Bucky's 5th Quarter - 2014 ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Big Ten triumphs, but Wisconsin knocked out by DukeWelcome to the unofficial online tavern of the Wisconsin Badgers. Please seat yourself.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47803/buckys-fave.png2014-12-04T14:29:15-06:00http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/rss/stream/70914142014-12-04T14:29:15-06:002014-12-04T14:29:15-06:00Photos: Duke vs. Wisconsin
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<figcaption>Grey Satterfield</figcaption>
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<p>Exclusive courtside photos from Wednesday's Duke-Wisconsin game.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/12/4/7331481/duke-wisconsin-2014-photosGrey Satterfield2014-12-04T07:30:56-06:002014-12-04T07:30:56-06:00Duke hands Wisconsin first loss in 80-70 bout
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<p>The Badgers fell short in one of the most widely anticipated games at the Kohl Center in years.</p> <table>
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<th width="100"></th> <th><i>1st</i></th> <th><i>2nd</i></th> <th><i>Final</i></th>
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<th style="text-align: center;"><i>No. 4 Duke</i></th>
<td style="text-align: center;">35</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">45</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">80</td>
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<th style="text-align: center;"><i>#2 Wisconsin</i></th>
<td style="text-align: center;">32</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">38</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">70</td>
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<p>MADISON -- In what was widely considered the most anticipated matchup of the 2014 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the No. 2 <a href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wisconsin Badgers</a> took on the No. 4 <a href="https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Duke Blue Devils</a> at the Kohl Center Wednesday night. Duke was able to handle the Badgers despite a career scoring night from Traevon Jackson by shooting 65 percent from the floor in an 80-70 victory, handing Wisconsin its first loss on the season.</p>
<p>A night that was dubbed a frontcourt matchup between All-American Frank Kaminsky and freshman preseason national player of the year Jahlil Okafor was less about the two stars and more about the guards for Duke and their ability to put the ball in the hoop. The Blue Devils were led by freshman guard Tyus Jones, who scored 22 points, and received a spark off the bench from <span>Rasheed Sulaimon</span> and his 14 points.</p>
<p>The Badgers were able to jump out to an early 6-2 lead at the 15:36 mark, but that would be their largest lead of the night. The Badgers hung with the youthful Blue Devils, but struggled to regain the lead after Duke took it over with 10:56 mark in the first half. Wisconsin recaptured the lead with 15:09 left in the game, although it would be the last time UW led.</p>
<p>"I would say they hit tough shots," UW coach Bo Ryan said. "They have good enough players that do that at times. To have as many do it in the same night, that's just not fair."</p>
<p>Jokes aside, the Blue Devils shot lights-out from the floor, but also shut down the Badgers' Nos. 2 and 3 threats offensively in <span>Sam Dekker</span> and <span>Nigel Hayes</span>. The Badgers as a team shot just under 41 percent. Dekker and Hayes were a combined 3-of-10 from the field scoring only nine points between the two of them.</p>
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<strong>More</strong>: <a href="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2517532/Gm8_WIS_DUKE.0.pdf" target="new">Box score</a> <a href="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2517538/Wisconsin_2014-15_Cumulative.0.pdf" target="new">Cumulative stats</a> <a href="http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/120414aac.html" target="new">Quotes</a>
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<p>"Our guys just showed a lot grit. Our defense was good," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. "Our offensive efficiency was incredible tonight."</p>
<p>"They played good defense. The switching part, we understood," Ryan said. "We do some of that ourselves."</p>
<p>While there were six lead changes and six separate tied scores at various points throughout the game, the Badgers could never really widen the gap between the Blue Devils and themselves when they had the opportunity. The largest lead the Badgers ever had was four points early in the first half. The back-and-forth game took a turn in the Blue Devils' favor midway through the second half when Duke went on a 7-0 run and a nine-point advantage.</p>
<p>"When you're at home, you've got to take advantage of that familiarity of your baskets and everything else and I just thought we had a couple chances to take a bigger lead or not let them get away," Ryan said.</p>
