The Rivalry: Carolina vs Duke 8 PM EST ESPN. It's a Holiday in the Triangle.

[MGH1989]

14 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

duke fans have to get creative with their timeframes to win that argument. Both programs have 5 championships (UNC actually has 6 since they were retroactively awarded the 1924 championship but I won't even count that one).

K > Roy and Dean

I also like our version of math better.

[MGH1989]

9 minutes ago, pstall said:

Can't you live with early defeats if you are also the last guy standing? They don't give trophies for the elite 8 or even the Final Four. This ain't the 70s.

You went last year and lost. Slow clap for making it further last year.

It's about winning championships and only Duke and i think Uconn have won multiple times reee cent..ly.

Carolina is a bucket from winning 1 more recently and Duke a bucket from winning 2. 1 pt and 2 pt losses.

Since the last time UNC won it all, Duke has gotten coffee twice. As long as you guys avoid Kansas and Duke Uconn they both usually fare pretty well.

 

 

This. I swear man. Its like Carolina fans have grown content with that. It actually makes me sad.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, MGH1989 said:

K > Roy and Dean

I also like our version of math better.

Agree to disagree. 

I like the fact that we're still playing while duke is at home and K is plotting his next "back issue". I'll never have any respect for that man hanging his top assistant out to dry and letting him take the fall. That's something DES or Roy would never do.

[RoaringRiot]

Whatever helps you guys justify getting beat in the first weekend is good with me. It's enjoyable watching it happen and it's enjoyable watching you act like it isn't a big deal. 

On another note....what are you guys gonna do with all your free time next weekend? 

[MGH1989]

1 minute ago, RoaringRiot said:

Whatever helps you guys justify getting beat in the first weekend is good with me. It's enjoyable watching it happen and it's enjoyable watching you act like it isn't a big deal. 

On another note....what are you guys gonna do with all your free time next weekend? 

It keeps me up at night bro. I honestly don't know how I make it out of bed everyday.

[LinvilleGorge]

Maybe K can use his free time to get a few more 5* big man recruits to let rot away on the bench.

[Yaboychris28]

I'm a die hard UNC fan but this years team scares the hell out of me.  I truly believed we were the best team last year in the tourny, but this year we just don't have a go to guy like Brice Johnson, or an x factor in Paige. I like to think J Jackson is, but he seems to disapear at times. Our defense can be horrendous in spurts as well( shown in last 5 min of 1st half vs ARK). I hope i'm wrong, i'm just not confident we can get past UCLA/Kentucky. Please prove me wrong though Heels

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, Yaboychris28 said:

I'm a die hard UNC fan but this years team scares the hell out of me.  I truly believed we were the best team last year in the tourny, but this year we just don't have a go to guy like Brice Johnson, or an x factor in Paige. I like to think J Jackson is, but he seems to disapear at times. Our defense can be horrendous in spurts as well( shown in last 5 min of 1st half vs ARK). I hope i'm wrong, i'm just not confident we can get past UCLA/Kentucky. Please prove me wrong though Heels

Not gonna disagree because I feel the same way. Fortunately, as talented as UCLA and UK are the same is true for them.

[Jon Snow]

Having been born and raised in Kentucky I'm a life long UK fan so fug all y'all.

But having said that, I've also lived half my life in NC and on occasion have had to take sides in this debate.  I relish every Dookie defeat no matter by who's hands it is.

[pstall]

I'll take a National championship after a year or 2 of losing a first rd because for those you get some cool swag.

Give me that trend all day.

[LinvilleGorge]

I'll take an opportunity to win it all this year over sitting at home on the couch.

[UnluckyCharms]

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

They're in the tournament because you have to be absolutely awful not to go to the tournament. There's twice as many teams in the NCAA tournament as there are in the NFL total.

Everyone was talking about what an easy draw duke got and how they may have actually lucked out getting "snubbed" for a #1 and they still flamed out. Lehigh and Mercer were great under-seeded teams, right? LOL!

Again, your analogy is a false equivalency. I should've never taken the bait on it to begin with.

So a tournament that invites 64/351 teams(18%) against the playoffs which have 12/32( 37.5) percent is not a fair comparison? You're right, it's not. Its far harder to make the NCAA tournament than it is to make the Playoffs. The only fans I've heard saying that Duke has an easy bracket are Carolina fans, who say that every single year without fail despite actually understanding what they're talking about. 

Since we've been talking about this decade, start in 2010 with our 4th championship. Played the highest seed in every game along the way(excluding Villanova who was upset) including Baylor(3) in Houston before getting (2) WVU in the semis and (5)Butler in the Natty. Duke wins in the second greatest national championship game ever as a near miss in the final seconds hands the Devils its fourth. The same Butler team would go back to the National Championship the next year led by an NBA coach and a future NBA All star. Carolina did not make the tournament this year. Duke has the harder bracket.

2011, shipped out to California as a #1 seed where we play Arizona in the sweet 16 and lose in Anaheim. As the weakest 1 seed, we get the toughest bracket 2000 miles away from home. Carolina stays on the east coast(2 seed) and plays in New jersey where they scrape out a 3 point win against Washington(7) and then play the mighty Marquette(11). UNC is upset by Kentucky(4) in the elite eight. Duke has the harder bracket.

2012, as a 2 seed we are placed in the overall toughest bracket with Kentucky as the consensus #1. Baylor was also considered to be the strongest 3. Duke is upset by Lehigh. Carolina receives a 1 and goes through the gauntlet of  a 16, 8, and 13 before being upset by their 2 seed in the Elite Eight. Not even close, Duke has the harder bracket.

