The Maui Final: Duke vs Marquette, a preview

Yes, it's revenge time for the Dookies, and a chance for another big win and big media "cred" for the Marquette Golden Warrior Eagles! Duke vs Marquette, NEXT, on ESPN! Well, by next, I mean 7pm pacific (10pm eastern) tonight (Wednesday, November 21, Thanksgiving Eve). Today is a jam-packed day on TV, so be sure to check our TV schedule.

Duke is heading into the game after a satisfying win over the Fighting Illini, while Marquette comes in after dismantling Sutton State, and receiving defensive praise from the one and only Shark the Tark (ok, Tark the Shark).

The local newspaper, the Honolulu Advertiser previews the game, while the Marquette-Scout page notes Coach K's praise for the Golden Eagles. More on this from Cracked Sidewalks (a Marquette blog). More previews at the NCAA Men's BBall blog.

Meanwhile this Madden guy picks Duke to win. I pick and want and wish for Marquette to win! Go Golden Eagle Warriors! More on this game from Worlds Sports News and Draft Express.

If you can't wait for the 2009 Maui Invitational, CSTV's Hangtime slog (not blog, but slog, as in sports + blog = slog) reveals the 2009 field. The 2009 field will be part of the 2009-2010 season. Which teams are participating? Check their slog to find out!


Xs and Os
Both teams are deep and athletic. Neither one has a dominant inside presence, but Duke's gets the edge inside on the offensive edge. The guards and the wings are more or less evenly matches with one exception that could be the game changer: the little guys: Can the Dookies keep Dominic James and David Cubillan in front of them, especially if they play together? And which Marquette defense will show up? The one that dismantled Oki State and earned Tark the Shark's praise or the one that made Chaminade players and fans happy?

On the other side of the court, will Coach K try to create mismatches with Marquette's little guys? DeMarcus Nelson is a potential mismatch waiting to happen. As Doug Gottleib stated on the air a couple of days ago, Duke may be an even better team without Greg Paulass (not a typo). And if Coach RatCase wants to create a mismatch he could try Demarcus Nelson, Gerald Henderson and Nolan Smith (or Scheyer) as the three guards, and try to post up Cubillan or James.

This has the potential of a highly entertaining instant classic game since both teams are not shy about running, however, game pressure and bright spotlights might turn this into a more grinded out affair with lots of fouls and jittery play without much flow. But I hope not!


NCAA Tournament DVDs
Looking for the perfect gift for the basketball fan? We have dozens and dozens of suggestions for you: pick and chose from the 2007 NCAA Tournament DVDs produced by NCAA On Demand. You don't need to squint on a 6-hour VHS tape to celebrate your team's success in the NCAA. You can instead proudly showcase it on your big screen TV with an official NCAA DVD-quality DVD! (Oh dear, this reads like an infomercial!)