<div class="pullquote">"We had a couple chances to take a bigger lead or not let them get away." <span>-Bo Ryan</span>
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<p>"If you're playing from behind and you're us, and you're playing from behind against Duke, that's pretty difficult."</p>
<p>Duke was able to beat Wisconsin in a few areas other than shooting. The Badgers were able to match the Blue Devils' presence in the paint early in the game, but in the second half the distance between the two teams showed inside, as Duke finished the game scoring 32 points there to Wisconsin's 22.</p>
<p>Another point of difference was Duke's ability to score on fast breaks. While Wisconsin held them under double-digits in the category, the Blue Devils outscored the Badgers 9-0 on fast breaks.</p>
<p>The Badgers struggled in the second half offensively, only shooting 36 percent from the floor and failing to establish a presence down low. While Kaminsky scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, he went 5-12 from the field and missed three of his eight attempted free throws.</p>
<p>The true bright spot of the Badgers' second half was <span>Traevon Jackson's</span> ability to keep Wisconsin within striking distance. The senior scored a career-high 25 points, 17 of which came in the second half when the Badgers were struggling to find anything working offensively.</p>
<p>"I think that our team struggled in getting some shots," Jackson said. "I was just doing my part. It wasn't anything special."</p>
<p>Jackson said the Badgers lacked a third guy to score on Thursday. He said Duke never really felt the pressure of losing the lead because the Badgers struggled offensively throughout the game and in the second half.</p>
<p>"Jackson was amazing," Krzyzewski said. "I can't say enough about Jackson, though. We had a couple spurts there where if we make a stop, it's a double-digit game and all of the sudden he hits a three or makes a play."</p>
<p>Wisconsin gets a chance to get back on a winning streak with a game Saturday against Marquette at the Bradley Center.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/12/4/7331533/duke-wisconsin-game-2014-tyus-jones-traevon-jacksonLuke Mueller2014-12-03T23:42:00-06:002014-12-03T23:42:00-06:00Instant reaction: Duke tops Wisconsin, 80-70
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<p>Duke rode freshman guard Tyus Jones to victory over the Badgers in a battle between top-five teams.</p> <p>A Duke freshman stole the show against the Badgers during the Blue Devils (8-0)' 80-70 win over Wisconsin (7-1) on Wednesday night, but it wasn't the one most expected. Freshman point guard Tyus Jones torched the Badgers to the tune of 22 points on 7-11 shooting, adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists.</p>
<p>Duke couldn't miss all game long, shooting 65% from the field including 7-12 from behind the arc. This was partly due to Wisconsin struggling in man-to-man defense and the Blue Devils finishing anyways when their shots were contested.</p>
<p><span>Traevon Jackson</span> did his best to keep Wisconsin in the game, leading the game with 25 points on 7-12 shooting. Traevon played especially well down the stretch, scoring 17 points in the final 10 minutes and 30 seconds to keep Wisconsin within striking distance.</p>
<p><span>Frank Kaminsky</span> also held his own, outscoring Jahlil Okafor 17-13 and and helping to force 4 fouls on the freshman big. But his fellow frontcourt mates were practically invisible, with <span>Nigel Hayes</span> and <span>Sam Dekker</span> combining for eight points on 3-10 shooting.</p>
<p><span>Duje Dukan</span> and <span>Bronson Koenig</span>, who had provided huge boosts off the bench in the early season, struggled to get going. They combined to shoot 3-13 while struggling on defense . Meanwhile, <span>Rasheed Sulaimon</span> knocked down numerous big shots to help keep Duke in front of the Badgers. He paced bench players with 14 points on 5-8 shooting.</p>
<p><span>Quinn Cook</span>, who added 13 points on 5 shots despite battling foul trouble, gave Duke a lead with 11 minutes left in the first half on a go-ahead layup. The Blue Devils held the lead for the rest of the half and for the first five minutes of the second half until Wisconsin briefly jumped ahead Sulaimon put Duke back in front a couple minutes later and the Blue Devils never looked back, leading for the rest of the game.</p>
<p>The Badgers will look to rebound against Marquette on Saturday at the Bradley Center.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/12/3/7330043/wisconsin-duke-game-2014-final-score-resultKyle Vos2014-12-03T20:20:01-06:002014-12-03T20:20:01-06:00GAME THREAD: No. 4 Duke vs. No. 2 Wisconsin
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<figcaption>Graphic: Phil Mitten</figcaption>
