Duke Basketball Report

Saturday is almost here! The Duke Blue Devils are set to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2nd matchup between the two rivals this season. Episode 290 is here to preview everything you need to know about it. We begin by recapping Coach K’s press conference from earlier Thursday, where his comments focused on the battle of the big men. Neutralizing UNC’s big men will be a big task for Mark Williams, Matthew Hurt, and even Jaemyn Brakefield. Then, we get into the analysis of the Tar Heels, keying in on the advanced metrics, the players to watch, and what Duke needs to do to beat them. A win could mean the difference between Duke beginning the ACC Tournament on Tuesday or Wednesday. A deep run in the ACC Tournament will be needed to reach the NCAA Tournament, but beating the Heels will help in how deep that run has to be. Finally, we close with a quick glimpse down memory lane on Jay Williams and how he decided to return to Duke for his junior year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoice

The podcast crew has a special guest, none other than former Dukie Cassius Stanley. Cash is getting ready to appear in this weekend's NBA slam dunk contest and he tells us all about his dunking idols and the surprises he has in store for the basketball world at All-Star Weekend. Plus, we go back in time exactly one year to hear how Cash thinks the 2020 season would have turned out... if Covid had not prevented Duke from playing in the NCAA tournament. Cassius has some very interesting insight into the troubles of the current Duke team and you simply cannot miss hearing about some of his favorite memories from being coached by Mike Krzyzewski. It is one of the most interesting interviews we have ever done here on the DBR Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Close, but no cigar... that seems to be the story of this season for the Blue Devils. Duke falls in another nail biter, this time to a confident and experienced Georgia Tech team. There was plenty to like from this game -- Mark Williams is turning into a beast and Wendell Moore is putting up stats in every category there is -- but there is plenty to be worried about too, especially the play of our young guards. Time is running out for the team to make its case for the NCAA tournament so the podcast crew takes a moment to talk about what will happen if Duke gets invited to the NIT tournament. We make the case -- pro and con -- for whether Duke should take a trip to the NIT for the first time in 40 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report, we have to dissect Duke's loss over the weekend to Louisville, a game that doesn't completely shut the door on Duke making the NCAA tournament, but it certainly hurts. First, let's get to the good. All three of the guys are excited to celebrate Matthew Hurt's performance at both ends of the court. If this was Hurt's audition tape for the NBA, the only clear flaw we found was his occasionally leaving a toe on the three-point line. Moving to the bad, Jason is fired up to talk about the guard play in this game. After a few weeks of improved performance, particularly from the freshman guards, this game was a major step back for the backcourt. After the break, we preview Duke's second to last game of the regular season, a return tilt against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Duke already owns one win against them this season, and if Duke wants to stay in tournament contention, they have to make it 2-0 against Josh Pastner's team this week. Finally, we wrap with some di

The Blue Devils are back! Duke once again looks like an ACC power after administering the third beat down in their past four games, spanking the Syracuse Orange. The star of the game was Mark Williams, who was dunking all over the smaller Syracuse front line. Meanwhile, Jeremy Roach and DJ Steward were leading Duke to one of their best assist days in decades. The podcas crew -- Jason, Donald, and Sam -- are quite excited at the progress the team is making and are eager for more more more games like this one. After the break, the guys are back to talk about the next contest on the schedule as the Devils looks to boost their NCAA resume by getting revenge on Louisville. Will Duke be able to stop the Cardinals potent pick-and-roll offense and do we expect big Mark to have another big game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast trio has calmed down a bit, but they’re still very excited to recap the big Duke Blue Devils victory over the Virginia Cavaliers. We break down all the good and even the veggies from the victory, powered by some excellent defense down the stretch and some incredible play from several players. After the break, we preview tomorrow’s game against the Syracuse Orange, and what the Blue Devils need to do in order to get the win and keep the momentum going. We also dive into the Bracketology, as our NCAA Tournament chances steadily improve. How does Duke’s remaining schedule help them in making the field once again? We conclude with Player of the Week honors, and remember: the DBR Podcast Player of the Week standards are high! Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already, and please spread the word to your friends and fellow Duke fans! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WOOOOOO!!! An emergency Episode 284 is here, recording seconds after the Duke Blue Devils take down the Virginia Cavaliers 66-65! Warning: there is a lot of cursing on this episode, and why wouldn’t there be?! We’re FIRED up after the big win, and we show just how pumped we are! This episode doesn’t have any of the normal analysis or breakdowns of the game. Just pure, raw emotion as we go through some of the moments that made us happy. We’ll break down the good and the bad on Episode 285, which you should find ready to go sometime tomorrow afternoon. We’ll do a full recap of this win and preview the Syracuse Orange game that takes place on Monday night. We can’t celebrate this win for long, but celebrate we must. That was a tremendous game for the neutral fan, and an even better one for all of us who rep that Duke Blue! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, where we always look on the bright side of life. This week, though Duke lost one of its best players prematurely to NBA Draft preparation, we get to enjoy seeing Duke beat the pants off of Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. We start with the headlines and the good, where there is a lot to praise, from Matthew Hurt to Mark Williams to Jaemyn Brakefield. We also have admiration for the team's defensive effort and the continuing improvement in the passing game for Duke. Hopefully, this full team development isn't too little too late. As for the bad from the Wake game, we have a few limited points of improvement that the Blue Devils can check before facing Virginia this weekend, including wanting more guys to score in double figures (come on, Donald!). After the break, we dive into the limited but lingering fallout from Jalen Johnson's decision to leave the team late in the season. The big takeaway is that we know enough to know that we don't know enough. Looking ahe

