Look for Devils to bounce back
Feb 7, 2009
Miami Hurricanes you have been warned. There is a category 5 Blue Devil lurking in the Durham area scheduled to make landfall at 1:30p.m. Saturday afternoon.
The day is sure to be filled with sound and fury. Deafening noise from the Cameron Crazies, and suffocating inspired play from the Blue Devils will certainly swallow up the Hurricanes.
How can I be so sure of this you might ask? Especially fresh off the beating Duke absorbed at Clemson on Wednesday night. Not to mention that this has been about the time the last two Duke teams have swooned.
Also keep in mind this wasn’t just any loss, the 74-47 loss marked the worst defeat any Mike Krzyzewski team has suffered since the 101-71 loss UNLV laid on the Blue Devils in the 1990 NCAA championship game. That’s almost 20 years--Duke just doesn’t get dominated, ever.
This is exactly why Duke will bounce back. The humiliation the Devils endured in that UNLV loss laid the foundation for a different Duke mindset and style for the next 18 years. They became a tougher, grittier program, and have been pushing other teams around ever since.
Coach K is a master motivator, and the loss at Clemson, just like the loss in 1990 will only serve as fuel for the Blue Devils. Most of the players on this team were infants the last time this happened so maybe it's time to explain that loss and what it meant to the program.
Krzyzewski again will use the bitter taste to remind them of the responsibility that goes with wearing the Duke uniform. Rest assured there will be a renewed energy and determination on the floor Saturday afternoon.
There are few teams that would have a snowballs’ chance tomorrow, and even though the Canes are coming off a 27 point win over Wake Forest, I can confidently say that Miami isn’t one of them.
