A tougher Duke team is a better Duke team, and tonight proved it

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

COLLEGE PARK, MD - Calling Duke's 80-62 win over Maryland on Wednesday night a statement win would be an exaggeration.

The Blue Devils took control of the game midway through the first half with a 23-7 run, but the final 18 point margin doesn't give the Terps enough credit for how hard they fought. Duke controlled this game, but they didn't dominate. Duke is one of the country's premier teams, and whether the game is at home or in a tough environment on the road, they are supposed to perform like this against programs in the middle of a mediocre ACC.

Duke did, however, show a heck of a lot more toughness and grit than they did against St. John's.

After Duke's embarrassing 15 point loss to the Johnnies on Sunday, Mike Krzyzewski essentially said that his team did not show up ready to play.


"It's not an Xs and Os thing today," Coach K said on Sunday. "I felt we were not ready to compete, we had blank expressions on our faces and guys weren't talking and that's my responsibility. Our program didn’t do well today and that is all our responsibilities."

He reiterated that point tonight.

"The Sunday game, not to take anything away from St. John's, sometimes no matter what you do," Krzyzewski told reporters, "you just don't do. You're just a little bit flat. We were a lot flat [on Sunday], [St. John's] wasn't."

"To come on the road three days later is really a huge thing for our kids. I'm proud of our guys."

Part of the reason that Duke was able to play like this on the road was a change in the line up. Freshman Tyler Thornton got the start over Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins, and Miles Plumlee started the second half over Ryan Kelly. It was, Coach K said, an attempt to bring a swagger to his team that he thought they were missing on Sunday.

"Tyler's been so tough," Coach K said. "In our first Maryland game, he was the guy, I thought he was the difference maker in that game."

The issue for Duke when they lose hasn't necessarily been their talent level. It never is when you can put two senior all-americans on the floor at the same time. The issue has been toughness, both mental and physical. The Blue Devils shot terribly early on against both Florida State and St. John's. They also were dominated on the inside. The Plumlee brothers, for all the talent and potential that they have, are not exactly known for their strength on the block. That becomes a real concern when you are playing a team with an all-american caliber center like Jordan Williams, especially when that all-american had 23 points and 13 boards in a previous matchup.

The play of the Plumlees has been the knock on Duke all season long. But tonight, the Plumlees, specifically younger brother Mason, played as well as they have in their time in Durham.

"We felt that in order for [Mason] to play Jordan evenly, he needed to know that we had confidence in him," Coach K said. "So the very first play of the game we went right to him and he ended up scoring. I really think that this was Mason's best game at Duke."

The numbers back it up. Mason finished with 12 points and 11 boards (four offensive), including a dunk on the baseline in the second half that put a stop to a Maryland run that had gotten the lead down to five.

"When [the Plumlees] play like that, its huge for us," Nolan Smith said after the game. "They were rebounding, blocking shots, doing everything we needed from them. A lot of teams try to go inside and exploit them, and they're really good players."

"When they play like they did tonight, we're going to be a very tough team to beat."

The Plumlees weren't the only role players to step up tonight. Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry combined to shoot 5-9 from three, including a number of clutch jumpers late in the game. Dawkins, in particular, hit the two biggest shots of the game. On back-to-back possessions after Mason's run-stopping dunk, Dawkins buried a three. With the lead pushed back to 12 points and less six minutes left on the clock, the game was all but over.

That's what Duke needs. They can't rely on the talents of Kyle Singler and Smith alone. Sure, Singler carried the team for a stretch in the second half, scoring 11 straight points on a series of jumpers in the half court. And yes, Smith was once again the closer, making play after play at the end of the shot clock as Duke milked the clock down the stretch.

But without their role players performing, Duke is the team that got run out of Madison Square Garden.

"What would be really good is if all of them had the ego as if they should be a starter," Krzyzewski said, "and have the attitude that wherever you want me, coming off the bench or starting, would be alright. They took a big step towards that tonight. Tyler started tonight. Andre and Seth have started. Now we have five guys on the perimeter who have started games since Kyrie went out. We started Miles in the second half, and he hasn't started a half in a while. A lot of this is trying to build up the egos of these kids. They're young guys."

"I thought we grew up a lot today. We got tougher today."

That toughness is what was lacking against St. John's and Florida State.

And its what could make the difference for this Duke team in March.
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Mason Plumlee picked a good time to have a break out game

The talent on Duke's roster has never been questioned.

Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler are both all-americans. Kyrie Irving may just end up being one as well. Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins could start for just about any team in the country, and they come off of Mike Krzyzewski's bench.

Yeah.

Loaded.

That perimeter attack has never been questioned. In fact, its the reason that Duke's being all but handed the national title in November.


The question mark -- if there is one -- for the Duke basketball team had always been in the paint. Brian Zoubek was such an important part of Duke's run to a title last year. His physical presence in the paint, his ability to clean the offensive glass (he led the country with an offensive rebounding percentage of over 20%, which is unreal), his mean-son-of-a-bitch demeanor. The guy that everyone had written off as a stiff for three and a half years ended up being arguably the Blue Devil's most important piece come March.

