J.J Redick and Shelden Williams 58-Southern 54.Both those guys beat Southern by themselves in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The problem for Duke, the rest of the team scored just 12 points.
Duke advances to play George Washington but I can tell you it was a gloomy Duke lockeroom last night. Almost like the Blue Devils had lost because they know they didn't play well. I asked Sean Dockery what Coach K had said after the game and said "well I really can't repeat most of it for television". So you get the gist. Mike Krzyzewski is not happy with the start of Duke's quest for the National Championship.
Southern played hard so give them credit but there sure was a lot of J.J. and Shelden watching and that can't happen in future tournament games and Duke knows it.
Having a regional in Greensboro is a lot of fun. The Greensboro Coliseum just has that feel to it and I just felt grateful to be there. There were a couple of interesting games. George Washington looked deep in the tank in the second half against UNC Wilmington but man did they crank it up on the Seahawks.
The Colonials a fun team to watch-very quick and athletic and they will try to prove against Duke, they deserved better than an eighth seed. UNC Wilmington has to be kicking themselves. They could have, should have won. Losing and 18 point second half lead and then a four point lead in overtime in the NCAA Tournament is not something that program will soon forget. The Seahawks played hard and had their chance.
As I thought-Tennessee was not very impressive. They held on to beat Winthrop on a great shot by Chris Lofton-but they did nothing to prove to me they should be a second seed. Didn't get a chance to see Wichita State's blow out of Seton Hall but some I talked to who did see it were really impressed with the Shockers.
By the was Duke last night 20 turnovers-and that's against Southern. I would be willing to bet the house-Duke will play well tomorrow. Something about the man who sits on the Duke bench will see to that-plus Redick and Williams didn't come back for a final season to lose in the second round. Just thinking Coach K has no gray hair and he's older than I am--and he's more stressed than I am (well maybe). Where did I go wrong?
I will tell you this-a number one seed-like Duke for instance, shouldn't have to play the late game. It just shows how much television dictates things. The Duke lockeroom wasn't open for postgame until 12.30 am and Redick had to go to mandatory drug testing so he was never available to the press. If you're the top seed in the tournament it just seems right to be given an advantage not a disadvantage. As you know-you just can't play a game and then go right to sleep, it just doesn't happen. Now Duke has to come back on Saturday to play the 1pm game-but then again the players are young-maybe it's the old guys like me who're dragging.
Hope everybody's enjoying the tournament. I still think State will win tonight and of course UNC over Murray State.
By the way thanks to "the Cobra" Brad Simmons for all his help.
