WBB: Duke Vs. Vanderbilt (NCAA Tourney)

[CameronBornAndBred]

Ugh...a late game. Tip off is at 9:35 for us on the east coast. The women get the pleasure of playing 7th seeded Vanderbilt on Vanderbilt's home court. The arena is will be loud, crowded and hot, which doesn't sound that much different than Cameron, except that 90% of the voices will be yelling for the Commodores. Elizabeth Williams said she was getting sore in the second half with her leg, so it's good she sat, but I can't believe she won't be feeling the pain again tonight. If Tricia Liston gives another strong performance like she did Sunday and Haley Peters and Chelsea Gray do what they need to do, this should be a Duke victory. If any of those players have an off night though, and this game may be a struggle.
I would love to see us jump out with intensity early and build a quick lead. Do that, and they may take the crowd out of the picture some, and that would help lots. I watched a little bit of Vandy's first game, and it was not an easy win for Vanderbilt. They got outrebounded, which will be important for Duke to do as well. The other category we need to control is turnovers. In our blowout win, we turned the ball over 13 times. All in all, that's not a bad number for a whole game, and I can forgive that since it's hard to maintain focus when the score is so lopsided for so long. However, in their closer game, Vandy only turned the ball over 12 times..so without having seen them I assume they protect the ball well.
Tonight is a game I'll be nervous watching, but I don't think the women will be nervous playing. They've played in tough environments before, against better teams..and won. (And lost very closely...Maryland) They will be prepared and I'm sure Coach P will have a good game plan. GO DUKE!!

[Lid]

Thanks for starting this thread. I agree with pretty much everything you wrote.

There was one point in the Samford game when we'd gone on a solid run, and Samford called a timeout, presumably to settle down. Duke got a steal after Samford inbounded, layup for Duke. Chelsea Gray stole the next inbounds pass, put it right into the basket before the players even realized she had it. 4-0 in about 7 seconds coming out of a timeout by the other team. That's what I'd like to see over and over and over and over... :)

[CameronBornAndBred]

If snrub is empty, join us in Section 21. http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/chat/
Just pick a username, leave the password blank. GO DUKE!!!

[DU82]

I think the offense is back in gear, after the rough showing in the ACC tournament. Probably the best half all year against a quality opponent. We may have played better against UNC in Cameron, but I did say QUALITY opponent. 68% shooting, only two turnovers. 56-32 at the half.

[yancem]

Can anyone explain why a #2 seed is have to play on the road against a #7 seed? Obviously the home court didn't help Vandy in the first half but that seem quite unfair.

[dukelifer]

Can anyone explain why a #2 seed is have to play on the road against a #7 seed? Obviously the home court didn't help Vandy in the first half but that seem quite unfair.

The way Duke is shooting- maybe this should be their home court from here on out. Never seen a Duke team shoot like this in recent years- wow.

[uh_no]

Can anyone explain why a #2 seed is have to play on the road against a #7 seed? Obviously the home court didn't help Vandy in the first half but that seem quite unfair.

vandy was slotted as a 7 seed by the committee and the rules state if the team's home court is a site, they MUST play there...so last year we were guaranteed to play at cameron regardless of seed. So some 2 seed was going to have to play them at their place....is it silly? yes.

[OldPhiKap]

Looking good at half. Go Duke!

[Verga3]

Juggernaut tonight! Win the second half...be heartless. GO DUKE!!

[Verga3]

Haley Peters is having an incredible game. We are up 26 with 7 minutes to go. WOW. Playing Vandy on their homecourt.

[ForkFondler]

Haley Peters is having an incredible game. We are up 26 with 7 minutes to go. WOW. Playing Vandy on their homecourt.

They knew it wasn't fair, so they laid down for us. Must be.:cool:

[mitch84]

What a satisfying thing to watch. Great passing. Great team play. Three's that fall. Smart defense, stopping shots in the post without fouling. Finding the cutter. 96 points!!!!! Yikes!!!!! It's a lesson in hoops competency.

The play at 7:30 left in the second half sums it up. Awesome, including a behind the back pass. Check it out if you didn't see it. 16 point win, wasn't anywhere near that close. 14 out of 15 in Sweet 16's over past 15 years.

Let's see some Duke fans in Denver!

Go DEVILS!!!!!!!

[-bdbd]

What a satisfying thing to watch. Great passing. Great team play. Three's that fall. Smart defense, stopping shots in the post without fouling. Finding the cutter. 96 points!!!!! Yikes!!!!! It's a lesson in hoops competency.