But as seniors are wont to do, Zoubek graduated, leaving behind the Brothers Plumlee to man the interior.

Now, the Plumlees -- both of them -- are supremely talented young men. They are big, they are strong, and they are athletic. But up until Monday night, neither of them had proven anything at the college level. Miles had become a borderline disappoint, as he has looked like the same that struggled to earn consistent minutes as a freshman and sophomore.

Mason, on the other hand, has all this NBA Draft buzz, but he hadn't done anything buzzworthy at the college. I mean nothing. As a freshman, he averaged 3.7 ppg and 3.1 rpg. Prior to Monday night against Marquette, he had reached double figures in scoring four times in two seasons. Four! His 14 rebound effort against Miami OH was the first time he cracked double figures on the glass.

That is precisely why people were questioning whether Duke had enough inside to actually win a national title. Could the Plumlees really be counted on to bring that physicality and interior presence on a nightly basis?

I think Mason Plumlee may have silenced some of those doubters on Monday night.

Duke beat Marquette 82-77 last night in the opener of the CBE Classic in Kansas City. And while the Golden Eagles came into the game unranked, they had once again flown in under the national radar. This is a team with a deep roster, a talented back court, two matchup nightmares in the front court, and a couple of adequate big men. They play a tough, gritty style of basketball, forcing their opponents out of what they want to do offensively. They spread the floor when they have the ball, find the mismatch, and allow that player to go one-on-one.

They are a talented and confident team that is every bit as feisty as their head coach, Buzz Williams. There is a reason this team did not lose by double figures last season until the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. They play hard, they compete.

And last night, it threw Duke off. After a hot shooting start in which Duke opened up a 23-9 lead, Marquette changed the pace and the style of the game. They got Duke out of rhythm, and as a result the Blue Devils played about as sloppy of a game as you will see out of this group. They turned the ball over 19 times. Nolan Smith and Kyrie Irving were responsible for 11 of those turnovers, which was more than the 10 assists they combined for. Kyle Singler was just 5-13 from the floor.

In other words, Duke's stars played far from their best game.

And Marquette took advantage, making an impressive second half comeback to tie the game.

Which is when Mason Plumlee took over.

Plumlee scored 10 points and had an assist in a game-decided, 17-6 run that pushed Duke's lead to 72-61 with just under seven minutes left. Marquette made a push, but they were never able to get back within striking distance.

Plumlee gave hope to Duke fans everywhere, and likely threw a scare into coaching staffs from Chapel Hill to Columbus, OH, to the group from Manhattan, KS, currently preparing to play the Blue Devils in tonight's CBE final.

He finished the night with 25 points, 12 rebounds (6 offensive), 5 blocks, and 3 assists. He carried a team whose stars had an off-night. He scored on post moves. He scored in transition. He was getting offensive rebounds and scoring on put backs. He was hitting short jumpers. He was swatting shots.

He thoroughly dominated an undermanned Marquette front line last night.

Performances like that prove why people believe Plumlee can be a lottery pick.

If he can follow that up with another similar performance against a much bigger and more physical Kansas State front line, and you can start counting the folks that will hand Duke the national title tonight.
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Mason Plumlee practices

Duke just got a whole lot more unathletic.

Freshman Mason Plumlee, the younger (and some have said better) brother of Duke sophomore Miles, returned to practice on Monday after recovering from a broken left wrist.

He could be available as early as Wednesday.

It may take a while for the younger Plumlee to get back into game shape and find a place in the rotation, but his length, athleticism, and ability to run the floor will make him a valuable commodity for Coach K.

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Mason Plumlee breaks his wrist

The Duke Blue Devils suffered a set back yesterday as Mason Plumlee fractured his left wrist after talking a hard fall in practice. The injury won't require surgery, and the younger Plumlee should be back in four-to-six weeks, meaning he'll be back in time for ACC play.

But Mason is a freshman.

And freshman always take a while to acclimate to the college game. See his brother Miles last year.

Mason Plumlee fractured his left wrist on Wednesday.
(photo credit: GoDuke)

As with all college sports, the big time basketball schools schedule weaker opponents early in the season. Why? So that the coaches can figure out what they have in their team - what offenses and defenses do they run well, who plays well together, ironing out their rotation.

The early season also doubles as an opportunity for players to learn the system their running, get back into game shape, and figure out their role for the team. It is even more important for freshman, who have the added difficulty of playing at a higher level of basketball.

Mason Plumlee will miss all of that.

Lets say he is out for exactly a month. That means he will be cleared to play on Dec. 12th (which is probably optimistic given the 4-6 week time frame for the injury). Mason would be in uniform for one game (against Gardner-Webb) before the the Blue Devils will face Gonzaga in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT at Madison Square Garden, and then either UConn or Arizona State depending on the way the semifinals turn out. (The opponents mentioned above assumes that chalk holds in the first two rounds.)

