Snapping the Turtles

Down by Coach K Court

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I had a chance to attend the Maryland/Duke game this past Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. My dad and I were fortunate to attend the game with a couple who are huge Duke fans and have one of the most ideal set-ups I have ever seen for attending a sporting event. We met them a few miles away from the university and rode in with them because they had a parking pass - not just any parking pass, I think we had a parking spot closer to the gym than Coach K. And because we arrived early, they were able to take us courtside as the teams were warming up, making sure we got a few pictures and a chance to see the players up-close. It was my second time attending a game at Duke, but it had been over 8 years since my first visit and it was cool to see a few of the new things that have been added to the arena. It was awesome to see a new national championship banner hanging in the rafters along with some additional retired jerseys and some other banners celebrating specific accomplishments.

From our seats

One of the best parts about attending the game was the aspect of this being Duke's first game since their improbable comeback victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. In a sense, this was the opportunity for the Cameron Crazies and the Duke crowd to celebrate the victory and congratulate the team on their win. The pregame introduction of the team included a highlight video from the UNC game and concluded with Austin Rivers' game winning shot - which brought the crowd to a deafening level and was the loudest it got in Cameron Indoor Stadium the entire day. However, even amidst all the post-UNC euphoria, Duke still had a game to play against a physical Maryland team. The Blue Devils got off to a slow start and struggled offensively in the first half, but played with a defensive intensity that had been missing for much of the season and really disrupted the Maryland offense. The offense picked up in the second half and Miles Plumlee did his best Dwight Howard impersonation as Duke put the Terps away in a decisive victory.

Here were 3 things I noticed during the game:

1. The Cameron Crazies don't realize how important they are. This student section has the ability and reputation of being the most intimidating crowd in the country, but this group isn't living up to it. They don't have as much energy and they seem to lose interest unless Duke is playing very well. As Coach K was walking off the court going into halftime, he gave the Cameron Crazies a piece of his mind and appeared to be yelling at them in an attempt to get the more involved in the game. With only three home games remaining, I hope they make the most of their opportunity.

2. 

   Cameron Crazies

   Andre Dawkins is a head case. It's one thing to be a streaky shooter - it's another to be a player who completely checks out of the game when his shot isn't falling. Unfortunately, Dawkins seems to be the latter. Andre has the athletic ability to be much more than a catch-and-shoot perimeter player, but he is content to stand outside the 3-point line and jack up threes. I've also noticed an increasingly disturbing trend of him trying to instigate issues with the other team. It's time for Andre to just shut up and let his play do the talking.
3. Miles Plumlee played BIG. Everyone talked about the number of rebounds Plumlee had, which was phenomenal - but that wasn't the only thing that stuck out about his game. Plumlee was the most assertive I've ever seen him. He was setting good screens on the perimeter and then rolling hard to the basket and calling for the ball. He also did a great job of establishing low post position and making himself a big target for receiving an entry pass from the perimeter. If Miles continues to play with this type of confidence and aggressiveness, Duke becomes a completely different team.

For a college basketball fan, seeing a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium should be on your bucket list. For a Duke fan, seeing a game at Cameron is something you will never forget. Having a chance to experience the history and excellence of this great program is something truly special. And it's always good to Duke dominate Maryland.