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Duke Basketball Tickets - Are We Seeing A Swoon Or A Permanent Downturn?
Duke basketball tickets have long been some of the most difficult basketball tickets to find in the United States. The program has been almost a gold standard by which all other programs are measured, and that includes not only their on-court success but also their sterling reputation as student athletes. No one questions the fact that Duke runs a clean and successful program under the legendary stewardship of Mike Krzyzewski.

However, the 2006-07 season has been a disappointment for the Blue Devils, and that was never more apparent than in their recent loss to arch-rival North Carolina. The Blue Devils played extremely hard and extremely well, but still could not overcome the talent and ability of the Tar Heels. Below we’ll examine whether this season is an indication of things to come or merely a minor blip on their radar by examining a few specific issues.

Youth

Although youth is becoming somewhat of an antiquated problem in college basketball as more and more stars leave early for the NBA, Duke is an extremely young team. The Blue Devils’ rotation features only one junior and no seniors who average more than one minute in playing time per game, and none of their starters are averaging more than 14 points per game. Simply put, the Blue Devils are still learning how to win, and that can only come with time.

Athleticism

Duke may not only lack experience, but several experts have noted the Blue Devils’ overall lack of pure athleticism on the floor at any given time. This was on display in a prevalent way against North Carolina, as Duke was on fire early and stormed to a big lead. However, they simply could not hold on as the Tar Heels sent waves of athletes to the hoop and attacked the floor and Duke’s defense mercilessly. Duke just could not handle that pressure on either end of the floor, and what looked to be a potential upset wound up being an extremely bitter loss, leaving those lucky enough to score Duke basketball tickets for this classic rivalry game disappointed.

Luckily, Duke has a couple of factors working in its favor. First, their biggest “star” is their coach, and he’s taken under-talented teams to overachieving levels several times in the past, and there isn’t any doubt that he can do so again. Secondly, Duke does still sit with a record of 18-6, which means that barring a total collapse, they’ll still be able to get into the NCAA Tournament, where anything can happen in a single-elimination format.

Overall, Duke has had a few tough years during Krzyzewski’s time in Durham, and they’ve always bounced back. Basically, Duke basketball tickets are still worth the effort to obtain, as this is a program that won’t stay down for long.

Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Duke basketball tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Texas A&m Aggies Basketball Tickets - What’s Going On In College Station?
By Jay Nault
For many years, Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets have been nothing more than an afterthought in College Station. Texas A&M was always a football school, and little else mattered much at all. However, the culture in the area is beginning to turn, and the Aggies are providing fans plenty of reasons to go to games against their Big 12 rivals. As hard as it is to believe, local fans are realistically dreaming of a run to the Final Four, and below we’ll look at a few reasons why that’s the case.

Coaching

Simply put, Billy Gillispie is a coaching star. He was hired to run the program at Texas A&M in 2004, and the team hadn’t had a winning season since 1994 before he arrived. To make matters worse, the Aggies were coming off a dismal season in which they posted a record of 7-21 under previous coach Melvin Watkins.

Gillespie immediately restored respect to the program, winning 21 games in his first season and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NIT, which was the first postseason appearance by the Aggies in more than a decade. Gillispie also drummed up interest in Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets by refusing to make the excuses that had long existed under previous regimes, namely that Texas A&M was a “football school,” that they “didn’t have the support from the administration” and many other issues that he quickly dismissed.

Talent

Gillispie isn’t just a leader and a tremendous game coach, but he can recruit as well. He was one of the first coaches in Aggie Land to aggressively pursue top-flight recruits, and that pursuit paid off several times. He added talented current players such as Joseph Jones, Josh Carter and Donald Sloan, and each of these players turned down “bigger” programs to come and play in College Station.

Gillispie is building a pipeline for recruiting in Texas and beyond, and that’s making the folks in Austin and Lubbock very nervous indeed. The more Texas A&M wins, the more credibility Gillispie and his program gain, and the snowball effect will take over from there.

What it all Means

This season is not a one-year wonder. The Aggies have posted three consecutive 20-win seasons, and they’re currently ranked in the Top Ten in both major college basketball polls. Their recruiting for next year looks very promising, and their young team is still getting better. What this all means is that folks better get their Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets now, as they’ll become even harder to find in the very near future.

Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Texas A&M Aggies basketball tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.