WBB: Duke 64, Georgia Tech 50 (30 straight!)

[CameronBornAndBred]

Huge road game tonight for the women, against 21st ranked GT. On TV now, Fox Sports.

[Stray Gator]

Ugh. Duke was up by a score of 15-5, mostly on Jasmine Thomas driving layups. Now the score is 18-15. Watching the Duke women try to score in a half-court offense is just painful. Here's hoping this is the women's "Miami game," and we see a much better performance in the second half.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Here's hoping this is the women's "Miami game," and we see a much better performance in the second half.
I was just coming in to say the same thing, I feel it. By the way, #43 is huge...literally. Vernerey has no hope working against her.
McCallie will make the adjustments, but the women gotta make the shots. I feel good things coming in the second half.

[jv001]

When will this coaching staff land a recruit that can shoot? These players are the worse outside shooters I've seen in a long time. Matter of fact they are not too good shooting from point blank range. Go Duke!

[CameronBornAndBred]

When will this coaching staff land a recruit that can shoot? These players are the worse outside shooters I've seen in a long time. Matter of fact they are not too good shooting from point blank range. Go Duke!
I agree, our shooting sucks, but as for the recruiting comment, I hope your kidding. If not, google our incoming class.

[Duvall]

I agree, our shooting sucks, but as for the recruiting comment, I hope your kidding. If not, google our incoming class.

Same system, though.

[jv001]

I agree, our shooting sucks, but as for the recruiting comment, I hope your kidding. If not, google our incoming class.

I know they are highly rated, but can they shoot against div. 1 college players? I sure hope so because this team can't. Go Duke!

[roywhite]

Nice job in the last 8-10 minutes as Duke pulls away for a 64-50 win. Good performance by Jasmine Thomas with 20 points and good defense by Duke in the second half.

Again, the parallel with the mens' team...1st place in the ACC and 22-4 record overall. And some rough stretches of play on the road, but eventually got it going.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Hell yeah that was great. Every game I see, I'm liking our tourney chances better. I see us as at least Elite 8 worthy, and FF if the ball bounces our way now and then. This was a really impressive win tonight. Started less than pretty, but what a dominating finish. Very nice win, ladies.

[roywhite]

30 straight wins over Tech...wow.

No wonder that GaTech coach seemed so intense; can't like being on the other end of a streak like that. She was mic'd up for the game and unleashed on her players a few times.

[HateCarolina]

Perfect. Sitting here with a GT grad and now I can give him some crap. :D

[3rd Dukie]

I am really impressed with the team Coach Mc has put together.
With the obvious exception of Jasmine, there are no real individual stars, yet their commitment to defense and overall hustle has made them a very fine team.

Now, learn to shoot from the outside!! :)

[CameronBornAndBred]

Now, learn to shoot from the outside!! :)
Take few practices on inside shooting, too.

[miramar]

Take few practices on inside shooting, too.

Good point. One problem that I have noted in WBB is that the bigs seem to think that as long as they have a shot from close up, then it must be a good shot. So if they have somebody (or -bodies) hanging on them, or if they get an offensive rebound and come down in an awkward position, they still put it up. The end result is three-foot shots that either go 2 feet or 4 feet, but have no chance of going in.

[Gargoyle]

but the turnovers drive you crazy. 22 turnovers and 12 assists; a ratio of .55. For the year, prior to last night's game which certainly will not help, Duke ranked 171 out of 332 D-1 teams with an average of 17.9 TOs per game and an A/TO ratio of .82 (88th in Div I). CT leads the nation with an A/TO ratio of 1.35.

I am pretty sure the new recruits will be good shooters but can they hold onto the ball?

[Duvall]

Why is everyone throwing the players under the bus? It's like any of this started last night.

[jimsumner]

Oh, c'mon Duvall. It's not like they beat a nationally ranked on the road to extend their lead in conference play or anything that might deserve some praise.

[miramar]

Oh, c'mon Duvall. It's not like they beat a nationally ranked on the road to extend their lead in conference play or anything that might deserve some praise.

Jim is of course right that you have to be very satisfied with an ACC road win against a ranked opponent. And even more so with a team that is 22-4 and ranked # 7/8.

Nevertheless, it is puzzling that three years in we still have problems with basic stuff like shooting and turnovers. There is no question that things are better (for example, this year WBB has 25% more turnovers than assists versus 40% last year), but it really seems that this team would be unstoppable (perhaps with one exception) if it had an offensive coordinator and a more efficient offense.

I'm naturally rooting for WBB and hope they win the ACC and go far in the tournament, but I'm also perplexed.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Oh, c'mon Duvall. It's not like they beat a nationally ranked on the road to extend their lead in conference play or anything that might deserve some praise.
Ha!
Seriously, though, the criticisms on the shooting and the turnovers are valid, and they have been for a couple years now. The inside shooting has been a pet peeve of mine for quite a while, although they have been (slightly) better this year. In fact, if we made a third of our shots from inside 5' in our last game last year, we would have advanced in the tourney. There is nothing wrong with pointing out faults while singing praises, we just see where they can be better. (And if they corrected those slights, I'd easily bump up my elite 8 prediction to the FF)

[buddy]

For the women to be a FF team, they have to be in a region without UConn, and probably Stanford. Otherwise, they just might be good enough. Their half court offense leaves much to be desired, but they get about 35% of their offense off their defense. When the defense is clicking, the offense is more than adequate.

[CameronBornAndBred]

For the women to be a FF team, they have to be in a region without UConn, and probably Stanford. .
Agreed on UCONN, but I wouldn't mind facing Stanford again in the 8. Duke can take them, it would be a great game.