2013, Duke receives another 2 seed with another consensus #1 in Louisville. Games played in Indy. Goes through their 7, 3(Michigan State which was essentially a home game for the Spartans), before getting crushed by UL in the Elite Eight.UL goes on to win the National Championship. Carolina is an eight seed and gets knocked out by Kansas in their second game who proceeds to lose to Michigan(4). Carolina has the harder bracket.

2014, Duke draws an undefeated, #1 overall Wichita State. This Wichita State team wasn't a powerhouse, but the committee still had the mind to place Duke in the same bracket as the #1 overall.  Widely considered the region of death for its inclusion of under seeded teams(Michigan, Kentucky, Louisville), this bracket produced a national title runner up in UK. Duke loses to Mercer in the first round. I will admit, this one stung. It was apparent that Lehigh had one supremely talented player(and future NBA star) in McCollum. Mercer was a team of nobodies. Carolina draws a 6 seed. In their first game they win by 2 against Providence(11). Their second game they play Iowa State(3) and lose by 2. The #1 and #2 in this bracket were both considered to be jokes (UVA, Villanova). Duke has the harder bracket.

2015, Duke draws a 1 over Gonzaga who many feel deserved the spot. Despite being the 3rd #1 seed, Gonzaga is placed in our Bracket as the top 2 seed. The Devils blast SDSU(8), squeak by Utah(5 seed and top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency according to KenPom), beat Gonzaga(2) by 14 then annihilates a Michigan State team that was red hot. Wisconsin awaits in the National championship game after ruining the matchup everyone wanted to see between the Devils and Kentucky. Ted Cruz arrives on the national stage, quickly becoming the most hated athlete in the nation and saves Duke to capture our 5th National Championship. Carolina earned a 4 and beat their 13th seeded Harvard by 2 in the opening round. Won against Arkansas(5) then lost to Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen. Duke easily has the harder bracket.

2016, Carolina earns a 1 seed. They play Providence(9) and Indiana (5) who both upset their higher seeded opponents. The 2 seed in this bracket (Xavier) loses in their second round. The 3 seed lost in the first round. This means UNC plays Notre Dame (6) in the Elite Eight.  They then get Syracuse as a 10 seed in the final four. To recap, thats 9,5,6,10. Brutal. The following matchup produces the greatest game in national championship history. I know its fresh so I won't explain why. Duke (4)also benefitted from upsets this year and play a 12/13 before running into their #1 seed, Oregon. Game is played in Anaheim. Coach K seductively whispers to Dillon Brooks after getting pounded in the last few minutes and the CBB world spends the next few weeks telling off K.  Carolina has the harder bracket.

2017, Duke is upset in the second round in Greenville after Greensboro has its tournament games stripped from it. UNC and USC fans unite to create a monstrous cheering force, fueled by their mutual hatred of Duke. This gives the Devils a road game in their second game despite being the #2 seed. Keep in mind that this bracket features the #1 overall Wildcats and under seeded teams across the board. UNC is given a 1 seed despite having a worse record than the Devils and a cakewalk to the Elite Eight. Duke has by far the harder bracket. Since you won't believe me, here are a few articles from statisticians and experts.

https://www.betlabssports.com/blog/2017-ncaa-tournament-region-toughest/

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-tournament-2017-bracket-ranking-the-four-regions-from-strongest-to-weakest/         (Note that the other 3 teams in KemPoms top ten here are on the opposite side of your region meaning you'll only have to play one of these teams)

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/3/12/14901002/ncaa-tournament-bracket-2017-march-madness-reaction         "Everyone’s going to say the East is the toughest region because North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA are huge names that can score a lot of points, but that’s probably not telling the whole story. Villanova/Duke is the toughest 1,2 combo in any of the regions, and the depth of teams in the middle of the Midwest is extremely strong."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2017/03/14/2017-ncaa-tournament-north-carolina-and-gonzaga-have-the-easiest-path-to-the-final-four/

"According to Jeff Gagarin’s Predictor metric, one of the best indicators of future wins this season, the East is the region with the stiffest competition."

"The South region is this year’s easiest, with the average team in that bracket similar to No. 9 Virginia Tech  (82.6). That’s good news for the Tar Heels, who should have an easy time getting to the Final Four."

 

TL;DR Its harder to make the NCAA tournament than the NFL playoffs. Duke rarely gets the favorable seeding that many people falsely claim. Numbers support that Carolina actually has an easier path. East region was the most difficult this year. South is a cakewalk.

 

[LinvilleGorge]

LOL!

How many future pros are on that duke team that got bounced? How many on that SCar team? On Lehigh? On Mercer?

duke has a MUCH larger talent advantage over most teams at the NCAA level than any NFL team has over another at the pro level. Stop embarrassing yourself. duke gets bounced on the regular by teams consisting of future accountants and insurance salesmen. In fact, duke just became only he second team to lose to SCar in the NCAA tourney since 1974. Congrats!

[luke nukem]

4 hours ago, UnluckyCharms said:

Only banners I really care about are national championships. So yea, since we've won more of those than any team in the last decade(and the modern era)

WRONG, you take a 10 year sample from 2005-2015(The year you last won it all) and you get UNC :2 Florida: 2 Duke: 2 and UCONN: 2. Also since 1999 UCONN has won 4 Natties(Probably too young to remember that glorious L, thank you based Rip Hamilton) compared to Dukes 3, Uconn is the most successful team this millennium, its just a fact. Even if UNC wins this year they would need another to wrestle the title away from them. 4 in 15 years wont be repeated by anyone anytime soon.