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View Full Version : WBB: Duke 56, Stanford 52



GrayHare
12-12-2008, 12:34 PM
In case you're making plans for next week, Duke WBB (#11/12) hosts Stanford (#3/4) next Tuesday night, 12/16, at 7:30 pm in Cameron.

This is, I believe, a BIG GAME on the women's schedule, and I think they'd appreciate as much support as we can muster, particularly from any students still in town.

Attention dukemomLA and others in SoCal: WBB finishes the week with games Friday and Saturday night at the Women of Troy Basketball Classic at the University of Southern California.

miramar
12-12-2008, 04:15 PM
Considering that finals don't end until Sunday, that is what you would call a big week. But good things happen to those who go after them.

CameronBornAndBred
12-16-2008, 08:15 AM
We will have Jasmine Thomas back at point tonight. That's a huge addition, she has missed the last 3 games due to injury. Best of luck to the ladies, GO DUKE! (Everyone who can't be there, you can watch on ESPN @ 7:30)

summerwind03
12-16-2008, 09:10 PM
So far, we're looking good. Forcing a lot of turnovers (and Stanford hasn't been shooting well from the line). Christmas is having a career night. 49-42 with 7 minutes to go.

summerwind03
12-16-2008, 09:30 PM
Final 56-52 -- big win for Duke!

godukerocks
12-16-2008, 09:33 PM
That was a fun game to watch. Sort of looked like the old Duke, causing turnovers with the press, running the floor, and all the emotion. I hope this keeps up.

CameronBornAndBred
12-16-2008, 09:36 PM
Congrats to the ladies. Horrendous shooting, but luckily by both teams. Maybe Wooden snuck in and raised the rims. Excellent defense by Duke, it won the game for us. We have really got to improve our shooting though. I can't recall seeing so many shots missed from within 10'. I think this could have easily have been a double digit victory if even a third more of our close shots (including layups) had gone in. Still...absolutely amazing defense and a great win.

dukelifer
12-16-2008, 09:37 PM
Final 56-52 -- big win for Duke!
This women's team definitely knows how to win ugly. If they could shoot the ball- they could be incredibly tough to beat- but they can play D all game long and make other teams look very bad. But this Duke team is really limited offensively with almost no outside shooters. Waner's woes continue this season, unfortunately. But winning is winning.

Kedsy
12-16-2008, 09:47 PM
Congrats to the ladies. Horrendous shooting, but luckily by both teams. Maybe Wooden snuck in and raised the rims. Excellent defense by Duke, it won the game for us. We have really got to improve our shooting though. I can't recall seeing so many shots missed from within 10'. I think this could have easily have been a double digit victory if even a third more of our close shots (including layups) had gone in. Still...absolutely amazing defense and a great win.

I agree. Great defense but just awful shooting. Good win but the team needs a whole lot of work on the offensive end.

miramar
12-16-2008, 09:47 PM
It was no masterpiece, but that was a big win.

Two things stuck out in my mind:

1) Free throws, where Stanford went 12/27 and Duke 17/22

2) After Stanford hit a big three to pull within three with 1:04 left, they had the ball for only ten seconds the rest of the way after some huge offensive rebounds by Duke.

For better or worse, it appears that we have become a Big Ten team.

Kedsy
12-16-2008, 09:55 PM
Waner's woes continue this season, unfortunately.

This is the first opportunity I've had to watch this year's women's team, but I think Abby's problems stem primarily from either not thinking or thinking too much. Poor shot selection, shooting while moving sideways away from the basket. Quick shots out of the flow of the offense. And what's with that flick of the wrist while shooting free throws? She looked almost like Shaq on the line, and we all know that's not a good thing. Very good ballhandling and passing (although she did force a few into the middle for turnovers), and good opportunistic defense, but when she's shooting she looks like a completely different person than she did her first year or two on the team. I think the championship loss to Maryland must have gotten into her head and stayed there. Just my opinion, of course.

