Duke Game Preview (3/25/21, 7pm)

[CuseNHouse]

This whole game is won or lost in the middle of the field. Two high powered offenses and two good goalies . We have to own the middle - win the FO, strong wing play and get the ball on the carpet when they come up with it

 

[wgdsr]

Fun fact for whatever it's worth, Cuse is 7-2 against Duke since joining the ACC including 3-0 in the ACC tournament.

yes. they've been kryptonite. duke has actually been pretty subpar in the acc the last 5 years or so vs. what people might think. but SU owns them. be good to take the invincible tag off of the "super team".

 

[ivorytower]

I watched Sowers at Princeton several full games and I have watched all his Duke games. I have never seen him uncomfortable with the ball. At Princeton, he dominated games with virtuosic individual moves such as feinting three, yes three, poles out of their underwear, then scoring with acrobatic moves. Every second he has the ball is a potential disaster for the other team. How about a semi shut off that keeps the ball out of his stick for some of the clock, then forces him through a good double to pass the ball from a distance less conducive to easy scores, like near the side or back out of bounds lines instead of three feet from the goal. He is Mike Powell without the impulsiveness. Scary.

His role and focus has changed at Duke given their numerous talents and options. oNeil has become their primary scorer and Robertson has flourished playing off both. Montgomery does a bit of both and then you have underrated recipients such as Lowrie. Might surprise some but Refhuss is basically producing similar numbers per game to Sowers without the to's. D has to view Sowers first and foremost as a influencer and creator for others and keep with their assignment

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

yes. they've been kryptonite. duke has actually been pretty subpar in the acc the last 5 years or so vs. what people might think. but SU owns them. be good to take the invincible tag off of the "super team".

Just don’t forget about that 21-7 ass whuppin’ Duke put on Cuse a few years back in the Dome. Or whatever the score was.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

Just don’t forget about that 21-7 ass whuppin’ Duke put on Cuse a few years back in the Dome. Or whatever the score was.

Yes that was their first ACC match-up in 2014 in Durham. I was at the ACC semi-final a month or so later when Donahue scored that goal with like 2 seconds left to win it like 15-14. That was an awesome game to see live!

 

[wgdsr]

Yes that was their first ACC match-up in 2014 in Durham. I was at the ACC semi-final a month or so later when Donahue scored that goal with like 2 seconds left to win it like 15-14. That was an awesome game to see live!

so 7 - 1 since that opener.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Just don’t forget about that 21-7 ass whuppin’ Duke put on Cuse a few years back in the Dome. Or whatever the score was.

That was at Duke and 100% related to the fact that SU couldn't win a faceoff at all, it was a bloodbath. SU returned the favor a few years later when Duke couldn't win a draw.

 

[ivorytower]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results

Cuse are rightfully three goal dogs

 

[Gone]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results

Cuse are rightfully three goal dogs

While I agree past performance is not relevant - particularly this year with Duke adding elite level transfers and Cuse adding an elite Hiltz and an impressive Wykoff - I don't know that Cuse should be 3 goal dogs. Duke has looked good so far but hasn't been tested. I think the 3 goal edge reflects the Duke team "on paper" and Duke home field.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

That was at Duke and 100% related to the fact that SU couldn't win a faceoff at all, it was a bloodbath. SU returned the favor a few years later when Duke couldn't win a draw.

Sort of similar to the 2013 Championship game although Cuse did have an early lead in that game, but once Duke couldn't lose a faceoff they poured it on that day too.

 

[Gone]

I don't think I would want to put any serious money on ACC conference games this year. Having seen Cuse "upset" UVA earlier this season and the UVA/UNC battle, we are in for a wild ride!

 

[ivorytower]

While I agree past performance is not relevant - particularly this year with Duke adding elite level transfers and Cuse adding an elite Hiltz and an impressive Wykoff - I don't know that Cuse should be 3 goal dogs. Duke has looked good so far but hasn't been tested. I think the 3 goal edge reflects the Duke team "on paper" and Duke home field.

Duke added much via portal to address areas of need, also got back two starters returning from injury last year in Robertson and cd Stephenson, recruits other than ONeill who play such as Dunieza . Cuse has their share of 5th yr returnees but Duke has 16 graduate players. Wykoff one of the better additions from portal but singular replacement to us losing three starters from d rotation. All not lost because only so many can play and Cuse probably had edge last year but this Duke has gotten much stronger ,deeper and well balanced this year. Cuse is gonna have to put forth their best

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

That was at Duke and 100% related to the fact that SU couldn't win a faceoff at all, it was a bloodbath. SU returned the favor a few years later when Duke couldn't win a draw.

Ah yes, I had the locations backwards.

I, too, was at the ACC championship that year. Very different game and result, obviously. My point was actually that — Thursday’s result may not actually tell us anything when May is concerned.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Ah yes, I had the locations backwards.

I, too, was at the ACC championship that year. Very different game and result, obviously. My point was actually that — Thursday’s result may not actually tell us anything when May is concerned.

I agree, I wont read to much into it either way unless its a very lopsided result.

 

[Gone]

I agree, I wont read to much into it either way unless its a very lopsided result.

Agree as well. Nice to have mid-season bragging rights but probably the biggest benefit for the winner is an ACC win. i.e. a Cuse win would get us to 2-0 in the ACC which is important for playoff positioning.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Just to get everyone in the mood today...

 

[DoctahLexus]

One encouraging thing upon further research is their play at the faceoff X. Jake Naso who appears to have emerged as their main guy, has been given 50/50 type contests on a few different occasions. Went basically 50-50 with the Richmond guy, who was beat pretty handily by the UNC duo, who won 18 of 26. Won 62% against the airforce guy, who was handled pretty easily by both Lasalla and UVA backups in their match. UVA guys won 21 of 28 total. They could very easily be beatable there, but of course with these new rules it is tough to know how guys match up. Not an unstoppable force by any means though.

 

[Gone]

Just to get everyone in the mood today...

I had forgotten just how close we were to losing that game by a decent margin. Down 8-4 with something like 5 or 6 minutes left.

 

[Powellfan]

Insightful film breakdown from former ND defender Eddy Glazener -

 

[Powellfan]