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<p>The Kohl Center is the site of <em>the</em> marquee matchup in this year's Big Ten/ACC Challenge.</p> <h4>Projected Starting Lineups</h4>
<table border="0" width="100%"><tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #ffffff; background-color: #C41E3A;"><strong>Wisconsin</strong></td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;"><strong>Pos.</strong></td> <td style="color: white; background-color: blue;"><strong>Duke</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>Frank Kaminsky</span>, Sr.</td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;">C</td> <td>Jahlil Okafor, Fr.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>Nigel Hayes</span>, So.</td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;">F</td> <td> <span>Amile Jefferson</span>, Jr.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>Sam Dekker</span>, Jr.</td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;">F</td> <td>Justise Winslow, Fr.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>Josh Gasser</span>, Sr.</td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;">G</td> <td> <span>Quinn Cook</span>, Sr.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>Traevon Jackson</span>, Sr.</td> <td style="background-color: #ffe4e1;">G</td> <td>Tyus Jones, Fr.</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<p><a href="http://www.kenpom.com"><strong>KenPom</strong></a><strong> win probability: 62% (67-65 W) </strong><em>64 possessions</em></p>
<h4>Broadcast Info</h4>
<p><strong>TV:</strong> ESPN (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas)<br><strong>Radio:</strong> Badger Radio Network (Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas), Sirius/XM ch. 84</p>
<p><a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/B5Q" data-widget-id="325732619948015617">Tweets by @B5Q</a><script type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<h4>Links you might like:</h4>
<p>* <a href="http://host.madison.com/sports/columnists/jim_polzin/badgers-men-s-basketball-sam-dekker-says-recovery-from-ankle/article_f57e89a0-79b1-11e4-bcbb-2f175d7bc51d.html">Sam Dekker says recovery from ankle injury 'taking longer than expected'</a> (Madison.com)</p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2014/12/3/7327401/grant-hill-duke-vs-wisconsin-jahlil-okafor">Grant Hill talks Jahlil Okafor and how Duke matches up with Wisconsin</a> (SB Nation)</p>
<p>* <a href="http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/entry/the_acc_big_ten_challenge_bar_chart">The ACC/Big Ten Challenge bar chart</a> (KenPom.com)</p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-basketball/2014/12/2/7320911/wisconsin-vs-duke-b5q-grills-blue-devil-lair">Preview Q&A: B5Q grills Blue Devil Lair</a></p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/12/03/sam-dekker-wisconsin-badgers">How Sam Dekker's size is boosting the Badgers this season</a> (SI.com)</p>
<p>* Game Notes: <a href="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/release/release_20141201aaa.pdf">Wisconsin</a> | <a href="https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf9/3014702.pdf?ATCLID=209789578&SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200">Duke</a></p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/12/3/7296629/game-thread-no-4-duke-blue-devils-vs-no-2-wisconsin-badgersPhil Mitten2014-12-03T12:20:09-06:002014-12-03T12:20:09-06:00Preview: Like UW, Duke not a one-man show
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<figcaption>Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>While all eyes will focus on the Player of the Year matchup in the post, Wisconsin and Duke both feature incredible offenses that can hit you from multiple angles.</p> <p>Wednesday's climax to the 16th ACC/Big Ten Challenge is a big night in Madison. ESPN will be broadcasting live from the Kohl Center floor before and after the game, the most expensive ticket this week <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://blog.tiqiq.com/2014/12/top-5-college-basketball-tickets-week-121/" target="_blank">at almost $150</a> a pop just to get in the door.</p>
<p>After last year's trip to the Final Four, the moment won't be too big for the second-ranked Badgers. They continue to work as one cohesive, highly-efficient unit, led by senior center <span>Frank Kaminsky</span>.</p>
<p>Wisconsin (7-0) boasts the second-most efficient offense in the land, but the current challenge is No. 4 Duke (7-0), which happens to have the top offense in college basketball. This year another freshman phenom and likely top pick in next summer's NBA draft, center Jahlil Okafor, is the headliner for Mike Krzyzewski's team.</p>
<p>Okafor is scary good, but he isn't what scares me the most. Nor does the top-flight collection of athletes or Coach K's coaching acumen. No, what frightens me about Wisconsin facing this Duke team is that many of things the Badgers do best, the Blue Devils do better. It's not just the offense's overall efficiency either.</p>
