So Duke is having a down year huh? Well they're going to look to take it out on VCU tonight. Maynor from VCU is a standout, but can he get the help he'll need to topple the Blue Devils....

Join AA (me) after the jumpola!

Duke #6 West Region:

Conference Atlantic Coast
Location Durham, NC
Coach Mike Krzyzewski (since 1980)
Arena Cameron Indoor Stadium
Record 22-10 (8-8)
RPI 15
NCAA Appearances 30
NCAA Record 85-27 (.759)
Last Bid 2006
Last Win 2006

Virginia Commonwealth #11 West Region:

Conference Colonial
Location Richmond, VA
Coach Anthony Grant (since 2006)
Arena Siegel Center
Record 27-6 (16-2)
RPI 46
NCAA Appearances 7
NCAA Record 4-7 (.364)
Last Bid 2004
Last Win 1985



So I'm breaking out the big guns and going with the Red Bull and Vodka for this game. It should be fun.

We're live from Buffalo, New York.....the tip goes to Duke, but stolen by VCU....and VCU comes out......MANNN TO MANNNN!!!!!!!!

Wow....great action to begin with Pellot-Rosa is hitting early and Henderson is back with a thunderous dunk. 5-5 early. AMAZING PASS FROM PAULUS, and the crybaby THROWS IT DOWN!

Kevin Harlan and Bob Wenzel are your announcers. Harlan messes up a call early as he freaks out on a VCU make, but the players were already walking down court as charging was the call.

Nelson with the drive.....and one. Duke is looking strong early....

11-5 at the under 16 timeout.....Devils in the lead.

VCU is only 2-10 from the field early. Make that 2 for 11. The pace has slowed down considerably. Bricks galore from the Rams. Wow...McRoberts gets the oop from Nelson.

"Shaking the rim and climbing the ladder"- KH

16-7 Duke....even though Duke's dominating VCU is still in it.

Maynor for VCU is off early....that's not good for the Rams. He's playing a tad out of control. Pellot-Rosa travels and turns it over, and Paulus responds with the same. There's still time to go back to football son. P-Rosa misses again, and it's getting sloppy. Henderson gets an offensive tip-in and Maynor responds with a jumper. 11 point lead for Duke.

Wenzel notes that Duke looks tired, and they do. Paulus is huffing a bit. McRoberts hits a pretty deep hook shot, and he's looking good.

22-9 Duke at the under 12 timeout....10 minutes to go.

VCU hits two throws to cut it to ten, but Josh McRob answers on the other end. Great play by VCU an oop and the harm, and the lead is 9 for Duke.

Maynor's starting to catch fire, and the lead is 9 at the under 8.....

28-19 Duke

VCU hits a three, and they're feeling it a bit. Paulus takes a dumb shot, but is bailed out by an offensive foul on the other end. VCU's press is NOT working at all. Steal by the Rams, and a foul on Lance Thomas....2 on him. Not a big deal, but he's the one who gives McRoberts his rest. 1 of 2 from the line and the lead is 5.

28-23 Duke......6 minutes to go.

Duke gets a call as Paulus was picked, and bailed out by the refs. Paulus misses the front end of the 1 and 1, and Maynor gets fouled shooting at the other end. That kid is quick. He hits both and the Rams are on an 8-0 run. Paulus airballs another shot, and for someone who looked so good early is looking like crap.

5 point lead for Duke with 5 to go. Walker to the line for the Rams...hits the first....hits the second. 3 point game....Duke blows another lead before the half again. That's what has plagued them all year.

Another HORRIBLE call as McRoberts had the ball stolen cleanly. He hits both from the line....lead back to five.

WOW! Pocius just took off and throws it down with two hands and the foul!

OUCH! I've got the Michigan State game and Ibok just got his arm broken like a mofo. That was a bit nasty....not Butch nasty....but nasty none the less.

Duke leads by 6 at the under 4 timeout....35-29

Hank said.....Did anyone here one of the announcers say something like, "Coach K saw what we did, Paulus needs a blow"?

Hahaha....drats....I missed that.

Jon Frodo of the Scheyer gets to the line. Maynor misses a three, and Duke comes away with it. VCU hits a three to cut the lead to four. Close game. VCU keeps hanging around and hanging around. McRoberts gets his own miss and puts it in. P-Rosa misses a three, and we've got a minute and a half left.

6 point lead for Duke and it's VCU's ball after a turnover. Walker nails a three for VCU! Under a minute now.....Paulus misses again. Maynor ties it!!! 38-38.

Wow....VCU fouls Paulus going for an off-balance three. Bad play. 2 of 3 for Paulus, and that's it for the half.

DUKE 40- VCU 38

Grimey said....Hey, I threw up a new post on If I Ran... feel free to contribute to it (if you guys have the time, I know you're pretty busy).

Hahaha....great idea.

I can hate Duke with the best of them, but it's gotta be tough when 90% of the country wants you to lose.

VCU Takes the lead early in the 2nd half. Great point by Wenzel that McRoberts is trying to rebound by himself as the rest of Duke stands and watches.

"Duke looks tired already."- BW, another great point.