Lavabe
12-16-2008, 10:20 PM
Congrats to the women!!

Christmas had a great game tonight!

Cheers,
Lavabe

juise
12-16-2008, 10:22 PM
Congrats on a hard-fought win, ladies!

juise
12-16-2008, 10:22 PM
Christmas had a great game tonight!

'Tis the season!

godukerocks
12-16-2008, 10:27 PM
but when she's shooting she looks like a completely different person than she did her first year or two on the team. I think the championship loss to Maryland must have gotten into her head and stayed there. Just my opinion, of course.

I disagree. Yes, her shooting percentages are down, are you can argue whether that's because of a new offensive system and style of play, a new coach, the other players, and so on. But I don't think the loss to Maryland got "into her head and stayed there." If anything, it motivated her to work harder, get better, and make her team better. And while the results of the team and her shooting are not as great as they were a few years ago, I don't think Abby's struggles are a direct result of the championship game two and a half years ago.

dukelifer
12-16-2008, 10:45 PM
I disagree. Yes, her shooting percentages are down, are you can argue whether that's because of a new offensive system and style of play, a new coach, the other players, and so on. But I don't think the loss to Maryland got "into her head and stayed there." If anything, it motivated her to work harder, get better, and make her team better. And while the results of the team and her shooting are not as great as they were a few years ago, I don't think Abby's struggles are a direct result of the championship game two and a half years ago.

It is more than just shooting percentages. She is forcing shots at times. Her free throw shooting is down- suggesting some mechanics issues. It could be many things- but clearly her shooting is not what it was. She does bring other things to the court and contributes despite the shooting problems. Many players would sulk and just not contribute. So you have to give her credit. I think she needs to slow down a bit and shoot more with her feet set. She is drifting on her shot. If she could find her outside shot- Duke would be a very tough out. The shooting woes started last year - which coincided with the new strength program- but who knows. She is clearly aware of it, according to the announcers- so it could be thinking too much. A few athletes have had this happen to them- where something that was natural is no longer natural. It may correct itself.

zingit
12-16-2008, 11:42 PM
This is the first opportunity I've had to watch this year's women's team, but I think Abby's problems stem primarily from either not thinking or thinking too much. Poor shot selection, shooting while moving sideways away from the basket. Quick shots out of the flow of the offense. And what's with that flick of the wrist while shooting free throws? She looked almost like Shaq on the line, and we all know that's not a good thing. Very good ballhandling and passing (although she did force a few into the middle for turnovers), and good opportunistic defense, but when she's shooting she looks like a completely different person than she did her first year or two on the team. I think the championship loss to Maryland must have gotten into her head and stayed there. Just my opinion, of course.

That wouldn't explain why she had such a good sophomore season though. But yes, her shot selection has been puzzling at times.

dukemomLA
12-17-2008, 12:40 AM
Great win for our WBB team! Yahoo. Hope this gives them the confidence to keep on, keeping on. Great game to watch.

jv001
12-17-2008, 08:10 AM
Congratulations Lady Blue Devils on your hard fought win last night. Stanford is a real good team(#4) and our ladies did a good job defensivly. The press worked and we out-rebounded them. If we could just shoot the bb better we would have a top ten 10 maybe even higher. I agree with the other posters regarding Abby. She is shooting too quickly, her feet are not set and she falls to the left alot on her shot. These things along with a loss of confidence has her in a prelonged slump shooting the ball and it's also affecting her ball handling(turnovers). Christmas played a great game and Black was pretty steady. However she failed to get back down court when things did not go well for her on the offensive end of the court. Neither did our point guard. This caused atleast 3 or 4 runouts to Stanford's bigs. I hope that Coach P has the team working on their outside shooting. I have never seen so many awful shots in one game. All this negativity after a win. Well it was an ugly win. But it was a win. Go Duke!

miramar
12-17-2008, 08:42 AM
I think that Abby made three of her first four shots, which kept Duke in the game in the beginning. I was hoping that she would have a breakout game, but after that she was 0-8. Several posters have commented on the drifting, but I think that's the result of poor shot selection. If you rush a shot as you are moving right to left across the key, for example, you are bound to drift.

