Virginia Tech needed a crucial win at home to solidify its NCAA tournament status with only two games remaining on its regular-season ACC schedule. But a Nolan Smith-less Blue Devil squad likely had a few points to prove as well.And the Blue Devils' agenda won out.
That is, after a little controversy and a heckuva run by the Hokies.
Duke did just that, for most of the game, streaking out to an 11-point halftime lead. But the Hokies stormed back and tied the game at 58 with four minutes remaining, only to lose by seven, as a controversial ending -- Duke's Jon Scheyer blatantly traveled with his team up three and 18 seconds left, but no call was made -- gave Duke the free-throw opportunities to salvage a win in Blacksburg.
Seth Greenberg's squad, despite suffering some close losses, has now dropped four of its last five games and the Hokies have to play North Carolina and Florida State to close out the season. If they don't win one of those games, they're staring down 7-9 in the ACC.
And that, folks, despite setting them up as one of the top eight teams in the conference, probably isn't enough to punch the Hokies' ticket to the dance. Joe Lunardi had them as an No. 11 seed before the Duke game, and Ken Pomeroy had them at No. 71 in his ratings; that's not so much as to point to outside influence, as it is to say that the Hokies have had trouble distinguishing themselves from the rest of the bubble pack.
Granted, Virginia Tech beat then No. 1 Wake Forest, but so too did Georgia Tech, Miami and N.C. State. In other words, Wake's track record against the bottom of the conference doesn't really justify giving the Hokies credit. The only other bullet point Virginia Tech has to offset its overall record is a win against Clemson. The selection committee might want more.
But give the Blue Devils credit, because, even if the Hokies aren't that strong of a team, they still stepped up and pulled off a huge road win, despite Smith being sidelined by a concussion.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The history/The series;
Since 1911 Duke & Va. Tech have played one another 42 times in basketball.
Duke has a 35-7 record against the Hokies. Now, do the math. Who has consistently been the better team? I think we know.
In the video you promise to post soon, I hope you will include all the close calls or non-calls that went against Duke, such as the elbow to Kyle Singler that ESPN never saw fit to replay, the ticky-tack technical on Gerald Henderson, the multiple times Scheyer was knocked down shooting threes without getting a call, and the foul that was called a jump ball in the last few minutes. The refs were bad the whole game, and even if Duke got more of the calls, they didn't get them all. Seth Greenberg would be better off not blaming the refs and instead telling his team to cover Greg Paulus on his breakaway layup.
When most of the calls go your way and you could get academy awards for flopping, you can see why.
The anouncersw were going crazy at the end when Scheyer clearly walked, I think they said 3 times during the trap, Duke has always gotten the majority of calls when K puts on the weasel face and works the officials. A fan of neither team, just call it as I see it.
Yeah, what about the technical on Henderson for taunting? That gave VT five points! Henderson was called for taunting, but twice I watched a VT player dunk and then pose or stare down a defender and of course there was no call. You wont hear that little bit of controversy mentioned, it doesnt fit into the fabricated mold that Duke haters have about the refs.
There is such a hatred against Duke in this Country. That includes the sports media. They just can't help themselves from showing their bias. I truly believe it is because of the success of the Duke basketball program. When you are continually at or close to the top year after year, people just have to show an overt dislike for you. Coach K has the ability to build teams and keep them together. How often do you hear about a Duke player getting arrested or suspended from the team? There is just too much jealousy toward Duke. But that just shows how good they are year after year.
You obviously see what you want to see or what is convenient for you to see. When the two VT players set the trap, you conveneintly forgot to see how many times they fouled Scheyer. Just like the announcers forgot to see it too. Those two VT players fouled him at least three times. their hands were everywhere but on the basketball. So, you call it the way you see it, but next time try to see everything. Not just what is convenient for you to see.
Somebody call the FBI. There seems to be this conspiracy with every NCAA basketball official. At least that what Duke haters always cry about. Give me a break. There is no vast nationwide conspiracy to help Duke win basketball games. Everytime I hear someone talk about or write about how Duke gets all the calls their way, it just make me realize how much jealousy there is for the great Duke program.
Sarge:
They've got us dead to rights! Every conspiracy theorists knows that Coach K had a hand in JFK's Dallas visit, he's got a UFO tied to a tree in his backyard and Jimmy Hoffa is buried under Coach K Court.
The indictments are being drawn as we comment. Head for the hills but make sure you stop and get a bucket a chicken at the KFC. Ask for Will Brinson, he's the manager there that moonlights as a supposed writer.