<p>Traditionally, Wisconsin is always one of the top teams in the nation at taking care of the ball. Following a flurry of turnovers in their Battle 4 Atlantis run, the Badgers are still among the best around with a 14.7 percent turnover rate (10th-best according to <a target="_blank" href="http://kenpom.com/">KenPom.com</a>). Yet the Blue Devils are a rung more stingy at 13.6. I wouldn't expect the usual advantage in that area, especially since the Duke defense is also much more capable of creating turnovers than Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Another way Duke is using a similar blueprint to Wisconsin is how it defends the perimeter. Bo Ryan likes to limit shots from three-point land and wants to contest them when they are attempted. Wisconsin does well in both cases, holding foes to 28.8 percent shooting on a low number of three-point attempts (30.2 percent of all attempts). But again, Duke has out-Badgered opponents, forcing them into a ridiculously low 23.6 percent shooting on the 26.6 percent of shots that come from long-range.</p>
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<div class="blog-links-compact-link-container"><a href="http://www.dukebasketballreport.com?utm_source=sbnation&utm_medium=bloglinks&utm_campaign=blogs">Duke Blue Devils blog Duke Basketball Report</a></div>
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<p>Similarly, on offense, the Blue Devils are solidifying their advantage but hitting three-pointers at a 38.7 percent clip. The Badgers are still above average, but have dipped to 34 percent since the graduation of <span>Ben Brust</span>.</p>
<p>Wisconsin will need to maintain a potentially sizable edge in defensive rebounding to win this one, which we'll go more in-depth on next, while analyzing the big men.</p>
<h4>Frontcourt</h4>
<p>As we saw against Georgetown's Josh Smith last week and Kentucky (or even Minnesota) last year, big physical matchups can cause problems for Frank Kaminsky. Jahlil Okafor is not only big (6'11", 270 lb.) but also nimble for his size. He'll be able to bully his way for some inside buckets and putbacks. Kaminsky will counter with some patient footwork of his own, as well as his trusty outside shot that will force Okafor away from the hoop, opening up the lane for guys like <span>Nigel Hayes</span> and <span>Sam Dekker</span>. Together with <span>Duje Dukan</span>, the four Wisconsin "Redwoods" have</p>
<p>Kaminsky will need to stay away from foul trouble, because the Badgers won't be able to weather a long Tank-less stretch against Duke the way they did in the Bahamas -- Okafor is too good.</p>
<p>Hayes and Dekker, then, represent the edge that Wisconsin has. Hayes is crafty enough to confuse even a physical superior athlete like <span>Amile Jefferson</span> and should be strong enough to defend him too. At 6'9" Jefferson is Duke's best rebounder, which is saying something considering he's playing alongside Okafor. The junior forward is the third-best offensive rebounder in the country, grabbing 21.8 percent of his own team's misses and 22.9 percent of opponents' misfires.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Dekker has reverted to his freshman year rebounding rates. He has not appeared limited by the preseason ankle injury, but the fact that he's been held out of portions of practice for weeks says otherwise. Dekker is more free to selectively push his body on the offense end than on defense, where his rebounding lag is most noticeable.</p>
<p>As a team, Wisconsin's rebounding philosophy continues to be limiting the opposition's second chances. This is an annual staple of greatness for the Badgers. They are the fourth-best defensive rebounding team this season, rebounding 77.7 percent of opponents' misses. However, it will take a redoubled effort from the entire team -- including reserves like <span>Vitto Brown</span> and the guards -- to keep the likes of Okafor and Jefferson off the glass. Duke corrals over 41 percent of its own misses as a unit, ranking in the top 20, whereas Wisconsin doesn't crash the boards on that end.</p>
<p>High-flying freshman wing Justise Winslow will be an interesting matchup for Dekker because of his athleticism and length on the perimeter. Dekker will have a few inches on Winslow, though. It would be nice to see Dekker and Kaminsky run a little two-man game a few times tonight to see if their vision and passing can create an advantage in the offense. On defense, Dekker will have to respect Winslow's shot, as he's hitting 39 percent from deep.</p>
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<p>Off the bench the Blue Devils bring seven-footer <span>Marshall Plumlee</span> and powerful 6'8" forward Semi Ojeleye. Those names should be familiar as Bo Ryan recruited both players. Plumlee doesn't look like anything special, but he's wildly efficient in his limited action. Both he and Ojeleye play Vitto Brown-level minutes.</p>
<p>Finally, after his star turn again Oklahoma, Dukan could provide a major boost again for Wisconsin thanks to his three-point shooting and defensive rebounding proficiency, which will be needed when spelling Kaminsky.</p>
