Win is a Win: Duke 56 - Virginia 41

This was a boring game.  It wasn't a game that we will remember by Friday...or at least I won't.  Virginia slowed the game down to try to take Duke out of its game, and it worked in some respects but they didn't score or execute offensively either so it was a wash.  The entertainment of this game was mainly listening to Mike Patrick screw up the ESPN broadcast.  Patrick miscalled multiple plays and bumbled and fumbled his words all night.  Bad broadcast and bad basketball.  Next game please...oh wait positives/negatives real quick first.

Positives -

Nolan Smith is a stud.  I don't need to explain this much more than just that.  He even busted out a "shimmy shake" after an "and one" bucket in the first half.  Nobody in college bball is playing as good as Nolan Smith, just hope that his shoulder's don't get too sore from carrying the team.

Mason Plumlee is playing with confidence right now and has in the past five games since the St John's debacle.  I've pounded this point all year, but this is the "Zoubek" emergence of a big man Duke needed this year.

Ryan Kelly is going to be a great Dukie the rest of this year and the next two years.  This is what Duke has that many other big time programs don't have.  Solid players that aren't NBA material early in their careers but contribute all four years and allow the program to not peak and valley as much as other programs have in the "1 and done" era of college bball. 

Negatives-

ANOTHER SLOW START!  C'mon Coach K, we have to stop doing this.  Temple, @ Virginia Tech and @ UNC are games in which Duke will lose if they continue to not play until 10-20 minutes into the game.

The more Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly step up the more Miles Plumlee disappears.  Duke will need Miles to achieve its best results for this season.  There are flashes in games, but then he makes you forget about those good flashes by throwing a horrible pass, travelling, or committing a stupid foul.

Kyle Singler.  2 pts. 4 fouls.  I am not worried about this though.  Kyle is a professional and will bounce back from a couple off games and be the All American again soon.

Nest Up: vs. Georgia Tech, Sunday, 6:45 pm

Coming off of a 5 game losing streak tonight GT beat Chattanooga....by 9.  Duke at home should dominate GT and then get ready for a mid-week, out of conference and very 2nd round to Sweet 16-ish type game against Temple at home next Wednesday.