Whoa!!! Star freshman forward Jalen Johnson has opted to enter the NBA Draft (not a surprise) and will not be playing any more basketball for Duke (a huge surprise). Jason, Sam, and Donald hop on the line just minutes after hearing the news to see what they can figure out. What impact will this have on the team's on court performance and what may have led Johnson to make this decision? Join the podcast gang for all their analysis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 281 of the DBR Podcast is ready to take you into the week! On this show, the gang is here to discuss the big victory against the NC State Wolfpack. We discuss the emergence of Mark Williams, the return to form for Matthew Hurt, and how well the defense played on Coach K’s birthday. We also preview the Wake Forest Demon Deacons game that’s coming up on Wednesday night. Wake is struggling this season, and we focus on how they’ve fared since the last matchup between the two teams over a month ago. After the break, we get into the NCAA Tournament and the bracket preview that the selection committee released on Saturday. Duke’s not in it, but it’s still interesting to see what the committee is thinking in a unique tournament setup. Finally, we hand out Player of the Week honors. A couple of players are in contention, but will the gang all choose the same guy? You only know if you listen in, and make sure to subscribe and tell your friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice

Where has the defense gone? Notre Dame seemed to score at will against Duke on Tuesday and even though the Blue Devils had one of their best offensive games, it still ended in a defeat. Jason, Sam, and Donald break down what went wrong, including some individual players who really struggled to make a positive impact when they were on the floor. Ever the optimists, the guys saw some good news in the contest and they look ahead to how Duke builds on this against NC State in our next game this weekend. And, before the episode is done, the podcast team looks at Duke's remaining schedule to see what the team needs to do to make the NCAA tourney... and they reflect on some sage words from Coach K about how the tough times can lead to good times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast is back for some sad, yet hopeful, notes about Duke's loss to UNC last night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Among the standout performances for Duke were guys who have been mostly stuck on the bench this season, like junior Joey Baker and freshman Henry Coleman. Baker had a double-figure scoring night and Coleman brought the intensity and energy that Jason, Donald, and Sam have all known was there but we hadn't seen yet. Additionally, we saw the Duke offense sharing the ball and hunting good shots in a way that it hasn't in a long while. On the bad side for Duke, the defense allowed career nights for multiple Tar Heels, including freshman Caleb Love, who was key for UNC down the stretch. UNC was making threes and taking foul shots at abnormally large rates, and both of those stats will haunt Duke when they look at the tape. We also strongly suspect that this will be Matt Hurt's worst performance this year in an otherwise standout sophomore campaign. Looking ahead, Duke hosts Notre Dame this week,

The DBR Podcast crew is here to break down everything you need to know about the big game this weekend with the Tarheels. Ordinarily, this game is huge because both teams are jockeying for position at the top of the ACC, but this year it is big because one team will walk away from it with an important step forward in the effort to get a NCAA bid and the other will have taken another step backwards. With that in mind, the guys break down the analytics, the players, and who each team has played so far in this crazy season. And their preview also includes some words from Coach K about the matchup. The podcast crew reads between the lines to hear some interesting analysis of the psyche of this year's very young Duke team. We wrap it all up with a deep dive into the NCAA NET rankings to see how Duke's resume is shaping up and what can be done to improve it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a special treat for you on Episode 277 of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast! First, the guys discuss the potential for Waffle House in Washington, DC. Let’s just say it’s shooting off the charts! For the meat of the episode, Brendan Marks, Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels beat writer for The Athletic, joins the Podcast. The gang gets to speak with him about Duke’s struggles this season and what they need to do to turn it around. Brendan talks about how he became a fan of the ACC and the teams that are contenders for the NCAA Tournament. He also talks about which players he thinks are All-ACC at this point and how the pandemic has changed his approach to covering the ACC. Finally, the conversation shifts to this weekend’s Duke-UNC game. Brendan gives us the goods on the players to watch, the matchups to pay attention to, and each team’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s an interview you don’t want to miss! The DBR Podcast will be back on Thursday to do a full preview show for the big game coming up thi

