WBB Duke vs. NCSU

[CameronBornAndBred]

It's an early game (5pm), which is good. It's also on TV (FoxSports) which is better. State might not have the record but they do have the talent, they just took Carolina to OT in the Dean Dome. It will be another challenge for the ladies, especially since it is at State. I'm assuming Abby will be back on the court tonight, we will need her presence at both ends of the court. GO DUKE!

[MHTorringjan]

Wow, thanks for reminding me about this game, I always have problems with the away games... :-\

Anyway, this will definitely be a good game and a nice test of our team. Any team that can take Carolina to overtime away without their head coach is a team that you have to watch out for. While I haven't watched them much, what I've seen seems to suggest that the two teams have similar philosophies (but for different reasons): defense wins games. They're a well-coached team, and you know they want to win even more for Coach Yow.

[jv001]

Man, I hope the Duke Ladies take better care of the ball in this game. They looked really bad last game. Go Duke!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Karima Christmas is the only reason we go into the half not down double digits. Abby had a couple of decent shots, but the rest from her have been really bad decisions. The team still can't score from 3 feet away, very frustrating. State has been lighting it up from outside. Duke is in a 9 point hole, they will lose by more if they don't get it together on offense.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Women came out alive to start the second half, looking much better. Whew. Still a tie game, but has been classic defense, better offense.

[juise]

Down 3 with nine and a half minutes to play.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Tied, two mintues. We have got to protect the ball

[CameronBornAndBred]

2pt lead, one minute

[CameronBornAndBred]

30 secs and tied again.

[CameronBornAndBred]

OT, we are very lucky State's last shot did not fall

[juise]

On a somewhat related note, I think it's interesting that the coaches have Duke #10 and the AP has Duke #4. In men's hoops, I think that the AP does a better job staying connected with how teams are playing (rather than just looking at records and scores). I wonder if the same is true for the women's game.


As for overtime (nobody has scored in the first two minutes, per ESPN), GO DUKE!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Crazy Towel Guy is cheering on the ladies as they run up a 5 point lead in OT. Thanks for the support Herb!

[jv001]

Crazy Towel Guy is cheering on the ladies as they run up a 5 point lead in OT. Thanks for the support Herb!

Keep it up Herb..Go Duke!

[juise]

And Duke has broken the ominous 30% FG barrier!

[jv001]

Duke by 3 with 13.2 left

[jv001]

Duke wins another ugly one.

[juise]

Duke wins another ugly one.

Glad for a win, but "survive and advance" mode isn't until March. This time of year is still "improve your game while beating up less talented conference opponents" mode and it seems we're not improving a whole lot.

Congrats on the win, though, ladies. (I apologize if that seems like a back-handed compliment. :o)

[dukejim1]

Usually defensive oriented teams with a strong low post offense places high value on taking care of the ball. This team continues to get themselves in trouble with careless turnovers. This team is averaging 20 TO's for the year and 22+ in ACC play. This will need to improve for long term success.

[miramar]

I have to admit that I have never seen anything like this. The team is 16-1, but much of that is the result of living on the edge, and then some. They even win when they shoot 32% as they did today, and with their two guards shooting 4/20.

You certainly have to admire their heart and their intensity, but I also wonder how long they can keep pulling this off. Of course, I was wondering the same thing a month ago...

[godukecom]

I think Duke may never win a road game by >10 points in the acc this season

[dukelifer]

Glad for a win, but "survive and advance" mode isn't until March. This time of year is still "improve your game while beating up less talented conference opponents" mode and it seems we're not improving a whole lot.

Congrats on the win, though, ladies. (I apologize if that seems like a back-handed compliment. :o)
Didn't NC State just take UNC to overtime? Why are they less talented? Speaking of UNC- they got CRUSHED by 30 by Uconn tonight at home.

[DU82]

Got back from the game a little while ago. Sat in the front row upstairs, and was closer than usual (my seat in Cameron's a lot higher.)

Our defense can and usually is excellent. Two stretches in the second half, the first eight minutes, and then again a little later, were terrific. State absolutely could not get the ball inside, either to their bigs, or by driving. They resorted to taking wild three pointers with the shot clock ending. That's going to win you many ballgames.

On offense, it seems that Jasmine and Abby try to do the impossible too often, trying to make the extremely difficult pass/shot. Carrem looks lost and doesn't know what to do (nothing new there, unfortunately.) All three pick it up on the defensive end, for sure. Carrem is very mobile for a 6-2 center, and plays the point on the zone a lot. That makes entry passes very difficult. I saw at least once the tall Latvian player (Inga) shake her head no, and point away, indicating that she had no chance for a shot and don't pass it inside.

Karima Christmas was about the only aggressive player on offense that played under control (Abby and Jasime were aggressive, but out of control on too many drives/plays.) As somebody else said, she kept us in the game in the first half, and continued to made a bunch of heads-up plays in the second. I like her energy off the bench. Chelsea Hopkins came in during the first half and took the ball to the hoop when we needed somebody to make a play. A good couple of minutes from her.

Joy Cheek was 1-11, but took mostly decent shots, they just didn't fall. I think Bridgette gave us a spark off the bench again, I thought she played more than the 8 minutes listed. Part of that was down the stretch and in OT, Coach P went with her top five, Chante, Abby, Jasmine, Karima and Joy, with Keturah subbing for Karima briefly and ditto for Carrem/Chante (after Chante picked up her fourth foul.)

Other observations: I thought the refs did a really good job, even though each half's foul counts were unbalanced. State was more aggressive in the first half, and got the calls they should have gotten, and the reverse in the second half.

I was disappointed in the crowd size, I would have expected more than 3100 for this game, early evening on a holiday.

[gadzooks]

I wasn't surprised that State gave us a good run, but we seem to be unable to hang on to a lead and just close out games so much of the time. This team is much better than last year's, but still very inconsistent and frustrating. Ladies, I love ya, but y'all are givin' me the agita. OMG.

[juise]

Why are they less talented?

You're right, I don't know that. I jumped to the conclusion after looking at their record (8-10, 0-3 ACC) and schedule, but I honestly don't know much about the Wolfies beyond what their coach is going through.