Christmas went 5/7 but the rest of the team 13/52 (25%) so Abby was not alone. But it was a great effort only two days after the end of finals. If they can relax over the break the shooting will improve dramatically.

CameronBornAndBred
12-17-2008, 09:02 AM
I have never seen so many awful shots in one game. All this negativity after a win. Well it was an ugly win. But it was a win. Go Duke!
I made a comment during the snrubchat that I couldn't remember I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.ing so much about bad play during a game we were winning.

Saratoga2
12-17-2008, 10:31 AM
Congrats to the ladies. Horrendous shooting, but luckily by both teams. Maybe Wooden snuck in and raised the rims. Excellent defense by Duke, it won the game for us. We have really got to improve our shooting though. I can't recall seeing so many shots missed from within 10'. I think this could have easily have been a double digit victory if even a third more of our close shots (including layups) had gone in. Still...absolutely amazing defense and a great win.

Both teams weren't just missing, they weren't even close. Luckily, Stanford was also bad from the foul line. Duke pressure caused a lot of turnovers, but our ball security was not so good either. Lots of learning to do. Good win nevertheless.

watzone
12-17-2008, 12:35 PM
I thought it was a big win for Coach P/McCallie. http://bluedevilnation.net/?p=1463

She has implemented her defensive style and that style and physical play drove Stanford nuts.

Ders24
12-17-2008, 03:50 PM
Great write-up Watzone. Excellent win for the program, I think given the similarities between the schools this is going to be important for recruiting.

miramar
12-17-2008, 03:51 PM
There's an interesting stat at the bottom of the box score: Duke outscored Stanford 12-1 on second chance points. Impressive.

jimsumner
12-17-2008, 05:21 PM
"I think that Abby made three of her first four shots, which kept Duke in the game in the beginning. I was hoping that she would have a breakout game, but after that she was 0-8."

Abby got off to a hot start when she was playing off the ball. Then KJ and Jas picked up two fouls and Abby moved to the point. And her offense disappeared. I don't think that's a coincidence.

McCallie has said early and often that she wants to keep Abby at the 2 as much as possible this season. But the injuries to Jas and Chelsea have forced her hand. I think keeping AW at the 2 would help her achieve and maintain some offensive consistency.

robc
12-18-2008, 12:34 AM
Some of you may not be aware of dwhoops.com, the only website solely devoted to coverage of the women's team. Here's a link to our coverage of the Stanford game:

http://www.dwhoops.com/0809/0812160-Duke56-Stanford52.php

That link takes you to my nutshell take on the game, and from there you can click on my game recap, Orin Day's photos, a player-by-player analysis and the boxscore.

Clipsfan
12-18-2008, 01:08 AM
Is anyone thinking about going to the games this Fri/Sat at USC?

jimsumner
12-18-2008, 02:21 PM
"Some of you may not be aware of dwhoops.com, the only website solely devoted to coverage of the women's team. Here's a link to our coverage of the Stanford game"

Rob and Orin do an excellent job and I highly recommend this site.

GrayHare
12-18-2008, 03:27 PM
Sports coverage in the Chronicle... The Chronicle of Higher Education, that is. Column by John Jackson, Jr....Go Duke Blue Devils!?! (http://chronicle.com/review/brainstorm/index.php?id=1057)

I know how he feels. It's been almost 12 years since I left, and I still follow the women's team.

CameronBornAndBred
12-18-2008, 04:02 PM
"Some of you may not be aware of dwhoops.com, the only website solely devoted to coverage of the women's team. Here's a link to our coverage of the Stanford game"

Rob and Orin do an excellent job and I highly recommend this site.
Thanks for the link Jim, had no idea that site existed.