Sam, Jason, and Donald are frustrated and confused. How did the Duke team that hammered Clemson fall just 48 hours later to an undermanned Miami? The guys try to make sense of it all. They point out the few good things to happen in the game and then spend a long time discussing everything that went wrong. Plenty of attention is paid to Duke's defense (or lack thereof) and to Duke just making terrible decisions on offense. And the podcast crew dips into the history book to find a Duke team that reminds them of the current Blue Devils, Let them know if you agree with the comparison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy days are here again as the Blue Devils take Clemson to the woodshed for a good old fashioned spanking. This one was never in doubt. Donald, Jason, and Sam can't even get through their normal hellos without spinning off into a conversation about Jalen Johnson dunking the life out of a foolish Clemson player who got in his way on a fast-break. The guys also spend a lot of time talking about the way Mark Williams changes the game when he gets in the contest. Plus, there is an extensive preview of Duke's upcoming contest with the Miami Hurricanes, a team that is really hurting these days. Donald is a big Miami fan so he has plenty of dirt to dish on them. We close with remembrances of Temple basketball giant John Cheney and Hammering Hank Aaron before handing out the coveted Player of the Week award. And, if you miss dining out as much as we do, make sure you listen out for a side-conversation about how much meat we want to eat at Fogo de Chão. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch

Duke gets back in the win column with a hard fought victory over Georgia Tech. Even the optimists, the podcast crew saw plenty to like in this one with specific praise for Jordan Goldwire and Mark Williams... oh, and we finally saw Duke taking more free throws than our opponent! We break down what Coach K singled out from the victory and talk about whether Duke can find the consistency that has bene so difficult to come by during this crazy Covid season. After a quick break, Donald, Jason, and Sam look ahead to the game this weekend against Clemson, a team that looked great a couple weeks ago but now seems to be struggling. A win streak would sure be nice right about now. And be sure to stick around at the end after the band has played to hear about all kinds of trouble that Jason has been getting into lately... a sneak peak inside the life of a podcaster who does not want to be interrupted while recording his musings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, Jason, Donald, and Sam are back to break down Duke's third consecutive loss. We try to keep things hopeful as we work through what has been going wrong for the Blue Devils the last couple of weeks. One of the interesting dynamics from this game was Lousville having fans in the KFC Yum! Center, which, despite rooting against Duke, may have given our guys some extra energy. Donald in particular is impressed with Duke's energy throughout this game, particularly early, which has been a challenge for Duke so far this season. Jason is impressed with Wendell Moore and Joey Baker, who both seem to be improving in little ways during conference play. Sam is excited about Matthew Hurt, who continues to garner praise not just from partisans in Duke blue goggles but from the college basketball media writ large. Before the break, we dive into the weird exchange between Coach K and the Duke Chronicle student reporter from the postgame press conference. Looking ahead, the guys break down D

It’s Inauguration Day, but the DBR Podcast crew is here to talk Duke Blue Devils Basketball on Episode 272. Duke takes a loss to the Pitt Panthers Pittsburgh Panthers, and the guys break down what happened. Slow starts are dooming the team, and last night was no exception. We hear audio from Coach K, and you can sense his frustration with having no energy at the start of games. After the break, we discuss Duke’s next opponent, a Saturday tilt with the Louisville Cardinals. We preview what to look for and tell you which players will be a subject of focus when the two teams meet. Finally, the NCAA Tournament has slightly changed its normal set of dates. When should you expect to tell your boss you’re not going into your living room to work, but to watch the first couple rounds of the tournament? As always, rate, review, and subscribe, and drop us a line at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com if you’re looking to ask us some questions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more abou

This episode begins with some major Duke news as Athletic Director Kevin White plans to retire. We reflect on his legacy and speculate a bit about who might come next. Next, we preview Duke's matchup this coming week against Jeff Capel and his Pitt Panthers, a team that seems to be on the rise within the ACC ranks. And then Jason unveils a major project that is coming to the DBR podcast. He is interviewing every player on the 2001 national championship team and will be putting together an oral history of that season. He gives all of us a preview by playing a little bit of his interviews with Shane Battier, JD Simpson, Mike Dunleavy, and Chris Duhon. It is just a tiny taste of what is sure to be incredible insight into one of the most memorable seasons in Duke history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices