Duke Basketball Report

U.S. Socks Tunisia By 35

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:43:28 +0000

No great surprise here, but the U.S. beat Tunisia, 92-57. We’ll have more later. Also, possible upset brewing as Serbia leads Argentina 75-72 with less than two minutes to go. Update Serbia pulled it off, 84-82.

Duke Target Quin Cook Injured

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:24:51 +0000

This is a drag: top recruit and Duke target Quin Cook tore up his right knee and will be out for three months. Needless to say, surgery is required.

It’s still miraculous what doctors can do now. When Bernard King tore up his knee in 1985, he missed an entire season and his rehab was absolutely torturous.

Cook’s situation is far better, but King’s lesson is still vital: the pain comes in rehab much more than the operation itself. Best of luck to Cook in his efforts. We’ll be keeping up!

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More On U.S-Iran

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:24:21 +0000

Here are some more links to the U.S.-Iran game Wednesday. In more interesting news, in 1992, when Charles Barkley whacked a player and said he was worried he might be carrying a spear, or some such nonsense, wasn’t that guy from Angola? If so, that team has come a very long way, as they upset the Germans, 92-88 in overtime. Very impressive, to say the least.

Slovenia also knocked off Brazil, 80-77, and Jordan gave Argentina a nine point game. For all the talk of the world catching America, it looks like everyone has just about caught everyone. Which is great, really.

Undefeated still: the U.S., Turkey, Argentina, and Marty Pocius and the Lithuanians.

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Red Wilson, Post Football

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:23:23 +0000

You know, football coaches at Duke have often found it to be their last stop. But you have to say this for Duke: getting reassigned there is about the nicest way to end your coaching career imaginable. Take Red Wilson, for instance. Terry Sanford told him, “[y]ou’ve coached long enough, I want to give you a great job.”

And he really did.

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Marvin Austin Suspended

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:22:45 +0000

As things continue to unfold in Chapel Hill, star tackle Marvin Austin has been suspended indefintely although coach Butch Williams says it’s for a violation of team rules and has nothing to do with the NCAA investigation.

As the boys on the Fan pointed out, this also allows them to not comment on his unavailability.

UNC suspends Marvin Austin indefinitely

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An Unfortunate Choice

DBR — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:21:37 +0000

At N.C. State, kids will ride to home football games on buses named the Red Terror. If that’s what they want to call it, fine, but it’s a very unfortunate choice since the Red Terror in Russia killed thousands after the revolution without the benefit of trial. College students should know — and understand — this sort of thing.

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Bilas, Katz Preview The ACC!

DBR — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:44:02 +0000

Andy Katz and Jay Bilas take a look at the ACC and conclude (surprise) that Duke and UNC are the cream of the crop. Mostly Duke, though.

US Routs Iran

DBR — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:42:18 +0000

No big surprise here, but the U.S. crushed Iran, 88-51. More to come.

World Championship Update!

DBR — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:48:32 +0000

The U.S. gets Iran on Wednesday in a game where they’ll be heavily favored. It ain’t wrestling! If it were, Iran would be favored.

This apparent mismatch aside, it’s a pretty competitive tournament! Look what’s happened so far: Canada – where basketball is definitely improving – nearly beat Lithuania. The Ivory Coast gave China a 10-point game and lost to the Russians by just six. Turkey knocked off Greece – don’t you know that was an intense crowd, almost the ultimate home court advantage – and on Tuesday, Lithuania beat Spain by three, with Marty Pocius tossing in 13. Spain, by the way, is now 1-2.

This is all great for global basketball, but the Ivory Coast? Wasn’t that supposed to be Nigeria?

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Duke Curse Update!

DBR — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:45:26 +0000

West Virginia’s Joe Mazzulla is admirably tough-minded. He’s also a bit of an idiot who has trouble when he uses alcohol. Latest example: public urination.

But that’s not the last of the Duke Curse this weekend, as Michigan State’s Korie Lucious got nabbed for drunk driving.

First identified by Julio and his brother the Bigshot Scientist at the 1991 Final Four, the curse has been relentless, striking teams which defeated Duke in the NCAA tournament.

