Who Won: South Carolina
Why:
Duke couldn’t get a stop in the 2nd half, and South Carolina played outstanding zone defense that took away a lot of Duke’s advantages.
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@crazietalker pic.twitter.com/JadxKadv2D
— Aaron Earls (@WardrobeDoor) March 20, 2017
What will people be talking about?
Duke, a 2 seed, played a true road game in the NCAA Tournament. And this Duke team was supposed to be “THE Team”, and obviously wasn’t. What a disappointing year. Also refs. Also K didn’t use his bench. Also some pettiness between UNC and Duke fans.
What should people be talking about?
In the grand scheme of things, it’s probably a slight relief for this season to be over. Injuries. Suspensions. Coach surgeries. Ultimately, Duke won the ACC championship for the first time since 2011 and will send a ton of guys to the NBA, and will reload again with another stacked roster. Most importantly, they’ll likely play without the microscope that Grayson Allen brings and it will feel like a breath of fresh air in Durham next year.
What’s next for these teams?
South Carolina vs. Baylor in MSG. Duke goes into the offseason losing anywhere between 4 and 10 players. They’ll likely have a top three class coming in again, however.
Quote
“It was a great day for our state” – South Carolina head coach Frank Martin, on a day where South Carolinians paraded the Confederate flag outside of the arena in protest of the removal of the Stars and Bars from the capital building. Congrats, South Carolina.
“8 is wild”
The Voice of the Blue Devils Bob Harris ends his career in the broadcast booth with tonight’s loss. Best of luck to you, Bob. Hell of a career.
