WBB: Nebraska 60, Duke 54

[Kedsy]

I didn't see a thread on this, but if I missed it please merge.

While it's a bit disappointing to lose the last couple games, I'm encouraged that Duke could play two top 15 teams on the road and get so close without our best player.

That said, having to write that Duke women had to play a good team without our best player is getting old. Hopefully we'll get healthy and stay healthy. Soon.

Seems like if Becca is off, we're going to have some shooting concerns. Our amazing offensive rebounding should ameliorate that concern however.

Azura Stevens is going to be a star. Frankly, Azura, Becca, and Sierra all have a good chance of becoming stars. The future looks bright for Duke women's basketball. Hopefully, Elizabeth gets healthy soon and that future starts this season.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Despite the losses, I was happy to see us do well as a team. This is a young group, even younger without EWill on the floor, and they will be a very strong team come tourney time.
At the end of the game, when it was pretty obvious that defeat was inevitable, Azura (I think) was talking to one of her teammates and flashed a big smile. That was important for me to see. They were having fun, despite the situation.

[MCFinARL]

Despite the losses, I was happy to see us do well as a team. This is a young group, even younger without EWill on the floor, and they will be a very strong team come tourney time.
At the end of the game, when it was pretty obvious that defeat was inevitable, Azura (I think) was talking to one of her teammates and flashed a big smile. That was important for me to see. They were having fun, despite the situation.

This is interesting. I don't really disagree with your point--it's important for players to bond, and to enjoy the game enough that they can deal with a loss in a tough game. But I wonder--if the Duke men had been losing the Wisconsin game near the end and Quinn Cook or Jahlil Okafor had flashed a big smile, would your reaction have been the same? Maybe not you, but I would bet someone or other on DBR would be calling that player out for not caring enough or not being angry enough about losing.

Not sure what my point is other than to suggest that maybe we all read too much into players' gestures and facial expressions at times. You have done it in a positive way here, which is fine; not sure it is all that helpful or fair when we do it in a negative way.

[CameronBornAndBred]

This is interesting. I don't really disagree with your point--it's important for players to bond, and to enjoy the game enough that they can deal with a loss in a tough game. But I wonder--if the Duke men had been losing the Wisconsin game near the end and Quinn Cook or Jahlil Okafor had flashed a big smile, would your reaction have been the same? Maybe not you, but I would bet someone or other on DBR would be calling that player out for not caring enough or not being angry enough about losing.

Not sure what my point is other than to suggest that maybe we all read too much into players' gestures and facial expressions at times. You have done it in a positive way here, which is fine; not sure it is all that helpful or fair when we do it in a negative way.
Totally agree. And you are right...someone would be screaming..they may have been when they saw the same thing with the women Wednesday night. I may have been, too, if I didn't have an underlying feeling that this team is going to be a very solid group in the coming weeks.

My only real complaint so far is missed layups. One year our Duke team is going to shock me and actually make them consistently. Grrrrrrrr.

[jv001]

This is interesting. I don't really disagree with your point--it's important for players to bond, and to enjoy the game enough that they can deal with a loss in a tough game. But I wonder--if the Duke men had been losing the Wisconsin game near the end and Quinn Cook or Jahlil Okafor had flashed a big smile, would your reaction have been the same? Maybe not you, but I would bet someone or other on DBR would be calling that player out for not caring enough or not being angry enough about losing.

Not sure what my point is other than to suggest that maybe we all read too much into players' gestures and facial expressions at times. You have done it in a positive way here, which is fine; not sure it is all that helpful or fair when we do it in a negative way.

I hope Coach P didn't see that smile. GoDuke!

[miramar]

This is going to be a really challenging season for WBB. If I’m reading everything properly, Sunday they play #1 South Carolina (home), but in late December it's #13 Kentucky (home) and #3 UConn (away). Then there are conference games against #21 Syracuse (home), #2 ND (away),#7 Louisville (home), #6 UNC (away then home). Not to mention some other tough away games in conference.

I don’t want to get overly dramatic, but this could turn out to be a make or break year for WBB.

[Kedsy]

I don’t want to get overly dramatic, but this could turn out to be a make or break year for WBB.

What do you mean by this? I understand our win/loss record might not be up to recent Duke standards (especially if Elizabeth doesn't come back soon), but I'd bet we'll do enough to make the NCAA tournament and be poised to win at least a couple tourney games. And the future looks bright.

So what could "break"?

[BD80]

... Azura (I think) was talking to one of her teammates and flashed a big smile. ...