2010 - Michigan State’s Korie Lucious nabbed for drunk driving
2010 – West Virginia’s Joe Mazzulla cited for public urination, third alcohol issue for the Mountaineers Guard
2010 – Taylor King flames out at Villanova
2010 – UConn, under investigation by NCAA, loses Ater Majok
2010 - West Virginia’s Darryl Bryant breaks foot
2010 - Kalin Lucas rips Achilles tendon
2010 – Multiple disciplinary issues crippled Villanova’s chances in the NCAA tournament
2010 – UConn collapses down the stretch, misses tournament
2010 – Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer injures wrist, requires surgery.
2010 – Villanova’s center Mouphtaou Yarou diagnosed with hepatitis.
2009 – Florida still can’t get back to the dance.
2009 – UConn involved in potentially nasty NCAA allegation over former manager’s ties to recruits and his role as an agent.
2009 – West Virginia’s Joe Mazzulla suspended indefinitely after being arrested on assault charges. Later injured and lost for 2009 with a shoulder injury.
2009 – UConn under investigation for recruiting irregularities.
2008 – Indiana program decimated by Kelvin Sampson, who is forced to resign after the NCAA hits program with three-year probation. All but one player leave in the aftermath.
2008 – All-time low tied, as the Wildcats lose at home to VMI.
2008 – Bob Huggins trips at the airport and ends up at the hospital.
2008 – West Virginia’s Joe Mazzulla and Cameron Thoroughman arrested for underage drinking and fighting the cops – at a Pirates game no less.
2007 – Indiana receives scrutiny for Kelvin Sampson’s illegal phone calls to recruits.
2007 – VCU – Florida A.D. was in the air to hire Anthony Grant after Billy Donovan’s bizarre NBA career lasted a weekend or so. After he decided to bolt back to Gainesville, the A.D. flew straight back and never offered Grant the job.
2007 – Tubby Smith leaves Kentucky under pressure. In the fall, Kentucky loses at home to Gardner- Webb in an all-time low for the program.
2006 – LSU defeats Duke. 2008 – John Brady fired in mid-season.
2005 – Indiana finishes 15-14. Mike Davis retained, but told he must win more. The entire state of Indiana misses the tournament.
2005 – UConn assistant coach Clyde Vaughan arrested for solicitation. Antonio Kellogg arrested for marijuana, Charlie Villanueva leaves after two years for the NBA. UConn lost to N.C. State in the tournament after Denham Brown said they “were used to losing” and wouldn’t be able to handle being down to UConn.
2005 – Kansas loses to Bucknell in the first round. Bucknell had a total of five scholarship players on the roster.
2005/2006 – UConn’s Marcus Williams and A.J. Price busted for trying to sell hot laptops. The Huskies, overwhelming favorites for the title, go on to lose to George Mason.
2004 – Indiana’s loses forwards Patrick Ewing, Jr., and Sean Kline, to injuries. George Leach has struggled with injuries as well. Indiana finishes at 14-15.
2004- Ben Gordon leaves UConn for NBA
2003 – Kansas loses head coach Roy Williams to UNC
2003 – Former UConn star Khalid El-Amin loses case, ordered to pay $54,000 for beating man.
2002 – Indiana loses Jared Jeffries to early entry.
2001 – Duke wins title.
2001 – UConn flames out in regular season, can’t even make the NCAA field.
2000/2001, Florida: lost Mike Miller and Donnell Harvey to the NBA. Had a series of injuries the following season. Knocked out early in tournament two years in a row. Teddy Dupay implicated in gambling scandal, kicked off team.
1999, UConn: El-Amin arrested for marijuana possession, , Hamilton left, two car/image problems. Doug Wrenn arrested for alleged shoplifting before the season, suspended twice. El-Amin suffers a critical injury in tournament, team loses to Tennessee in NCAAs. Wrenn kicked off team after a post-season arrest.
1998, Kentucky: Lost players to hardship in ‘98, draft, transfers at the end of ‘99, a rash of serious auto related problems. In 2001-02, chemistry problems and Jason Parker injury doomed the ‘Cats.
1997, Providence: Program peaked, fell, lost coach to UVa. Bonus Curse: Pete Gillen fired after a dismal run at Virginia
1996, Eastern Michigan: Lost coach (to Cal), faded from view, not heard from since. Bonus Curse: Ben Braun fired at Cal in 2008.
1994, Arkansas: a small probation, faded for several years, Nolan Richardson
fired in bizarre sequence of events.
1993, Cal. Probation, lost coach, big scandal, big stinking mess.
1990, Vegas. Lost rematch, lost coach, lost most prestige, got Rollie
Massimino
1989, Seton Hall: slow decline ensued, finally arrested by Tommy Amaker, who almost got them to the Elite Eight.
1988, Kansas: Probation, lost coach.
1987, Indiana: A painful down period until 1992 Final Four (where they lost to…..Duke). Controversial coach Bob Knight forced out in 2001 (see below). 1986, Louisville: A long, slow descent followed, complete with probation. Crum finally run off. In 2005, Rick Pitino finally got the Cards back to the Final Four.
1985, Boston College, lost coach Gary Williams soon thereafter to Ohio State. Program revived long enough to beat UNC, then self-destructed and lost Jim O’ Brien to…Ohio State.
1984, Washington. The next year they played in Durham and were so riddled with injuries that Detlelf Schrempf had to play point guard. A long decline ensued.

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