Sweet 16: Duke Vs Oregon

Nothing delights me more than to watch the apoplexy of “sports experts” who pour over stat sheets, rosters, schedules, standings and won-loss records trying to analyze which men’s college basketball teams are the best in the nation.

Season after season they are flummoxed when they discover that the ACC is the best in the country.  This year has proven to be no different except this year the conference set a record by advancing six teams to the Sweet 16.

Tonight my beloved Duke Blue Devils will meet on the hardwood against the Oregon Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim.  After traveling cross-country to get to the Honda Center, Duke will face one of their toughest opponents yet in 6-foot-10 Dillon Brooks a shot-blocking monster and damned good 3-point shooter.

After winning their 5^th national championship last March, Duke had massive turnover when several players went pro at the end of the tourney.  It stood to reason that the Devils would be in a rebuilding mode.

Duke’s depth on the court suffered a huge blow when Amile Jefferson broke his foot in December during practice forcing him out for the remainder of the season, but you shouldn’t count them out because they still have the last of the Plumlee brothers, Marshall, and he ain’t no slouch.  Let’s also not forget about Brandon Ingram who has the skinniest “get-away sticks” in college BBall.  Take Brandon and Grayson Allen and you’ve got one helluva spread-the-floor offense and a pretty decent man and zone defense.

Allen is a beast on the floor.  His FT average is 84% and he averages 22 points per game.  He’s dominating from beyond the arc for tres.

The Ducks are hoping that the Blue Devils’ 0-4 all-time record for tournament games played in the Pacific Time Zone will be a factor tonight.  Come on, man.  You don’t think Coach K is going to let that be a factor again do you?

The Ducks are the last PAC-12 team standing in tourney play.  The pressure on them is going to be intense.

GO BLUE DEVILS!