The play at 7:30 left in the second half sums it up. Awesome, including a behind the back pass. Check it out if you didn't see it. 16 point win, wasn't anywhere near that close. 14 out of 15 in Sweet 16's over past 15 years.

Let's see some Duke fans in Denver!

Go DEVILS!!!!!!!

Isn't the West Sweet 16 and Elite-8 in Fresno?


Great night for the women. We were due for an easy one for once, and E-Williams is not looking too bad with the leg issue.
Peters, Liston and Gray were awesome! Looking forward to the Sweet-16 next weekend!! Go Duke WBB!!

Next game is next Sat., 3/24 (time TBD) against #3 seed St Johns. The other Fresno match-up is #1 Standford vs #5USC (South Carolina).
:D


Peliminary stats from ESPN: (look at that shooting!!!)

Team Stat Summary --- Vanderbilt -------- Duke
Points -------------------- 80 ---------------- 96
Field Goals ------- 29-62 (46.8%) ------- 42-64 (65.6%)
Free Throws ------- 10-15 (66.7%) ------- 5-7 (71.4%)
3-pointers ------- 12-26 (46.2%) ------- 7-11 (63.6%)
Rebounds (Off) ------- 29 (17) ------- 27 (10)
Assists --------------------- 15 ----------- 28
Steals ------------------------ 6 ----------- 11
Blocks ------------------------ 2 ----------- 5
Turnovers ------------------- 0 ----------- 0
Personal Fouls ----------- 12 ----------- 16



http://scores.espn.go.com/ncw/gamecast?gameId=320800150

[uh_no]

What a satisfying thing to watch. Great passing. Great team play. Three's that fall. Smart defense, stopping shots in the post without fouling. Finding the cutter. 96 points!!!!! Yikes!!!!! It's a lesson in hoops competency.

The play at 7:30 left in the second half sums it up. Awesome, including a behind the back pass. Check it out if you didn't see it. 16 point win, wasn't anywhere near that close. 14 out of 15 in Sweet 16's over past 15 years.

Let's see some Duke fans in Denver!

Go DEVILS!!!!!!!

Let's not get ahead of ourselves now.....2 more games to win before we can hope for duke fans in denver...

[burnspbesq]

St. John's hung on to beat Oklahoma, so we get the Red Storm on Saturday in Fresno.

[uh_no]

St. John's hung on to beat Oklahoma, so we get the Red Storm on Saturday in Fresno.

Duke looked much more impressive tonight, for sure. St Johns has a couple good wins under their belt, most notably over uconn (though they got blown out in the rematch).

I think for sure this will be a very good game.

[burnspbesq]

We are the first game in Fresno, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Awesome, including a behind the back pass. Immediately after a great steal and it led to a sweet basket. That has to make some highlight reels today.

[devildeac]

Immediately after a great steal and it led to a sweet basket. That has to make some highlight reels today.

Did not see all the espn top 10 but this was not in the top 7 or 8. There were a bunch of nba dunks, a Tae Kwon Do type flying kick leg save from the nhl, a couple soccer goals with Griner's (sp?) dunk being #1.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Did not see all the espn top 10 but this was not in the top 7 or 8. There were a bunch of nba dunks, a Tae Kwon Do type flying kick leg save from the nhl, a couple soccer goals with Griner's (sp?) dunk being #1.

Since the game ended at almost midnight I doubt it would have been on yesterday's. :rolleyes:

[mitch84]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves now.....2 more games to win before we can hope for duke fans in denver...

The reason I specifically wrote that was to emphasize this is a final four team, especially the way they played. How much fun are they!

Also, there was at least a partially unconscious recognition that Fresno is not the easiest regional location to get to (I checked, it's reaaaally perhaps one of the biggest pains in the you know where for those of us on the east coast for any regional in the history of duke hoops--with the exception of Pullman Washington in the 1984 men's tourney--for that, we had to fly into a corn field in Moscow, Idaho because Pullman didn't have a long enough runway). So, yes, Fresno is a tougher nut; to expect fans to go there would be harsh. But Dukies can make it to Denver with a bit more ease.

But that's an digression--fact is, this team, the way they're playing, should be in the Final Four. Yes, I know, next game.....but there's a difference between being presumptuous and optimistic. I am being the latter (I think).

Go DEVILS!!!!!!