Duke Analysis
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:50 AM
On a morning like this one, I’m going straight to the head coach to sum it up:
"This was a 27 point loss. You have to take responsibility of what you've done. What you do with the responsibility determines where you are. Don't make any excuses."
Everyone is struck by the uncommon occurrence of a loss like this – a true staple and standard of the program in always competing and fighting down to the final shot in every game. So this morning many are recollecting the 30-point 1990 NCAA Championship game loss to UNLV – and of course great things came from that in forming the bond towards two straight national championships.
The stakes of that game made it feel different to me so I looked up the last time we lost on an opponent’s home court by 27 or more. I knew it wasn’t in my 22 years here. It turns out it was a 31-point loss at Wake Forest on January 18, 1984. And again, there is no doubt from the stories I know – that it was games like that one that bonded that group of players together in making an NCAA run that year and eventually playing for the title two years later and becoming the winningest team in NCAA history.
Note from Nut:
Very tough game. Hopefully, your analysis will be correct re NCAA run.
One question--though it wouldn't have mattered the way the way they were prepared to play and played--in breaking the press why wasn't Zoubek simply standing at the foul line extended for a high pass in that he could then return to cutters? I thought that was standard way of breaking this press with your tallest guy, particularly where he is a decent passer.
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