2025 NCAA Tourney Thread

[MarquetteMike1977]

It was on ESPN Sports Center Tonight.
Since Blocks Became Official In 1986
Only 2 Players have had 75 Points 25 Assists and 5 Blocks Heading Into The Final Four.
Dwyane Wade in 2003 And Cooper Flag in 2025

[MarquetteMike1977]

The Remaining 6 Teams are All in the Top 7 of Kenpom

[The Sultan]

We really haven't seen anything quite like this.  There have been great freshmen, but it's their defense and coachability which blows me away over everything. And Flagg and Maluach are 18.  You have to give Scheyer a ton of credit for sure.  Truthfully, if I was Maluach, I'd take out the people grabbing and pushing me on  a lot of possessions.   That's a disciplined young man. 

2012 Kentucky was very much like this.

[The Sultan]

What other coach took over a 32 win Final Four team with five 5 star recruits coming in and another four 5 star recruits.  All in a mediocre ACC. You could have gotten Duke to 25 wins a year in those conditions.

Hell, it's looking like Hubert Davis isn't a very good HC and he had 80 wins his first 3 years and he didn't have the incoming arsenal that Scheyer has had.

I'm not trying to crap on him and say he's a bum, but I'm in no hurry to deify him as the next great thing.  He's waltzed into probably the best situation in the last 30-40 years, outside of maybe Roy and Self in 2003, but obviously they weren't first time HCs

Rico never deified him as the next great thing. But that doesn't look to me like a team simply full of talent with a coach just rolling the ball out there.

And I think Hubert Davis is a great example. Won a lot of games for sure, but look unprepared at times and struggle with consistency.  Reading about both, it feels like Scheyer has made some changes in the Duke program away from the ridgid structure and centralization of Coach K, and is making it his own. Whereas I think Davis is struggling with trying to be the next in like to do it the UNC way.

I think Duke is going to remain very good for a long time, but UNC is going to have to make a decision soon.

[Viper]

Rico never deified him as the next great thing. But that doesn't look to me like a team simply full of talent with a coach just rolling the ball out there.

And I think Hubert Davis is a great example. Won a lot of games for sure, but look unprepared at times and struggle with consistency.  Reading about both, it feels like Scheyer has made some changes in the Duke program away from the ridgid structure and centralization of Coach K, and is making it his own. Whereas I think Davis is struggling with trying to be the next in like to do it the UNC way.

I think Duke is going to remain very good for a long time, but UNC is going to have to make a decision soon.

Scheyer akin to when Barry Switzer won with the Dallas Cowboys? Maybe. But bottom line, Scheyer is coaching high level talent at a high level. He brought in Flagg, Kon...and is probably going to notch a natty. It's definitely his team, not K's, at this point. What strikes me is the divide between where Duke is right now, and MU is anticipated to be next season. Wide. And agreed, UNC has a decision to make or they'll fall well behind their hated rival.

[The Sultan]

Scheyer akin to when Barry Switzer won with the Dallas Cowboys? Maybe. But bottom line, Scheyer is coaching high level talent at a high level. He brought in Flagg, Kon...and is probably going to notch a natty. It's definitely his team, not K's, at this point. What strikes me is the divide between where Duke is right now, and MU is anticipated to be next season. Wide. And agreed, UNC has a decision to make or they'll fall well behind their hated rival.

I have seen plenty of interveiws with former Cowboy players where it is difficult for them to cover their disdain for how things degraded under Switzer. Yes, they had plenty of talent to keep winning, but I think it was obvious to them that it wouldn't last long. 

But college sports are different. This is a completely different team than the one Coach K last coached.  So far, and obviously its still VERY early, but this looks more like when Izzo took over from Heathcote than when Davis took over from Williams.

[Jockey]

Let me tell you something:  I would take Maluach 2nd in this draft.  People say he's super raw but as you said, he plays within himself and is a total team guy.  He's not even close to scratching the surface.  And he has good touch and excellent hands.  I could easily see him adding about 25 pounds of muscle and improving in all areas over the next 5 years.  He's quick enough to guard all  positions.

