Down the stretch of this one, it seemed less like a basketball game between Duke and VCU than it did a male anatomy measuring contest between point guards Eric Maynor and Greg Paulus. Paulus was big. Maynor broke the scale.
Three straight times down the stretch, VCU sent Maynor to the rack, one-on-one against Paulus, and all three times, he converted. The first two with some penetration, and then a 3 or 4-foot floating jumper ... and on the deciding shot, a pull up from just beyond the free-throw line, giving VCU the win. VCU's swarming team defense and guts kept them in the game against Duke. The contents of Maynor's shorts put them over the top.
I do give Paulus a lot of credit, though. Part of VCU's game plan was to push Duke around, and they were physical, bordering on violent, all night long. VCU made this very personal from the beginning. They played like they believed that Coach K physically assaulted their mothers. And I love that strategy.
And Paulus responded. He did not shrink from the physicality. He hit a lot of big shots of his own, and the loss certainly couldn't be pinned on him. He was Duke's heartbeat. Numbers are rather irrelevant in a game like this, but if you're curious, Paulus had 25 and Maynor had 22.
God bless the VCU Rams. They singlehandedly saved this day.
And here's video evidence of Maynor's hugeness:
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I think mjd's shorts are the tightest of all since he now has his head shoved straight up his own ass. VCU's performance was an embarassment -- a shocking display of thuggery and classlessness. Eric Maynor's not-so-inadvertent Kobe-esque punch into Jon Scheyer's face and other gutless, thinly-veiled shots at Greg Paulus, seemingly just part of playing hard, make that young man a perfect example of what's wrong with collegiate and pro sports today; that is, it's better to play like a gangsta then it is to play like a responsible young man and a role model displaying leadership, dignity, and some self-restraint. Apparently, he and his team have been betrayed by the one responsible adult who should be setting a better example for these kids: their coach. Obviously, this coach had these young men "jacked-up" and ready for a rumble in da 'hood, rather than a basketball game. An absolute boorish display and embarassment. Shame on VC-you.
I understand your complaints, but I think it's funny that you accuse VCU of thuggery and classlessness when it was not too long ago that a Duke player sent a vicious elbow to the face of Tyler Hansbrough - an elbow that, frankly, was much more thuggish than Maynor's shot to Scheyer. Look, the book on Duke teams is that they are soft; teams can attack them hard and make them fall back. My guess is that that is what VCU was attempting to do, not to play like "gangstas" looking for a "rumble in the hood." In fact, I'd go so far as to accuse you of veiled racism for saying that an all-black team like VCU is playing like gangstas against a team with several white starters. Either that, or two other things: you're a Duke grad, and/or you had Duke going far in your bracket. Otherwise, I don't see how you can take that game and call it a classless display by the Rams.
The fact that Duke did as well as they did with a very young inexperienced team is wonderful. They will make VCU look stupid next year. Since basketball is supposed to be about skill, and not physically attacking the other team, any player who tries to physically intimidate another, is simply an asshole who deserves to be taken care of on the street. Fans and coaches who think intimidating other teams' players is part of the game need their asses kicked. You're supposed to intimidate by skill and performance.
Eric you're that man little cuz. Media, stop hatin!!1
To the first comment:
How can you bring yourself to say VCU's win was an embarrasment. I would hope that a team that puts a dynasty like Duke out of the tournament would be given the respect it deserves. VCU played tough, hard pressed defense, which led to the mass of Dukes turnovers. If you think that playing tough defense to win a basketball game against a well established and well coached team is shamless, than basketball is not the sport for you.
As far as Maynor's performance goes he was flawless. He held his own with poise and maturity in shot selection. Just because your spoiled white boy Duke team can't hold their own against the fullcourt does not mean that VCU does not deserve the respect it deserves. I fully respect what they have done, and they are proof that with a heart, a team can do more damage than expected.
Your an idiot, stay off of posts like this.
I found "Blogger Meister's" post simply laughable. We must not have watched the same game because I saw no such "thuggery" on that court. The fact that Eric Maynor ran circles around Duke's newest "Great White Hope" Greg Paulus obviously has you up in arms. I wish like you would just give credit where credit is due, VCU played with the heart and intensity that you haven't seen out of Durham since Jay Williams left. You assume because Richmond is a mostly black city and VCU is an all black team that they are simply a bunch of hoodlums. NOT THE CASE! These guys worked their butts off all year, were EXCELLENT role models in the community and when it came down to crunch time they wanted it more than Duke. I'm happy that Eric had a chance to prove all the nay-sayers on tobacco road wrong and BloggerMeister please pull your head out of what I'm sure if your massive ass. Duke got beat by a better team, if you knew anything about the game of basketball you would understand that.
naw dawg, we wuz at the game and not only did we beat dem cracka az crackas, but they wallets fat as shit 2 dawg! we jacked all they shit befo da game in da locker room
Eric whatz good? See u on the tube next MARCH!!!!
VCU! VCU! VCU!
What up Cuz! See U on The tube Next MARCH!!!! One shining moment after another. 1.
Now go beat carowhina