DURHAM, N.C. -- Ron Niekamp has coached more than 700 college games, but even the veteran coach of the University of Findlay men's basketball was overcome with awe as he stood on the polished floor of Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time.
He had his hands on his hips and his head tilted upward as he looked up at the banners that shined in the near blinding lights of one of college basketball's most storied venues.
"It's a special place, and rightfully so," Niekamp said. "To be able to come here and practice and have a chance to play Duke in their gym is a great opportunity for our basketball program. It will be a memorable experience."
His players echoed those thoughts as they entered the gym before the start of an intense 90-minute practice.
Armed with cell phones and digital cameras, they took pictures of the banners hanging from the rafters, banners that bear the names of great players from the past (Christian Laettner, Johnny Dawkins. Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill were among them) and banners that served as reminders of the 11 Atlantic Coast Conference championships and three national championships the Blue Devils have won.
Senior guard Nick Coon, a redshirt senior who is a valuable asset off the bench for the Oilers, is looking forward to playing a game in a building that is considered to be one of the toughest places to play in the country.
UF and Duke will square off in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. today.
The Oilers, 36-0 a year ago and the defending NCAA Division II national champions are ranked fourth in the preseason National Association of Basketball Coaches poll.
The Blue Devils are ninth in the Associated Press preseason poll and are the co-favorites with rival North Carolina to win the ACC championship.
"A lot of people don't get to experience something like this, and we are fortunate to have this opportunity," Coon said. "You always see Duke on ESPN, but once the game starts, it's just another gym. That is how we have to treat it. We want to go out and play hard and execute our game plan as best as we can."
Sophomore forward Greg Avery was impressed with Cameron but he is hardly new to hostile environments at the D-I level. The transfer from Western Carolina played his first collegiate game against the Connecticut Huskies in Storrs, Conn, last November.
So, on that note, he has an idea of what to expect from the rabid Duke fans who will make life difficult for the Oilers tonight.
"We can't run around like chickens with our heads cut off," Avery said. "I've talked a lot to the other guys about my experience in games like this and we all know we have to stay composed and play our game."
The Oilers put a lot of emphasis on their defensive drills in practice Monday, which isn't a big surprise when one considers UF prides itself on playing an in-your-face style of defense. UF gave up only 59.8 points per game and forced 595 turnovers last season.
The players broke a sweat quickly in practice. And while the Oilers did discuss the challenge of playing a team as talented as Duke, which features All-American candidates Kyle Singler (6-foot-8 junior forward) and Jon Scheyer (6-5 senior point guard), the main focus was on improving as a team.
"I think we are more concerned with us at this time of the year," Niekamp said. "I know we are playing Duke, and we have gone over a lot of their sets, but the most important thing is to focus on what we have to do to be successful. Will it be effective? I don't know. Hopefully it will part of the time."
Duke is facing another year of high expectations.
The Blue Devils are coming a 30-7 campaign that was highlighted by an ACC Tournament title and trip to the Sweet 16.
The Blue Devils, who have won three NCAA Division II championships, the last in 2001, are led by Singler, the preseason ACC Player of the Year and one of 50 players named to the watch list for the James Naismith Award, an honor seven other Blue Devils have won.
Singler lit up Division II Pfeiffer for 21 points as the Blue Devils showed no mercy in a 128-70 exhibition win on Oct. 24 in Durham.
Singer was one of eight players in double figures in the victory. Freshman forward Mason Plumlee dropped in 18 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while his brother, sophomore forward Miles Plumlee, clicked for 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Duke shot 61 percent from the field in the victory and owned a 65-24 edge on the boards, hardly a surprise for a team that is expected to have a formidable frontcourt as it takes aim at its 12th ACC championship.
"We were pleased with our effort," veteran Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We played hard, especially in those first 20 minutes, and that was key because Pfeiffer likes to push the ball down the court as quickly as possible so they can hit threes and dribble penetrate. It was a good test for us and I thought we handled it very well."
UF is the next challenge for the Blue Devils on their exhibition slate. Coach Krzyzewski personally invited the Oilers to play this game after they won the national title in dramatic fashion, and he had a good reason for extending the invite.
"They are a great small-college basketball program," Krzyzewski said over the summer. "They are well-coached and they play hard. It is not only a great experience for them to play here at Cameron, but it is exciting for our team to go up against a quality opponent in the preseason."
Cheers erupted from the UF players as they wrapped up practice Monday and gathered in a circle to listen to Niekamp speak before they headed out into the mild November night here in Durham.
Niekamp reminded his players to play hard and give their best effort against the Blue Devils.
"We just have to do the same things we've been doing since we were little, only this time it's in a much bigger setting," Coon said. "It's going to be fun. No one is going to pick us to win or expect us to keep it close, but this game will be a good stepping stone for us. It's a chance for us to learn more about our team and help us accomplish bigger goals down the road."
concerned
i totally agree with you! when you call them nothing happens (unless you have a little bit of pot). I called police on a passed...
Read More...
Capt. Treece
Why don't you put your money where your mouth is Capt. Treece. Bring out those numbers. The correct ones. I bet you make almo...
Read More...
Extra Enforcement
I always wonder why they tell the public what roads are choosen for patrols. Can't the drunk driver just go another route?
Read More...
buddies
Thats not the way we see it ,,if you retire and can and do ,,,move on,, We the people of this county do not approve of this pra...
Read More...
Why is this thug on the street anyway?
I believe if you review some history, this creep robbed a pizza driver in August of 2007 two years ago and was involved in a st...
Read More...
Robbery
While I agree with most of Cathy Schulte's comments, I don't agree with, "Good of her to fight back." How stupid would it be to...
Read More...
Robbery
How dumb ! How much could money a pizza delivery person have? To risk prision for any amount is crazy,but to rob a person of cha...
Read More...
Loading Weather Widget...
It IS dustier he...