<h4>Backcourt</h4>
<p>Duke's starting guards have worried me all week. Precocious point guard Tyus Jones has guided this team as well as expected for a ballyhooed freshman, assisting on 31 percent of the baskets made by Duke while he is on the court. Jones supplanted senior <span>Quinn Cook</span> as Coach K's floor general this season and the move has worked out splendidly for both parties -- both have posted offensive ratings over 140 (!) so far.</p>
<p>Cook is equally on fire from outside the three-point arc (43 percent) and inside it (62 percent). He is candidate numero uno for putting another D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera performance on the Badgers. Reserve sharpshooter <span>Matt Jones</span> has shot 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) on threes this year and brings added defensive capabilities.</p>
<p><span>Rasheed Sulaimon</span> is a fourth guard in Duke's rotation, although he has <a target="_blank" href="http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-basketball/2014/12/2/7320911/wisconsin-vs-duke-b5q-grills-blue-devil-lair#pgh/7/1950.5">not totally adjusted</a> to coming off the bench. A former top 20 recruit who is better suited to off-guard, Sulaimon is struggling to control his urge to shoot while being tasked with backup point guard duties.</p>
<p>None of the guards foul very much, yet Duke will extend pressure with Cook and Jones, as evidenced by their good steal rates. I am confident in Wisconsin's ballhandling ability with <span>Traevon Jackson</span>, <span>Josh Gasser</span> and <span>Bronson Koenig</span>, though Jackson has turned it over six times in the last two games.</p>
<p>Gasser failed to hit from the outside against Oklahoma, but this is the type of game where he needs to bounce back and bury a couple of daggers. He has struggled close to the rim of late, so getting him off good start will be key for UW.</p>
<h4>Intangibles</h4>
<p>This is Duke's first road game, which has been identified as somewhat of a roadblock for Coach K the last few years. Wisconsin has played the tougher schedule to this point, though the Blue Devils took down Michigan State, Temple and Stanford in succession on a neutral court. On the other hand, Duke toned up against Furman and Army, whereas Wisconsin has been pushed recently by good teams and had plenty of time to recover. <i>(+Wisconsin)</i></p>
<p>Despite the recovery time, Dekker is still not 100 percent healthy or the training staff would not be taking these precautions with him. Just something to watch. <i>(+Duke)</i></p>
<p>The home court advantage is a huge edge for Wisconsin, obviously, but don't let that blind you to the fact that the fourth-ranked team in the country is coming in with absolutely zero pressure to win. Duke is young and that will help them stay loose. But they aren't some scrappy collection of underdogs -- they clearly have the talent to beat Wisconsin. <i>(Push)</i></p>
<p>Coaching? These are two legends in their field. <i>(Push)</i></p>
<p>It was nearly eight years ago when two teams of this caliber met at the Kohl Center. On January 9, 2007, third-ranked Wisconsin topped No. 5 Ohio State, 72-69, behind Kammron Taylor's 25 points to hand the Buckeyes their <a href="http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=270090275" target="_blank">only conference loss</a> of the season.</p>
<p>The Badgers have split their only two previous meetings with the Blue Devils, both coming in this annual cross-country series. Tonight's winner will have a legitimate beef with Kentucky's stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking. Because they do so much so well, I think Duke can win this game on the road. If UW wins, credit the schedule that got them ready for it and the team's guards for rising to the challenge.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-basketball/2014/12/3/7324521/wisconsin-vs-duke-preview-jahlil-okafor-frank-kaminsky-badgers-blue-devils-not-one-man-showPhil Mitten2014-12-02T21:23:03-06:002014-12-02T21:23:03-06:00Duke Q&A: B5Q grills Blue Devil Lair
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<figcaption>Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Duke returns to face Wisconsin in the first clash of top five teams in Madison since January, 2007. What makes this year's Blue Devils so special?</p> <p>With the size, skill and experience to go toe-to-toe with any team in the country, the second-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (7-0) will be favored at home against any opponent who ventures inside the Kohl Center -- even a reloaded Duke squad that features the leading candidate for National Player of the Year.</p>
<p>While the Big Ten's fast start in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge could be a good sign that it's top-rated member can hold serve on its home court against No. 4 Duke, the Blue Devils (7-0) are more well-rounded than last season's 26-9 edition that featured Milwaukee Bucks rookie Jabari Parker.</p>
