool for the NCAA
-No, I don't want to wait until next year for the NIT
-Sincere did not have another positive game
On to Mass.  Again...the better team won.

Last edited by FAM (1/22/2020 9:01 pm)

I really hate missing a week.  We lose focus.

I complimented Hughes about 10 days ago for being more disciplined avoiding fouls & being less affected by his emotions.

I take that back. Both Hughes & TDM need to grow up for the Dukes to be their best this year & next. They are fourth year players that make too many questionable decisions & don't know the difference between having an edge & showing enthusiasm vs. costing the team by their unnecessary antics.

Sin may also want to reconsider running his mouth about being the best PG in the conference. First, he seems to have put a target on his back. Second, if the seaason ended today, he wouldn't even be third team A-10 because he had been somewhat inconsistent. Fats ate his lunch in this one.

Ugly loss. Dayton is in a class by itself. We're ok, but we have a way to go before we are in the class of a tournament team. Just my opinion and I say that recognizing it's tough to win on the road in the college game. I hope I am proven wrong.

So far this year, we've shown that we can beat a good team at home, bad teams on the road, and that we're not ready to beat good teams on the road. As has been said, win at UMass, and Dayton remains a big game. As FAM said, too much whining about polls, brackets, media, and computer rankings. We're not the joke we've been for so long, but we haven't done enough to think we belong with the nation's better teams. Need to win the next one, or the NIT begins to look like a long shot.

Gotta brush it off, rally the troops and beat UmAss.

gjgsr wrote:

gjgsr wrote:

I saw a link to last years's game at Rhode Island and thought it might be worth a look.  After skipping around on it, there's a lot good and bad to learn from it.  I'm pretty sure KD would have his players watch it because many of the same players for Rhoddy are still on their team -- AND -- The  tenacious KD defense was blazingly on display.   Ironically, as effective as the DUQ defense was at keeping the scoring down (61 - 58) and the Dukes in the lead for most of the game, in the end it was a 3-pointer by Rhody's Stanford Robinson at the buzzer that did them in.   AND also Rhoddy's known for generating turnovers & Duq's 17+ played an extensive role in them losing a 2nd half 15 point lead.  

PS True Duquesne had different players for that game, but those players did suscribe well to the KDdefense.  

There's several uncanny parrallels in tonight's game to the game played in Rhody two years ago.  Dukes blew a 15 point lead then, and again tonight.   Dukes had 17 turnovers then and then  again tonight.  Rhody is coached to create turnovers and they do it well.  And they only had 6 tonight.   It appears the Dukes lost their concentration after the first half -- from sloppier defense-- to lackadaisical passing that resulted in turnovers-- to impatiently shooting from outside...   

We didn't get our doors blown off two years ago though.

I really haven’t seen the immature side of TDK much before...maybe I missed it.  Don’t know if you know this, but he and Hughes room together.  I sure hope that Hughes isn’t rubbing off on TDM.  Would hope it would be the other way around.  So I’ll say this for a third or maybe fourth time, Hughes needs to grow up.  Passion and an edge is great...he is immature.  If he doesn’t clean this up soon, there will be a close game against a good team we are going to lose because off his antics.  Yes, Sincere is starting to talk also.  This can morph into bad juju for the team.   COACH DAMBROT, I luv ya man, but it is up to you to get this guys in check.  It’s starting to get out of hand...and...IT DOES motivate the other team.

I also believe that when their star came back in the second half...that was the difference.  Call me crazy (please don’t) I am not as upset over this game as when they got blown out by Marshall.  Last night, the better team came back in the second half.  And I agree, if SIncere thinks he is the best guard in the league, he needs to shut-up about it and based on the last two games, he has been average at best.  Hughes wants to be tough but he gets it handed to him with bigger guys at times.  Focus back on the team guys.  The next game is going to be just as tough up at Mass. after a loss.  You can win this one.  Go Dukes!
 

I think if we are honest with ourselves we anticipated this game to be an “L.”That being said this team hasn’t accomplished anything in the A-10 but carries itself like a upper echelon team. If we want to be in that conversation it’s time to step up and win one of these games that would make a statement. FAM this is a point I’m in totally agreement on, its time to rein in some of this ego and swagger. This is TDM’s 4th technical for this behavior that’s BS.

FAM wrote:

I really haven’t seen the immature side of TDK much before...maybe I missed it.  Don’t know if you know this, but he and Hughes room together.  I sure hope that Hughes isn’t rubbing off on TDM.  Would hope it would be the other way around.  So I’ll say this for a third or maybe fourth time, Hughes needs to grow up.  Passion and an edge is great...he is immature.  If he doesn’t clean this up soon, there will be a close game against a good team we are going to lose because off his antics.  Yes, Sincere is starting to talk also.  This can morph into bad juju for the team.   COACH DAMBROT, I luv ya man, but it is up to you to get this guys in check.  It’s starting to get out of hand...and...IT DOES motivate the other team.

I also believe that when their star came back in the second half...that was the difference.  Call me crazy (please don’t) I am not as upset over this game as when they got blown out by Marshall.  Last night, the better team came back in the second half.  And I agree, if SIncere thinks he is the best guard in the league, he needs to shut-up about it and based on the last two games, he has been average at best.  Hughes wants to be tough but he gets it handed to him with bigger guys at times.  Focus back on the team guys.  The next game is going to be just as tough up at Mass. after a loss.  You can win this one.  Go Dukes!
 

Great post. Much better expressed than mine. This is almost exactly what I was trying to convey.

TDM's immaturity shows itself, for me, when instead of being a calming influence in tough spots, he goes into hero ball mode. The wild bombs & fruitless drives are easy to pick-on. However, his decision making is equally damaging in these moments when he sells out trying for a steal & the other guys get a wide open dagger 3 as well as when he decides he will push up way too hard on a stronger, opposing guard, the player goes immediately around/through/over him, & then the entire Dukes defense has to over-help to the point of giving up easy drives or collecting damaging fouls.

I don't fault his spunk. That is priceless. However, players of his experience level must demonstrate their leadership & basketball maturity by cranking up the intensity in tough spots while sticking to the sound principles of the system & holding teamates accountable for doing the same.

I was encouraged to see KD yank him & get on him last night. That is the first time I can recall him doing that to TDM specifically. It was way overdue. I was equally disappointed to see TDM answer back. If you want to be great, start by being accountable for your actions; goid or bad.

At the moment and particularly at home, URI is the more talented, more experienced, & better team. They aren't 22 points better. The first half is evidence enough of that. The Dukes can beat these teams. It remains to be seen if they will.

Rotroff showed a bit of life. Hopefully that boosts his confidence. Miller really handled the adversity like a freshman. The daggers truly pierced his heart.

TDM wasn't the only guy who had a bad night. The backcourt all around was pretty lousy with the exception of Maceo who had his struggles but still managed to make himself relevant. One thing seems clear, Marcus Weathers has been the lost consistent guy on the team.