Helluva game. Talk about meeting the hype. And Duke lost, to boot! So what did we learn?

A) As suspected by CHJ, Levance Fields officially arrived. Fields had a straight-from-the-playground type of game-winner that will surely be posted on this site as soon as I can track down the video.

B) Duke is pretty much no better or worse than they were at 6:59 p.m. ET on Thursday.

C) Kyle Singler is one of the ugliest dudes in all of the college game.

D) Greg Paulus got into some kind of fight…someone get the scoop, because if it was mentioned in the broadcast, I missed it.

E) Pittsburgh kept their reputation as one of the toughest teams in the country. Duke had the Panthers on the verge of being blown out when it was 48-38 with about 10 minutes to go in the game. What ensued was quite the formidable rally, courtesy of DeJuan Blair and his beastly nature. HUGE play from Blair in the second half was the reason Jamie Dixon’s club was able to pull out this win (even after he fouled out).

F) It truly was a game decided by the smallest of margins. Duke shot 23-65 from the floor, while Pitt went 23-61.

G) If Scheyer’s second attempt to win it actually fell, well that’d be a top 3 buzzer beater for the entire season.

H) It was a good night for Pittsburgh; the Steelers defeated the Rams 41-24.

I) Many of Duke’s fans continue to act like well…you be the judge. After Pitt’s Mike Cook went down with an extremely ugly looking injury, chants of “Let’s go Duke! Let’s go Duke!” aroused. You stay classy!

Unless of course said team gets blown out of the Garden. The tip will be…tipped…shortly after 7 p.m. ET over on ESPN.

This Duke/Pitt tilt at “Cameron Square Garden”, as Andy Glockner would say, should remind us of the fact that Pittsburgh is as familiar with the joint as much as Duke. Ultimately though, I think venue will play little-to-zero part of the outcome, but the physicality of the contest certainly will. Also, will this be the game that Pittsburgh’s Levance Fields (love that name) puts himself on the national scene (and possibly further exposes Greg Paulus in the process?)?

Expect a full breakdown of the game later on tonight.

Tonight it quite the night for Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose. Three of the best freshman in the country get to be bombarded by Dickie V in Madison Square Garden and hope to give one of the more memorable frosh showcases on the hallowed wooden floor since Carmelo came out with a bang in 2002. (more…)

Because you were so anxious to know! Through some dubious researching (yes, some Wikipedia was involved—forgive me!), here are a few stats on an ESPN/college basketball gimmick that has lacked in the luster department for most of its existence. Oh yes, and Wake Forest defeated Iowa 56-47 last night, so the ACC is out in front early, yet again. (more…)

Sweet Maria. Kansas escaped.
While most sports fans were absorbed with the Philadelphia/New England game, I was glued to this beauty of a basketball game. Then again, I have two televisions in my living room, so I had the luxury of keeping one eye on each. (more…)