Unfortunately, the substitution strategy may once again rear its ugly head. This is a crucial juncture for this years team by coach Dru shortening his bench play. If same old same old chalk this years season to a first year head coach. Again I like Coach Joyce recruiting, & upside for the future. If however George Mason jumps the Dukes early guaranteed substitution 11 deep. Go Dukes

NapaDuke wrote:

Last years team was mediocre until down the stretch. I think Clark and Dae Dae put it on their shoulders to win.  It's one thing, younger players to stay on script, it's another when two seniors just take over, knowing they don't get benched. Clark did it a year before against his former team that year, he just went off script and personally killed VCU at our home, then again, late last year at their house. .He killed them again mostly off script.  Most of this year, even being ahead,  the coach just subbed in and took the life out of our game  We need this coach to keep  the starting five to stay in the game and the best of DU players go off script,  and drive the lane and take the open shot and not to keep mindlessly passing one more time than is sane. We do have the best offensive player, but we have a new coach that won't let them loose. Tomorrow, I want Eli to Dinkins to Clark  on transition to a dunk all game long. I don't want to see, mindless subs in that kill momentum.  Sub in when we need a break from over running a team.  We could be 20 plus wins if this new coach got the memo, never stop a run. We can crush this team, only if Dru trust his top kids to stay in there and take the life out of our opponents. Four plus minutes into the game, stop taking out your best players. We are at the last crossroads to a top A-10 finish, or back to square one. It's not the players, it is the coach. Win on Saturday. Go Dukes. Strong statement, but it's what we have seen all year. Put your best in there, over run your opponent, and only then  empty the bench after being up by 20. That's how the  top teams play. 

This might seem strange, but the Dukes today, just did this. Dinkins was as much Dae Dae at crunch time and Crawford was as much as Clark down the stretch. We did crush the top team and it almost looked too easy. Go Dukes. And Edwards was at his best. He is very physical in the paint and he was on on 3 pointers today.

Last edited by NapaDuke (3/01/2025 5:56 pm)