<p>Who are the key players on the Duke side in this gigantic contest? We invited Duke insider <b>Adam Rowe</b> from 247 Sports' <a target="_blank" href="http://duke.247sports.com/">Blue Devil Lair</a> to answer that question and more.</p>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: This is as hyped a game as there has been in the history of the Kohl Center in Madison. For a program like Duke, which is used to having a target on its back for so many years, how anticipated is this matchup for Blue Devils fans?</p>
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<p><strong>Blue Devil Lair (Adam)</strong>: This is a heavily anticipated matchup. It doesn't matter how many Top Five contests a program has been a part of, they're still exciting. Especially in an environment like the Kohl Center, one of the top five college basketball venues in the country. It's also a chance for Duke to shake the reputation that they can't win true road games (they've lost their last five season-opening true road games).</p>
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<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: Averaging 17.7 points on 63.6 percent shooting so far, it's clear that freshman pivot Jahlil Okafor is as good as advertised. For those that haven't seen him yet, tell us what makes him so good and so advanced at this stage in his career?</p>
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<p><strong>BDL</strong>: Okafor has been able to score basically whenever he's wanted in the early going. He's got great footwork for a guy his size and has shown a variety of post moves, which is rare for many college big men but especially freshmen. Having multiple shooters around him and a point guard like Tyus Jones who is able to get him the ball in scoring opportunities helps too. Not many teams are able to double up on Okafor due to the numerous other offensive weapons on Duke's team so life has been somewhat easy on him so far. How he does in an environment like Wisconsin and against an experienced big like Kaminsky will be telling as to how far he's come and how far he's got to go.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: When this year's talented freshman class arrived in Durham, several upperclassmen saw their roles shift. How have these players -- especially junior <span>Rasheed Sulaimon</span>, who is playing much less than he did in his first two seasons -- adapted to their new reality?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: Much has been made of how <span>Quinn Cook</span> has accepted a leadership role and stepped over to the shooting guard spot so that Tyus Jones could take over at point. Cook's selflessness has been an example that many players on the team have followed as the freshman class has come in. Sulaimon doesn't seem to have adjusted as well as Cook, as he's been looking for his shot at a rapid clip when he's in. That's not necessarily a bad thing, except when he comes in with the second unit he's usually been playing point guard. If he can look to setup his teammates as point guard with the reserves, Duke's offense should flow much smoother when both Tyus and Quinn are sitting down.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: <span>Frank Kaminsky</span> vs. Jahlil Okafor will obviously be a fun matchup to watch, but to me the guard play might be more important. The Badgers start a pair of veterans that occasionally struggle defensively against quick guards. How will Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook be able to cause trouble for Wisconsin on either end of the floor?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: Cook is probably the more dangerous player against guards that struggle to defend quicker players, but Tyus will make guys pay with the pass. He's got that "point guard feel" to the game where he just seems to know where every player is on the court and where they need the ball. The problem with those two is that they'll return the favor on the defensive end (they struggle with quick guards too). If that starts to happen, you'll see K insert a <span>Matt Jones</span> or Sulaimon to help with the defense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: Pick a player from either team that you think will be the x-factor in Wednesday night's game and explain why.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: Justise Winslow is the x-factor in my mind. He's a versatile guy who can defend from the one to the four and is able to score with ease both in transition and in the halfcourt. I also think he'll be called on to try and slow down <span>Sam Dekker</span>, which isn't going to be easy.</p>
</blockquote>