Azura refused to feel blue?

[Kfanarmy]

What do you mean by this? I understand our win/loss record might not be up to recent Duke standards (especially if Elizabeth doesn't come back soon), but I'd bet we'll do enough to make the NCAA tournament and be poised to win at least a couple tourney games. And the future looks bright.

So what could "break"?

It always seems that the future looks brighter than the present for Duke WBB? Wonder why.

[Duvall]

What do you mean by this? I understand our win/loss record might not be up to recent Duke standards (especially if Elizabeth doesn't come back soon), but I'd bet we'll do enough to make the NCAA tournament and be poised to win at least a couple tourney games. And the future looks bright.

So what could "break"?

Winning a couple of games seems optimistic if Duke doesn't earn a high seed, but I agree that it's not clear how the program could be "broken" this year.

[jimsumner]

It always seems that the future looks brighter than the present for Duke WBB? Wonder why.

I'll take "Because they lose an All-American or two to injury" for 400, Alex.

[Duvall]

What do you mean by this? I understand our win/loss record might not be up to recent Duke standards (especially if Elizabeth doesn't come back soon), but I'd bet we'll do enough to make the NCAA tournament and be poised to win at least a couple tourney games. And the future looks bright.

So what could "break"?

Winning a couple of games seems optimistic if Duke doesn't earn a high seed, but I agree that it's not clear how the program could be "broken" this year.

[burnspbesq]

This is going to be a really challenging season for WBB. If I’m reading everything properly, Sunday they play #1 South Carolina (home), but in late December it's #13 Kentucky (home) and #3 UConn (away). Then there are conference games against #21 Syracuse (home), #2 ND (away),#7 Louisville (home), #6 UNC (away then home). Not to mention some other tough away games in conference.

I don’t want to get overly dramatic, but this could turn out to be a make or break year for WBB.

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more.

This is the year that we're playing with house money. Nobody i know expects a big year out of a team with no ACC-caliber PG and three freshmen starting. This is the year we bide our time and wait for our second consecutive top-two recruiting class to get here--a class that includes the best U-21 PG in the world.

Next year, the fun really starts. Be patient.

[uh_no]

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more.

This is the year that we're playing with house money. Nobody i know expects a big year out of a team with no ACC-caliber PG and three freshmen starting. This is the year we bide our time and wait for our second consecutive top-two recruiting class to get here--a class that includes the best U-21 PG in the world.

Next year, the fun really starts. Be patient.

for real. they graduated what, 3 starters last year?

[Kedsy]

for real. they graduated what, 3 starters last year?

Duke lost four starters from last year (Chelsea Gray, Haley Peters, Tricia Liston, Alexis Jones) plus the first player off the bench (Richa Jackson, who started after Chelsea's injury) and another key reserve (Chloe Wells). That list includes two 1st-team All-ACC players and two 2nd team All-ACC players. We returned one starter (Elizabeth Williams, also 1st team All-ACC, as well as All American), who was injured and didn't play in Duke's 4 point road loss to #5 Texas A&M and Duke's 6 point road loss to #12 Nebraska.

Seriously, how can people complain about this stuff?

[sagegrouse]

Seriously, how can people complain about this stuff? What?!? You're against the internet??

[Des Esseintes]

Duke lost four starters from last year (Chelsea Gray, Haley Peters, Tricia Liston, Alexis Jones) plus the first player off the bench (Richa Jackson, who started after Chelsea's injury) and another key reserve (Chloe Wells). That list includes two 1st-team All-ACC players and two 2nd team All-ACC players. We returned one starter (Elizabeth Williams, also 1st team All-ACC, as well as All American), who was injured and didn't play in Duke's 4 point road loss to #5 Texas A&M and Duke's 6 point road loss to #12 Nebraska.

Seriously, how can people complain about this stuff?

Total failure of perspective is helpful, but you just can't get there unless accompanied by a vast and childish sense of entitlement. It's a special combination, to say the least.

[uh_no]

Total failure of perspective is helpful, but you just can't get there unless accompanied by a vast and childish sense of entitlement. It's a special combination, to say the least.

I'm not particularly fond of P, but that doesn't mean she hasn't had a very good program over the past years....yeah they haven't made the final four, but they also are usually ranked top 5, and draw great recruits.

we'd all love more success against stanford, ND, and uconn....but where we are certainly isn't the bottom of the barrel....and even if this is a down year, the best part about freshman is they become sophomores