Duke will be favored on the strength of its name, but the Blue Devils need to play a lot bigger than they are to get past Florida State in Sunday’s ACC basketball championship game in the Georgia Dome.
As height and size go, this league title game will be one of the ranking mismatches since the league first staged a post-season tournament in 1954.
The ninth-ranked, third-seeded Devils, 27-6 and bidding for their 17th ACC crown, have neither a true post player nor anything in the way of an offensive-minded power forward.
Florida State, 25-8, ranked 22nd nationally and seeded fourth, have the sort of size usually associated with an NBA team.
All that length and beef couldn’t get the Seminoles a regular-season win in the series. Duke won 66-58 in Tallahassee and 84-81 in Durham.
But even though FSU is given to serving up a turnover buffet and fouling at will in the half-court, there’s little doubt they have emerged as one of the most impressive teams in the country.
“It took us a while this season to learn how to use our talent and size to our advantage,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “I think we’re figuring it out better now.”
Just ask North Carolina, that latest victim of FSU’s offensive punch and relentless interior defense.
Duke has little of the Tar Heels’ size. But like the Seminoles, Duke has improved quickly during the past few weeks.
If logic holds, it’ll be the Devils’ corral of 3-point shooters -- Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson, Greg Paulus, Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams -- against Toney Douglas and the giants.
History favors Duke, of course. History favored UNC, too.
Comments
yea tudor, suck a fat
Sun, 03/15/2009 - 18:34 — loopholesaresillyyea tudor, suck a fat one
guess duke and their nonexistent power forward aren't quite as shitty as you'd like the world to believe.
and my god, proofread your work or something. you write like a retarded 6th grader.
The Invisible Most Valuable Player
Sun, 03/15/2009 - 10:29 — coby70Duke doesn't have an offensive minded Power Forward huh ? Well I wouldn't trade Kyle Singer for anyone in the country. No He's not 6"9 but He's 6"8 and Smart,Tough and a Winner and has a Lot of Double Doubles this year that has made a difference in Duke winning the games we have won. Yes we will have a hard time with Florida State, BUT Florida State will have a hard time with us too. It's hard to beat a team 3 times in a season, ask the Tarheels, So I would consider a win over this Very Good Florida State team more gratifing than beating the Tarheels. Because it's something even Carolina didn't do. And our Invisible Power Forward may be the Difference.
HUH?
Sun, 03/15/2009 - 11:52 — gvillegatrCarolina has not played anyone three times this year. and you should be lucky we didnt do it for the first time, today.
offensiv minded power forward
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 20:53 — saltydawg1has Tudor never heard of Kyle Singler??? I guess not, since he don't play for his beloved tar holes!!!!