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<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: Legions of Duke haters like to talk about the most-hated Dukies, but I want to flip that on its head for a minute and ask you (a) who has been your favorite Blue Devil to root for over the last 5 years and (b) who is your favorite Dukie of all-time?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: A) <span>Nolan Smith</span>, by far. He's always been great to the Duke fans and really opened up the program and changed the perception of it.</p>
<p>B) Favorite Duke player of all time is Bobby Hurley. Used to emulate him in the driveway late at night and on the basketball court.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: Is Coach K a robot that can stay on the sidelines forever? Bo Ryan gets questioned about his age and how long he wants to coach, yet Krzyzewski is a year older than Ryan. How much longer do you think will coach at Duke? Has he shared any thoughts on the topic?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: Yes, Coach K is a robot. With perfectly painted black hair. He says he's not thinking about retirement and it certainly seems that way. The Olympics have rejuvenated him every year and he's got a great setup at Duke now. I think he's on for about five to six more years personally.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>B5Q</strong>: Care to make a prediction?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>BDL</strong>: I think Duke wins a squeaker 74-72. And people will complain about Duke getting all the calls.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I agree with that last sentiment -- people will certainly complain about the winner getting all the calls. Let's just hope the Badger fans are the ones fielding the Blue Devils' complaint. Thanks again to Adam for breaking down the matchup with us. If you'd like to give him a follow on Twitter, you can find him <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BlueDevilLair">@BlueDevilLair</a>.</p>
<p>---</p>
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https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-basketball/2014/12/2/7320911/wisconsin-vs-duke-b5q-grills-blue-devil-lairPhil Mitten2014-12-01T15:45:33-06:002014-12-01T15:45:33-06:00B1G/ACC Challenge preview: Edge to the ACC?
<figure>
<img alt="Senior forward Rakeem Christmas leads Syracuse against Michigan in an intriguing Challenge matchup this week." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZRiAunC0E5DNUn9Z7tHitBJV0dk=/31x0:1762x1154/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44258078/usa-today-8218322.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Senior forward Rakeem Christmas leads Syracuse against Michigan in an intriguing Challenge matchup this week. | Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For the first time in several years, the Big Ten is a marked underdog heading into the annual event.</p> <p>Unfortunately I was too busy eating mashed potatoes and stuffing and gravy and mashed potatoes and stuffing and gravy and watching basketball and football and basketball to get the Friday Facts posted last Friday. My sincere apologies. They should be back this Friday, and the extended wait will make them that much sweeter.</p>
<p>To tide you over, here is the T-Rank analysis of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, which begins tonight with two, well, lesser games and culminates on Wednesday with the epic showdown between Duke and Wisconsin.</p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="487" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 366pt;">
<colgroup> <col width="246" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 8996; width: 185pt;"> <col width="177" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 6473; width: 133pt;"> <col width="64" style="width: 48pt;"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl64" width="246" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 185pt;"><b>Matchup</b></td>
<td class="xl64" width="177" style="width: 133pt;"><b>T-Rank Prediction</b></td>
<td class="xl65" width="64" style="text-align: center; width: 48pt;"><b>TTQ*</b></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">4 Duke @ 2 Wisconsin</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Wisconsin, 70-64 (73%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">92</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">14 Syracuse @ 29 Michigan</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Syracuse, 61-60 (51%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">86</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">16 Michigan St. @ 19 Notre Dame</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Notre Dame, 69-66 (63%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">82</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">23 Iowa @ 8 North Carolina</td>
