by Michelle Richardson

Clemson 72 Duke 59: This is the new age for basketball and Duke head coach Mike Krzyewski and there used to be a time that coach K had kids that could mature into the system and it was wonderful in North Carolina but now he’s getting guys who are one and done and some people are leaving before their time and every year he’s had to reteach the Duke system.

Unfortunately the new recruits aren’t necessarily getting it, you got Jabari Parker he’s getting his points but they needed an Austin Rivers and a Seth Curry. They needed more time and Seth might have had more time because he transferred from Liberty. The bottom line is Rivers should have stayed at Duke another year and it would have done Duke good and it would done Rivers good as a player.

That’s the problem with the college game it is losing some of it’s luster and so is the pro game they’re letting kids come in too soon. It’s not about thier age it’s about their level of maturity as athletes and not necessarily as being young men as being professionals. Nobody is taking the time to learn the game any more everybody is trying to run to the NBA.

So Duke and coach K has to realize like any other sport baseball, football, or hockey it doesn’t matter the game changes as you ascend to a better level. Duke losing to Clemson 72-59 to unranked Clemson. Duke is number one at 12-4, 7th in the Atlantic and that’s a lot from an ACC team. That’s really going to hurt them come time for the ACC Playoffs. Duke has Virgina on Monday night at home we’ll see how that game works out.

Arizona still perfecto: The Arizona Wildcats (16-0) are truly finding themselves in the post Lute Olson era and the Wildcats aren’t afraid. You got to like this group of young men that are just not afraid and they have deomonstrated that with a razor shave close game in UCLA for a four point 79-75 win on Thursday night. You have to realize with the Bruins new coach Steve Alford you have kids trying to learn their system.

It’s kind of difficult to get things started when you don’t know what’s expected of you and it doesn’t matter if your half way through the season it’s still a new system. Arizona is trying to make things happen their not holding off. The Wildcats are number one in the country their not taking any prisoners. Wildcats guard Aaron Gordon is in it to win it and it’s really great to see Arizona head coach Sean Miller getting these young men to know their role who are playing solid basketball on both ends of the court.

Michelle Richardson does commentary on the NCAA each week for Sportstalk radio