My guess is that he goes 4 or 5. But if anyone wants to beat Duke. They have to get him in early foul trouble.

[Jockey]

Rico never deified him as the next great thing. But that doesn't look to me like a team simply full of talent with a coach just rolling the ball out there.

And I think Hubert Davis is a great example. Won a lot of games for sure, but look unprepared at times and struggle with consistency.  Reading about both, it feels like Scheyer has made some changes in the Duke program away from the ridgid structure and centralization of Coach K, and is making it his own. Whereas I think Davis is struggling with trying to be the next in like to do it the UNC way.

I think Duke is going to remain very good for a long time, but UNC is going to have to make a decision soon.

Very good post. Schemer has surprised me with his coaching abilities.

[MU82]

What other coach took over a 32 win Final Four team with five 5 star recruits coming in and another four 5 star recruits.  All in a mediocre ACC. You could have gotten Duke to 25 wins a year in those conditions.

Hell, it's looking like Hubert Davis isn't a very good HC and he had 80 wins his first 3 years and he didn't have the incoming arsenal that Scheyer has had.

I'm not trying to crap on him and say he's a bum, but I'm in no hurry to deify him as the next great thing.  He's waltzed into probably the best situation in the last 30-40 years, outside of maybe Roy and Self in 2003, but obviously they weren't first time HCs

Neither Rico nor I deified Scheyer. And frankly, it does look like you're trying to crap on him a little.

Duke's three best players are teenagers. All everyone talked about going into this season was how, to win in college hoops nowadays, you've got to be "old." And pretty much every contender this season was old - except Duke. Well, for a team whose best players are still multiple years away from legally drinking, Duke plays disciplined basketball, they excel on both sides of the ball, they share the ball, they are a low-turnover team, they seem prepared.

Of course they have talent. Mega-talent. K also had teams with mega-talent that didn't get to the Final Four. So did Calipari, Williams, Smith, Self, McGuire, Meyer and other Hall of Famers.

Is Scheyer an X-and-O genius? Probably not, but I don't track Duke's sets and formations and situational plays, and neither does anybody else here.

He's a young coach, just a few years into his first job. He took over for a legend but has totally built his own team. He has to convince guys to come to Duke, and yes that's a hell of a lot easier than convincing them to go most other places, but he no longer gets to convince them to play for his boss, a legend.

I don't know how anybody can look at what Scheyer has done so far - especially this season - and say it hasn't been at least a little impressive. I actually find myself rooting for him.

Of course, if they make a bunch of undisciplined mistakes and screw up the next game, we can revisit this.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Coaches sure look better when they have better talent.  Remember when Scheyer lost not once, but twice to NC State last March? How good of a coach was he then?

But Scheyer took advantage of Duke's recruiting advantages. 8 of the 10 players that played for Duke yesterday are in their first year at the school.

Adding five 5 stars, including the #1 overall pick, and 3 transfers sure upgraded their talent. I'm not prepared to pass a final verdict on Scheyer's coaching ability, but having the most talent sure makes a coach look good.

[wadesworld]

Guess what? Scheyer will probably continue to have elite level talent as long as he's at Duke. So it doesn't really matter if he could win at a high major.

The guy has what some think is the best college freshman since...AD? KD? Even though the answer is Zion, I'll go past that because someone here claimed I only see the shiny toy and Zion was a horrible defender...despite being on the All ACC Defensive Team and leading the ACC in defensive win shares 😂.

Anyway, he has that and the gameplay last night was...to turn Flagg into a role player offensively and get Kon the ball on dribble handoffs and go to work in the screen and roll with Maluach. Not many coaches are doing that with a talent like Flagg. He also turned a 3s and layups dominant offense into a midrange shooting team (and hopefully midrange loving Scoopers watched Bama vs. BYU and then Bama vs. Duke and now see why we don't shoot midrange jumpers. They are not efficient shots).