<td style="background-color: #ffcccc;" class="xl66">North Carolina, 78-70 (77%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">81</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">22 Illinois @ 18 Miami (FL)</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Miami (FL), 73-68 (67%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">80</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">10 Ohio St. @ 3 Louisville</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Louisville, 71-61 (85%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">79</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">42 Pittsburgh @ 78 Indiana</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Indiana, 72-71 (50%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">77</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">5 Virginia @ 30 Maryland</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Virginia, 59-54 (70%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">75</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">51 Minnesota @ 98 Wake Forest</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Minnesota, 65-64 (54%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">74</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">65 Nebraska @ 110 Florida St.</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Nebraska, 66-65 (53%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">72</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">39 North Carolina St. @ 27 Purdue</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Purdue, 72-66 (73%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">71</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">96 Georgia Tech @ 154 Northwestern</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Georgia Tech, 59-58 (55%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">60</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">147 Virginia Tech @ 107 Penn St.</td>
<td style="background-color: #ccff99;" class="xl66">Penn St., 74-67 (76%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">48</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" style="height: 15.75pt;">212 Rutgers @ 102 Clemson</td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: #ffcccc;">Clemson, 66-56 (87%)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="text-align: center;">35</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><a href="http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/11/21/7262209/2014-college-basketball-rankings-big-ten-advanced-stats-predictions#pgh/6/2418" target="_blank"><i>*Torvik Thrill Quotient</i></a></p>
<p>As you can see, T-Rank favors the ACC team in most of the marquee match-ups, with the notable exception of the Badger game.</p>
<p>When you add up the percentages, the most likely outcome is an 8-6 win for the ACC. The most realistic path for a Big Ten victory would be road wins by Nebraska, Minnesota, Michigan St., and home-court wins by Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, and Penn State. The event could well come down to whether Northwestern can hold off Georgia Tech in Evanston.</p>
<p>Other than the Badger game, which I've been thinking about for months, I'm most interested in three other match-ups:</p>
<h5>1. Michigan State at Notre Dame</h5>
<p>The Spartans remain a bit of a mystery team, as they've handled most of their cupcakes with ease (except for Navy), but lost both of their games against elite competition (Duke and Kansas) -- albeit respectably. Notre Dame, on the other hand, has mostly been playing great this year, and has climbed up the T-Rank to number 19. They have one nice win against UMass and one close loss to Providence, and then a bunch of cupcake blowouts. I'm curious to see whether we learn the truth about either of these squads, but only a big win by one or the other will tell us much. If it's a close game, we won't know whether both teams are good or both teams are mediocre.</p>
<h5>2. Syracuse at Michigan</h5>
<p>Syracuse remains highly rated in T-Rank despite their not-so-good loss to Cal. They have not passed the eye-test so far, as it doesn't seem that they've been able to conjure up yet another star freshman point guard. Michigan is another team that doesn't yet have a signature win, although they played a tight game with Villanova. I think Michigan defies the T-Rank and pulls away in this one, but we shall see.</p>
<h5>3. Ohio St. at Louisville</h5>
<p>Both teams have played well so far and both seem to be in the top 15 every year. This game is at Louisville, so you figure the Cardinals will be able to win. But maybe Ohio State takes a big step.</p>
<h5>Bonus game: Illinois at Miami (FL)</h5>
<p>The Hurricanes have been probably the biggest surprise of the season, although their road win against Florida has lost some of its luster. Still, they are 7-0 with <i>five wins away from home. </i>Very impressive. The Illini have also been impressive so far this year, as they usually are before the going gets tough. Will Illinois be able to make this a game?</p>
<p>In any event, with seven games between top-50 squads, this should be an excellent three days of basketball.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/12/1/7314417/big-ten-acc-challenge-preview-michigan-state-notre-dame-syracuse-ohio-louisville-top-gamesBart Torvik