The second game of Plumlee's college career will be played in front of a packed house and a national television audience on ESPN.

Talk about being thrown into the fire.

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No. 11: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Duke Blue Devils

2008-2009 Record: 30-7, 11-5 ACC (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Gerald Henderson (16.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Elliot Williams (4.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Greg Paulus (4.9 ppg)

Key Returners: Kyle Singler (16.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg), Jon Scheyer (14.9 ppg, 2.8 apg), Miles Plumlee (1.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg), Nolan Smith (8.4 ppg)

Newcomers: Andre Dawkins, Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly

Kyle Singler may end up being the ACC player of the year.
(photo credit: Duke Basketball Forever)

The last few seasons, Duke has been notorious for two things - relying on the three-ball to score and their pressuring, over-playing, man-to-man defense. But as the Blue Devils lose so much from their perimeter - Gerald Henderson, Elliot Williams, and Greg Paulus - we are going to be seeing a much different Duke team.

The biggest reason is that the Devils are going to be loaded on the interior this season. It starts with seniors Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas. Zoubek had some fairly high expectations coming out of high school, but has never really found the consistency to be a real factor in ACC play. He isn't strong enough to battle down low and he isn't quick enough to really be a threat on the offensive end. Thomas has been a solid role player in this three years. An excellent athlete with a great motor, Thomas, who may end up coming off the bench, will provide Duke with defense and hustle.

The fact that two seniors may be relegated to the bench should tell you about the potential of this Duke front line. The crown jewels are the Plumlee brothers. Miles, a sophomore, had trouble earning a spot in the rotation last season. He struggled a bit offensively and seemed to get lost at times on the defensive end, but there is no denying his potential. At 6'10", 240 lb, Miles has the build to be an excellent shot blocker but he also has the skills and the athleticism to be a dangerous player on the offensive end. The question is will he put it all together?

Mason, a freshman, might have even more potential. He is a better athlete and more skilled offensively, and while Miles will be stronger in the paint this season after a summer in the weight room, Mason seems to be more of a face-up player. Mason will wreak havoc on the defensive end with his length and should be very dangerous in the open floor.

The other freshman big man is Ryan Kelly. Kelly should be able to fit in at Duke immediately. A lot of scouting reports you read about him are going to say that he plays a "European style". What that means is that the 6'10" Kelly has an offensive game based on the perimeter. He is an excellent shooter with range out to the college three, but he is also a decent ball handler and an excellent passer. Kelly may need a year to become an ACC caliber player on the defensive end, but he definitely will be contributing to the Devils right away.

And then there is Kyle Singler. What can I say about Singler that hasn't already been said? He is one of the best forwards in the country, and will get a chance to prove his ability playing almost exclusively as a three this season. He can shoot, he can get to the rim, he will defend, he can pass, he can rebound. The kid is simply a basketball player, and one of the best in the country. ACC player of the year and first team all-american? Its very possible.

As I said, the back court is where the issues will be this year. Duke only has three guards on the roster - Nolan Smith, Jon Scheyer, and Andre Dawkins. Smith is the guy a lot of people are saying will be the x-factor of this team. He is going to be starting at the point, and Duke is going to need to him to live up to the hype he had coming out of high school. An excellent defender and athlete for the point guard spot, Smith's offensive ability has been a bit inconsistent in his first two seasons. While he has shown flashes, he hasn't been the all-around scorer and playmaker he was expected to be.

You know what you are going to get out of Jon Scheyer. He's a heady scorer with a knack for hitting tough shots in the mid-range. An under-appreciated defender, Scheyer is a kid who was looked over a bit from a national perspective. The biggest issue for Scheyer is that he struggles when he has to play off the ball. Not because he doesn't have the ability, but because he is unable to take advantage of his size and strength against bigger defenders. Scheyer played his best basketball last season when Elliot Williams was moved into the starting line-up. All of a sudden, the big, strong, and athletic ACC two-guards were defending Williams, and Scheyer was able to go against the smaller point guards, taking advantage of his superior size and strength.

Which is why the signing and development of Andre Dawkins will be so important. Dawkins, who decided to enroll at Duke early instead of attend a fifth year of high school, is an extremely athletic 6'4" wing. He can score, he can defend, and he can get to the rim and finish. But will he be able to compete in the ACC as an 18 year old? If yes, than that will allow Scheyer to play a lot of minutes on the ball. If not, than Dawkins is still going to be playing a lot of minutes. Duke has no one else.

Outlook: The Blue Devils have a lot of potential on this team, and it is too early to peg them right now. I can see this team putting it all together and winning the ACC en route to a Final Four trip. But I can also see their bigs struggling inside, Nolan Smith unable to carry the torch, and the Dukies ending up outside the top 25 most of the year. With their size, length, and athleticism across the front line, and thanks to Coach K's time spent this summer with Jim Boeheim, Duke will be playing more zone than in years past. Will these guys learn to be effective in it? My prediction: 11-12 ACC wins, 24 or 25 wins on the year, and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen as a 4 or 5 seed.
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