[Elonsmusk]

Guess what? Scheyer will probably continue to have elite level talent as long as he's at Duke. So it doesn't really matter if he could win at a high major.

The guy has what some think is the best college freshman since...AD? KD? Even though the answer is Zion, I'll go past that because someone here claimed I only see the shiny toy and Zion was a horrible defender...despite being on the All ACC Defensive Team and leading the ACC in defensive win shares 😂.

Anyway, he has that and the gameplay last night was...to turn Flagg into a role player offensively and get Kon the ball on dribble handoffs and go to work in the screen and roll with Maluach. Not many coaches are doing that with a talent like Flagg. He also turned a 3s and layups dominant offense into a midrange shooting team (and hopefully midrange loving Scoopers watched Bama vs. BYU and then Bama vs. Duke and now see why we don't shoot midrange jumpers. They are not efficient shots).

I too have been really impressed by Scheyer's coaching and demeanor.  He's calm and his X's and O's are really good.  As I watched Maluach last night, I envisioned (maybe fantasy) that Josh Clark could play a similar role for MU.  Duke's pick and roll and lob game with Maluach are just dynamite.

Some Duke teams have had an unlikability factor, but this team - I've really enjoyed watching them play.

[tower912]

What I liked about both Duke's and Alabama's motion last night was the off ball screening and movement.

[wadesworld]

What I liked about both Duke's and Alabama's motionless night was the off ball screening and movement.

Yup. That's what I see most compared to what MU had this year. The ball and player movement are just a lot better.

[MU82]

Coaches sure look better when they have better talent.  Remember when Scheyer lost not once, but twice to NC State last March? How good of a coach was he then?

But Scheyer took advantage of Duke's recruiting advantages. 8 of the 10 players that played for Duke yesterday are in their first year at the school.

Adding five 5 stars, including the #1 overall pick, and 3 transfers sure upgraded their talent. I'm not prepared to pass a final verdict on Scheyer's coaching ability, but having the most talent sure makes a coach look good.

As a head coach, he's a relative neophyte. At the lowly level I coached, I know that I was a heck of a lot better in my 3rd season than I was in my 1st and 2nd.

As I previously said, plenty of Hall of Fame coaches didn't win titles or even make Final Fours despite having superior talent. Even the best didn't do it every year. Did any of them do it in his second season as a college coach (which was the case with Scheyer last year)?

I don't think it's appropriate to crown him for anything yet. But I also don't think it's appropriate to judge him negatively.

Anyway, he has that and the gameplay last night was...to turn Flagg into a role player offensively and get Kon the ball on dribble handoffs and go to work in the screen and roll with Maluach. Not many coaches are doing that with a talent like Flagg. He also turned a 3s and layups dominant offense into a midrange shooting team (and hopefully midrange loving Scoopers watched Bama vs. BYU and then Bama vs. Duke and now see why we don't shoot midrange jumpers. They are not efficient shots).

These are all good points. Good coaching went on last night. There was one BLOB play where Knueppel screened for Flagg at the FT line while two teammates flared out to other spots on the court. Flagg used the screen to dive to the hoop but Bama covered him. After setting the screen, Knueppel turned around and took a step back into the lane, where he was open. The IB found him, and Knueppel drove for the layup. It's not a complicated play - I've seen it before - but it worked exactly as it was drawn up.

Again, I don't think anybody here is saying that Scheyer deserves the mantle of greatness. I happen to think he doesn't deserve, "Meh. He has all the talent. Anybody could coach that team to the national title."

[Uncle Rico]

Yup. That's what I see most compared to what MU had this year. The ball and player movement are just a lot better.

Coach K post-2015 title was basically rolling the ball out and letting his team figure it out.  Those teams were good but undisciplined and often, helpless against well coached teams.

And these Duke teams play much better team defense than the last decade of Coach K.  People expecting a Duke decline are going to be severely disappointed.  They may not reach the heights of K in his prime, but they'll be just fine

[MU82]

What an epic choke job by TTU

Florida deserves a ton of credit for hitting 3s and then ultimately stopping Texas Tech, but yeah ... it really was an epic choke job by the lads from Lubbock.

