First Half
Maryland started off with great intensity and were successfully using their substantial frontcourt advantage to attack Duke, as well as executing a well scouted gameplan replete with effective cuts to the basket that exploited Duke's tendency to use guards to help on the blocks. Indeed, Maryland shot 65.5% eFG from the field against Duke in the first half, as well as rebounding 41.7% of available offensive boards to take a 9 point lead to halftime. One thing I found strange was how the announcers seemed to suggest that Duke was only in the game at half-time because Maryland had committed 13 turnovers to just 6 for Duke (a 28.5% TO rate for Maryland). But is this not Maryland's MO? Duke recorded 7 steals, as well as several offensive fouls - they were not unforced turnovers reflecting a mental lapse. This is exactly what most analysts should have expected coming in to the game: Duke would force Maryland to turn the ball over. Perhaps they should have said, "Maryland's white hot shooting is the only reason they are now in the lead against a Duke defense that has caused them to turn it over on almost 30% of their possessions!"
Duke, on the other hand, came out looking offensively stagnant. For the half, the Devils shot just 42.8% eFG and had a 26.1% offensive rebounding rate. The good news was that Maryland, predictably, was not causing Duke to turn the ball over.
At this point, while I was worried, I still knew that Maryland did not hold as big a lead as they could have shooting as well as they were and rebounding as effectively as they were.
The tempo-free team stats broke down like so:
| Duke | Opp. | |||
| eFG% | 45.83% | 65.52% | ||
| TO% | 14.55% | 28.54% | ||
| ORB % | 26.09% | 41.67% | ||
| FT Rate | 25.00% | 62.07% | ||
| Tempo | 82.45 | |||
| Offensive Efficiency | 101.88 | |||
| Defensive Efficiency | 123.71 | |||
| 3-Point FG % | 27.27% | 33.33% | ||
| 2-Point FG% | 48.00% | 69.57% | ||
| Free Throw % | 81.82% | 72.22% | ||
| Block % | 4.35% | 12.00% | ||
| Steal % | 15.37% | 2.43% | ||
| 3PA/FGA | 30.56% | 20.69% | ||
| A/FGM | 40.00% | 77.78% |
Second Half
It's hardly worth even mentioning that the key sequence of events in the second half came in the first minute. Maryland began with Osby turning it over, leading to Lance Thomas scoring on the other end. Immediately, DeMarcus Nelson stole the in-bound and laid it up to cut the lead to 5 within the first 40 seconds of the 2nd half. After Singler stole the entry pass to Osby at the other end, Duke ran a flawless inbound play straight to Nelson on the block who missed a layup but got the subsequent tip-in. Now with exactly 1 minute elapsed in the 2nd half, Maryland's substantial 9 point half-time lead was trimmed to 3. Sound familiar?
The second half was simply dominated by Duke. Maryland looked flat - perhaps tired or emotionally spent against a foe with greater depth and intensity than any team they have faced. The teams battled back and forth for the next 15 minutes or so, but Duke ultimately pulled ahead to take an 84-75 lead with 4:33 left. The stall was used quite effectively for the last minutes, despite Maryland pulling it to within 3 at 84-81 on 3 pointers by Hayes and Gist, and despite Vasquez getting to the line for a crucial 1 and 1 after Paulus made a costly turnover. Maryland had their chance then to make it a game for the last 2:42, but Duke closed out with good free throw shooting and a clutch driving lay-up by Nelson.
The second half team stats look thus:
| Duke | Opp. | |||
| eFG% | 57.81% | 50.00% | ||
| TO% | 11.25% | 25.51% | ||
| ORB % | 50.00% | 31.58% | ||
| FT Rate | 43.75% | 32.14% | ||
| Tempo | 71.10 | |||
| Offensive Efficiency | 143.46 | |||
| Defensive Efficiency | 92.83 | |||
| 3-Point FG % | 42.86% | 33.33% | ||
| 2-Point FG% | 56.00% | 50.00% | ||
| Free Throw % | 77.78% | 55.56% | ||
| Block % | 9.09% | 8.00% | ||
| Steal % | 17.01% | 8.44% | ||
| 3PA/FGA | 21.88% | 21.43% | ||
| A/FGM | 17.65% | 76.92% |
Completely different games.
Coming up: Duke has two games this week at home against North Carolina State and Miami. I will try to post what I think will be the key for the Devils in those games, but I hardly think I need to mention that Duke will be heavily favored in both affairs.
Next Wednesday is Duke at North Carolina.
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