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David Duke’s Fast Start, A Look Back at Northwestern, and More

David Duke Dunk

1. David Duke is off to a terrific start to his sophomore year. He is shooting with such confidence. Time will tell if his shooting pace is sustainable, but even with a dip from his present numbers, Duke is set to vastly improve upon a freshman campaign that saw him average over seven points per game while shooting just under 39% from the field and 30% from deep.

It is a small sample size, but through four games Duke is averaging 15.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 46% from the field and 58% from deep. He has also made 16-20 at the free throw line after shooting 68% there a year ago. His eight made free throws and nine free throw attempts against St. Peter’s both marked career highs (Duke went 7-8 at the line in a home win over Seton Hall last January).

No one expects Duke to shoot over 50% from 3-point range this season, but a drop in 3-point percentage may be negated by more efficient scoring in the paint.

Duke’s jump shot is blazing right now (5-7 on mid-range shots, 7-12 from 3-point range), but in the paint he is 8-22. He is shooting 39% on shots near the rim (7-18). Expect that number to rise, as the uber-athletic Duke finished at 47% near the rim as a freshman. It is reasonable to expect him to score at a 50% clip on those shots this season.

Duke is currently one of 13 players in the country averaging over 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists a night.

2. Ed Cooley has been true to his word so far in regard to his team playing faster. The Friars’ average possession on offense is 14.9 seconds, per Ken Pomeroy, ranking 30th in the country. Numbers 1-3 nationally? Army, Connecticut, and Central Michigan (hello, Keno Davis).

To put PC’s pace in perspective, here is where Providence has ranked nationally in recent seasons:

  • 2019: 166th
  • 2018: 152nd
  • 2017: 196th
  • 2016: 95th
  • 2015: 142nd
  • 2014: 282nd

3. There was some talk in the online Friar community about how some of the ill-advised 3-point attempts that came in the failed comeback against Northwestern were, in part, due to the team transitioning to a more uptempo offense. I’m not buying that. This is a team loaded with seniors that have enough experience to recognize a good shot in a critical moment.

It was not just that Providence shot a lot of 3s, but how they came in the flow of the offense that made it frustrating.

6:17 mark: Luwane Pipkins missed a transition 3-pointer three seconds into the shot clock in a 59-52 game.

6:08: After Northwestern hit one of two free throws, PC got the kind of quick look from outside that Cooley would kill for. The ball whipped around the perimeter from Maliek White to Alpha Diallo to Pipkins and eventually Duke for a wide open corner 3 that he knocked down in rhythm. It was a 60-55 game at that point and it felt like the Friars had all the momentum after trailing by 20 six minutes prior.

5:04: Pipkins showed restraint early in the shot clock, turning down a fairly open corner 3 to reset the offense. The possession resulted in a Diallo miss from mid-range that would have cut the lead to three.

4:44: PC got a steal on the other end, White was fouled in transition, but missed a pair of three throws.

4:06: Northwestern kept on giving Providence chances. They missed the front end of a 1:1, but White took an early, contested 3 in the corner that missed. The score remained 60-55, as it had been for over two minutes.

3:32: The Wildcats missed a corner 3, which Diallo grabbed and raced the other way with. He dribbled to the 3-point line and fired four seconds into the shot clock, but the shot was well short.

2:58: Perhaps most frustratingly, after Northwestern finally snapped its scoring drought on the next possession, White rather easily split the top of Northwestern’s zone (with help from an Emmitt Holt screen) and dumped a bounce pass off to Diallo for a dunk early in the shot clock. Northwestern was in stall mode on offense, resulting in their offense stalling, and this was the kind of attempt that would have kept the pressure on during the previous four Friar possessions.

PC cut the lead to three after Diallo put back a missed Pipkins 3 with 2:16 remaining, but Northwestern got a layup on the other end, then Holt missed at the rim, and the game was over at that point.

Here’s a look back:

 

Not all of the looks were terrible, but the consecutive 3-pointers by White and Diallo felt a bit like seniors losing the sense of the score and time situation after racing back from such a large deficit. There was so much time left on the clock when those shots went up.

4. There was a lot of hype behind last Thursday’s Seton Hall/Michigan State game heading into the season. After Myles Powell turned his ankle last weekend it appeared as though fans would miss the opportunity to see Powell duel with fellow All American Cassius Winston. Powell recovered, and went off for 37 points, while Winston scored 15 in the second half and made a monster 3-pointer in the closing minute.

If you didn’t see this one, the highlights are well worth five minutes. Big shot after big shot on both sides.

 

One Comment

  1. Derec Lamendola

    November 19, 2019 at 2:23 am

    I think that providnece College Mens Basketball needs to Were Gray Yountorms tommerrrow night at the Game and Unbelievable tommerrow Night and we Need This One i will see you All tommerrrow Night and i wont be Late Derec Lamendola Needs to be on time On Tueaday Night and do You Remember Jalien Linsdey Grad Cupel Years GO and We Need To were Gray younforms this All Seoasn at home and black away and be Reday

    For tomnerrrow Night game and We Need Ed Coooley on The Radow tommerrrrow and this All Week and We Need The All Fans come tommerrrow Night that game was Broing On Saturday and Every one was Like Cuplan about it this cant not happened ugen and i am Working tonight And Derec Lamendola is working On MY Players amd geting reday for Providence College Mens Basketball Frisrs Mens Basketball tommerrrow night so come on Now

    Providence College Mens Basketball Needs Ed Coooley back on Tv and Get Going and it was All Aaway same.Thing over and Over And We Need The Providece College Mens Basketball needs Every one tommerrrow night and Everthing is Back To Numal and lets Get This Reday for tommmerrrow and Get it Dune and im am working tonight hard geting my Work All.Dune Be For Tommerrrow and tommerrrow Night

    We Need The Providence College Stunetes come to The Providnece College Mens Basketball Game at the Dunk and We Need Every one and The Stuents and To Be Thery and We Need that Bus To Fill.UP The Bus The All Providence College Stunetes and Come to The Dunk and We Need them and Do be Reday and PUMT UP And Were are The Providence College Stuentes and we Need Them to Come to the Providence College Mens Basketball Frisrs Mens Basketball AT The Dunk tommerrrow.night man or man Evething GOS BY Weaere to Fast and is Aomrst My NBC 10 News Soon and is Almost December Next Saturday and Becuaee Now is Time

    Providnece College Mens Basketball Line UP For Tommerrrow Night iT IS
    Luwance pipkins Graduate
    Emmitt Holt Graduated Stuent
    Kalif Young Senior
    Maleik Wight Senior
    Aplhia Dallio Senior
    Jimny Nichols Sophomore
    Andrew Fonts Junior
    Kris Monroe Sophomore

    And that We Need For this Line UP and So We Can Be All Reday TO GO You Know meen and get reday for this Year and be Reday for tommerrrow night and were is Greg Gannitt and We Need Him back and i know Whos is going to Start In The Providence College Mens Basketball Staring Line Up And he The Best Player AT Providence College Mens Basketball when Nate Waston come back is going to be

    Luwance pipkins Senior
    Emmmitt Holt Graduated Stuent
    Kalif Young Senior
    Maliek Wight Sophomore
    Nate Waston Junior
    Alphia Dallio Senior
    Greg Gannt Ferahmin
    Jimmy Nichols
    Kris Monroe

    That is The Staring Line up For when Nate Waston Come Back and be Reday and be Repaer and be Reday GO Right Guays have Good Week and Lets Get Ed Cooley on TV Now you Know so Sownds good Every one and i wont The All Read Room Tuniel.Every Were. In Providence College Mens Basketball at The Dunk see you tommerrrow night Every One

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