In the last 3 minutes, their two best players, Toppin (an All-American) and Williams, each missed the front end of a 1-and-1. TT inexplicably went from dominating inside to launching panicked 3-pointers when they absolutely didn't need to. And they fouled a second before Florida was gonna get hit with a 10-second violation.

We've been talking about good coaching and bad coaching and mediocre coaching. What kind of coaching was that by Grant McCasland to oversee an gag-a-thon that cost his team a spot in the Final Four?

[Uncle Rico]

Florida deserves a ton of credit for hitting 3s and then ultimately stopping Texas Tech, but yeah ... it really was an epic choke job by the lads from Lubbock.

In the last 3 minutes, their two best players, Toppin (an All-American) and Williams, each missed the front end of a 1-and-1. TT inexplicably went from dominating inside to launching panicked 3-pointers when they absolutely didn't need to. And they fouled a second before Florida was gonna get hit with a 10-second violation.

We've been talking about good coaching and bad coaching and mediocre coaching. What kind of coaching was that by Grant McCasland to oversee an gag-a-thon that cost his team a spot in the Final Four?

He needs his team to practice FT shooting and not giving up desperation 3's

[willie warrior]

Scheyer akin to when Barry Switzer won with the Dallas Cowboys? Maybe. But bottom line, Scheyer is coaching high level talent at a high level. He brought in Flagg, Kon...and is probably going to notch a natty. It's definitely his team, not K's, at this point. What strikes me is the divide between where Duke is right now, and MU is anticipated to be next season. Wide. And agreed, UNC has a decision to make or they'll fall well behind their hated rival.

How dare you state that the divide is wide. People on this board will crucify you for such a statement. You should realize that MU and Duke are 2 peas in a pod, with a bushel of peas in between

[willie warrior]

All this talk about Duke, Scheyer an their recruits. What about MU, Shaka and his recruits? What is this, nothing to see here?

[The Sultan]

All this talk about Duke, Scheyer an their recruits. What about MU, Shaka and his recruits? What is this, nothing to see here?

This is the NCAA tourney topic. Not the recruiting topic.

I know reading can be a challenge for you, so I hope this helps.

[Scoop Snoop]

All this talk about Duke, Scheyer an their recruits. What about MU, Shaka and his recruits? What is this, nothing to see here?

Spot on. Nothing to see here. I'm no longer a Marquette fan. I'm a Dukie now.

[Billy Hoyle]

Florida deserves a ton of credit for hitting 3s and then ultimately stopping Texas Tech, but yeah ... it really was an epic choke job by the lads from Lubbock.

In the last 3 minutes, their two best players, Toppin (an All-American) and Williams, each missed the front end of a 1-and-1. TT inexplicably went from dominating inside to launching panicked 3-pointers when they absolutely didn't need to. And they fouled a second before Florida was gonna get hit with a 10-second violation.

We've been talking about good coaching and bad coaching and mediocre coaching. What kind of coaching was that by Grant McCasland to oversee an gag-a-thon that cost his team a spot in the Final Four?

I don't know how much of that was really on McCasland. He was pissed at the Toppin three point attempt, an 85% FT shooter bricked the front end of a one and one, and he was telling team not to foul on what should have been a 10 second violation. I don't think the second missed three was "panicked" as much as it was a bad shot off a drive and kick. The shooter was wide open, but if the original ball handler who had gone to the rim had taken the shot he may have been fouled if he didn't make the shot. Sometimes no amount of coaching can overcome bad decisions made by the players.

[Uncle Rico]

This is the NCAA tourney topic. Not the recruiting topic.

I know reading can be a challenge for you, so I hope this helps.

He's like a blind man at an orgy

[Scoop Snoop]

Sometimes no amount of coaching can overcome bad decisions made by the players.

With "sometimes" being the operative word, I agree. The team did not get to the level it achieved with a bad coach. The players pissed away the game with brain-dead decisions.