Scheyer hits a two, and Maynor airballs a shot on the other end. Duke by 3, and Paulus finds his range and puts them back up 6. Pretty move inside....double pump and a layup. Maynor picks the only PG in America that can't dribble (Paulus) and gets an easy layup. Duke scores to put the lead back to four, but VCU answers on the other end with a three on one break.

Paulus had the biggest flop ever on that play....he should play soccer for Notre Dame.

52-50 Duke at the under 16.

Steal on the inbounds by VCU, but they throw it away on the offensive end. VCU finally gets a makeup call as Thomas was hacked, but no call. McRoberts, and one....and the Duke bench freaks out. Joshua Tree hits the throw and the lead is 5....14 minutes to go.

Charge on Maynor, and Nelson breaks the press and throws it down.

57-50 with 14 minutes left.

CBS shows Laettner in the crowd and officially jinxes Duke. McRob misses a hook shot...apparently he was too close. Maynor is getting all Allen Iverson on the Blue Devils and should finish with about 42 free throws this game.

Gwynn just flat out shoves Henderson and Duke lucks out with the ball again. VCU misses an oop after a Duke turnover and Frodo of the Scheyer is fouled on the other end.

Walker from VCU's first name is B.A. Do you think it stands for Bad Ass?

59-50 Duke at the under 12 TV break.....they'll blow it

Kevin Harlan and Wenzel are doinga a pretty good job tonight.

Turnover by VCU, and Maynor fouls Paulus. They get into a small shoving match, and Paulus takes a forearm from Maynor that goes un-noticed. Good no call.

DAMN! Paulus gets laid out, and no call. It's getting testy out there.

McRoberts hits two free throws and Duke goes up 11. McClure straws the charge, but the ref calls it a block....and one. Famini goes down hard and is banged up a bit.

Multiple people are bleeding now, and the refs need to get a handle on this game. Actually screw it.....let em' beat each other up.

Bad Ass Walker misses the free throw, but Paulus turns it over to the Rams. VCU hits a three on the other end, and here come the Rams.

61-55 with 10 minutes to go.

Paulus commits a charge, but again it's called a block. 3 point play. Lead to 9.

How is the Ohio State game already over? Did they play 10 minute halves??

Three for VCU. Paulus misses a jumper, but picks a Ram on the other end, and gets a basket down low off an offensive rebound. How do you let Paulsey get an offensive board?

66-58 Duke.....8 minutes left.

Hank said....Play by play guy: "There is Greg Paulus, he has met his banging quota for the night."

Another great catch Hank. Too funny.

McRoberts hits 1 out of 2 from the line. 7 point lead. Maynor gets a steal and Walker nails a three.....four point game, and Duke calls a timeout.

67-63 with 6 and change to go.

Paulus and McRoberts each have twenty...compared to a balanced boxscore from the Rams.

Three for P-Rosa! One point game.....this one's going down to the wire (told you Duke was going to blow it)

Paulus misses two throws, but McRoberts gets the board.....Nelson mishandles the ball and it's VCU ball. Foul at the other end and Anderson goes to the line. First one ties it, and the second puts VCU back in the lead. 6 minutes left.....

"They'll fall back on defense"- KH, Umm VCU hasn't stopped pressing this entire game.

Duke grabs a couple of offensive boards, and Paulus hits a two to put Duke back up one.

69-68 with 4:30 left.

P-Rosa roughs up Paulus and he'll head back to the line. Gregory misses the first, and he's missed three in a row. Paulus hits the second two point lead. Maynor is fouled at the other end.....

It's 70-68 at the under 4 T.O.....we've got a barn burner.

Maynor hits them both....tie game. VCU gets the steal and calls a timeout.

I have beer now... and HD... this is much better. Make Duke stop scoring. (Grimey)

CHEERS!

Tie game still as we head under 3 minutes.

Anonymous says.......did you guys notice a few seconds ago when they put up the team "colors" it was VCU black and Duke white...then it was quickly taken back down.

Yep....hahahahaha. Comment of the night!

Paulus gets his shot blocked, and Pellot-Rosa knocks down a J....two point VCU lead. Timeout Duke. 1:53 to go.

Duke misses two threes, but Paulus forces a jumpball and Duke retains possession. Blocking foul on VCU and McRoberts will go to the line.

71-71....1:42 to go.

First is good, but the second is off. Tie game.....1:30 to go. Duke has missed 11 FTs tonight.

Maynor made a driving runner, and Scheyer gets blasted on the follow through. He's pouring blood now too. This is karmic payback for the Hansbrough play.

VCU up two.

Paulus gets inside for two, and we're tied up going under a minute. Greg slaps the floor and then proceeds to get BURNT by Maynor....Rams up two.....

Nelson misses a runner, but McRoberts is fouled underneath on the rebound! He'll go to the line for the tie. Wow.....way off. One more....good. One point game.

Duke commits the foul and Pellot-Rosa will go to the line. He's a snipper, so he shouldn't miss. He hits one, and this we'll be Duke's last chance.

NELSON BEATS EVERYONE DOWN THE COURT FOR THE TIE!

BUT MAYNOR ANSWERS WITH TWO SECONDS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a jumper......VCU up two with 1.8 seconds left. Can someone say Christian Laettner????

AND DUKE IS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The CAA is back baby!!!

79-77 VCU

The Maynor Video will be up soon just so you can watch it over and over. Enjoy OMDQ with the late games!