BAMA VS.DUKE - No downside for the Tide

Tide gets a free shot at great team...

      Rats!  Just what we didn't want. Duke gets lucky and squeaks by Vermont 91-90. The Catamonts had the ball for the last shot but couldn't cash in. Had Vermont made a few free throws late in the game they might have won. Later this week the Tide has a showcase game with the Blue Devils in the PreNIT tournament in the garden. I can almost hear Coach K that Alabama is better than Vermont. Duke got a wake up call from a good team and got lucky. Duke doesn't give teams many "lucky" chances. You can bet your absolute last dollar that Duke will be ready and will play better defense than the Vermont game. I watched that game frankly surprised at the number of great shots that the Blue Devils gave up. They also have up 47 points in the second half. How long has it been since we've seen a game where Baa was was involved in a game in the 90's?  Duke is one the darlings that ESPN pines over for TV games. They may also be the best program in America.

     Coach Mike Krzyzewski was first hired to rebuild a faltering Duke program in 1980. That 33 years ago. It wasn't an auspicious start for the young coach either

• Year One:        17-13
• Year Two         10-17
• Year Three       11-17
• Year Four         24-10

There was a lot of sentiment to fire the young coach who had previously coached at Army. His Coach?  Bobby Knight. Like so many head coaches Coach K was a point guard. He also coached at Army for five seasons. Then Duke called and offered him the job. 33 years later his record stands at 889-239. (78%)  The  Dukies have won 8 ACC crowns, finished  2nd on 7 occasions. Coach K has won 5 national championships. His teams have made to the NCAA field 29 times. The last time Duke didn't go to the NCAA was 1983. That's the kind tradition that carries a lot of weight. That is the type power that Alabama has in football.
That's what Alabama is up against this week.

   

    This is going be a hard game to win. Almost impossible to win according to most experts. The Blue Devils look at the top twenty players in America and then sign at least three every year. This season is no exception. Remember the name Jabari Parker, 6-8 power forward. Many believe he is the best freshman in America. A fair number think by season's end he may be  the best player in any class. Alabama no on who has a remote chance to match up with him.  Rodney Hood, the small forward, has been shooting light out this season. He's an entirely different player than when he played at MIssissippi State. Alabama made a hard push for him but when Duke came calling it was over. State also didn't want to give Hood a release to play for another SEC school.  The Blue Devils go ten deep and they can all play. In all honesty, Releford and Randolph are probably the only player who could make the Duke roster.  But that doesn't mean Alabama can't win. The Duke guards a very good. But I believe the Bama guards could be a little better. If Bama could so down the Duke inside game we have a chance. I am guessing that Cooper will draw Hood and he the lefty needs to at least slow his scoring down. It would take a near perfect game for Bama win in my opinion, but Duke has looked pretty ordinary against East Carolina and Vermont. Bama has the ability to win. They have enough perimeter talent to win with great shooting.  Now one gives Bama any chance to win. The NIT hopes that Duke wins for television ratings in the next game. If Bama does everything right and they get a fair shake (like Vermont) in the officiating I expect the Tide to give them a good game. If Releford gets in foul trouble we are beat, and it could be bad.

Bama needs to play some zone but the Devil have so many great outside shooters. If the guards can keep the Duke guards from easy passes inside we may have a chance.  I'm  picking Duke with my head,but Bama with my heart.