The Duke women defeated Alaska-Anchorage 87-56 tonight in an exhibition game. UAA is a perennial D-2 power and went 30-2 last season, 97-7 over the last three seasons. Their MO is fast-break, press, frequent substitution, create havoc.

Not very big, like most D-2 teams, but scrappy and not at all intimidated by Cameron.

In other words, a test.

In addition to this game, I've watched last week's scrimmage, some practice and had a bunch of conversations with players and staff.

So, some general observations.

First, some injury updates.

Kyra Lambert suffered an ACL injury in the NCAAT last season and underwent surgery. She is not practicing yet. I'm told it's 50-50 if she returns this season. No firm go/no-go date but Duke opens ACC play December 31. I suspect she needs to be back by then or pretty close afterwards or Duke will sit her out and protect her redshirt.

Freshman Mikalya Boykin left tonight's game with a knee injury and did not play in the second half. I'm told it's likely a bone bruise and not likely to be serious. But she did miss her sophomore and junior seasons at Clinton High School with knee issues, so fingers crossed.

Haley Gorecki has missed a season and half with hip and shoulder injuries but she's fine now, albeit more than a little rusty.

This happened last spring but Lynee Belton was forced to give up the sport due to chronic knee problems. She's still with the program as a student assistant coach.

Sofia Roma set out last season as a transfer from Wagner. She underwent knee surgery earlier this fall and is unlikely to ever play for Duke.

Redshirt freshman Emily Schubert is recovered from knee surgery. But she was a DNP-CD tonight and is a long way from being able to play at this level.

With that out of the way. . . .

Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell are the returning mainstays. Greenwell is one of the best players in the ACC and Brown is one of the best players in the country. In fact, Brown was pre-season ACC Player of the Year. She's darn near the perfect player; athletic, skilled, smart, tough, a born leader and hyper competitive. Her father Dee played umpteen years in the NBA and this is the family business. She knows what she's doing.

Greenwell came to Duke as a shooter and she's on track to break all the school's 3-point records. But she's more than that. She led Duke in rebounds last season--at 6-1--has become a solid defender and good ball-handler.

Leaonna Odom is, IMO, the key to the season. She was a promising but erratic freshman last season. I'm frequently told some variation of "she doesn't know how good she can be."

I think she's figuring it out. She's a thin 6-2 but is almost unstoppable inside. She's very quick and can run all day. Try to guard her with a conventional 4 and she'll run them into the ground. Odom has great positional awareness. She always seems to know where she is in relation to the basket, the backboard, her teammates and her opponents and just finds open water where there shouldn't be open water.

She's still a work in progress. Her handle has improved but she's hasn't shown any shooting range longer than about 10 feet. But assertiveness is the question. If she's assertive, there's no reason why she can't give Duke 15 or so PPG. She's a budding star.

Is anyone else ready to be more than a complementary player? Returnees are senior post Erin Matthias, junior wing Faith Suggs and Gorecki.

Mathias is an intriguing player. She's 6-4, can run and has some skills. McCallie said tonight that Mathias succeeds when she "simplifies" the game. When she's fluid and decisive, she's effective. But she can overthink things. Duke needs her to rebound and defend. Any offense is gravy.

Newcomers?

Boykin could be really good and if Lambert doesn't come back, she's even more of a key. She averaged more than 37 ppg last year for a state champion. But that was a 2-A school and because of her knee problems, she didn't play a lot on the summer AAU circuit.

Boykin presses 150, btw, a McCallie-era Duke freshman record.

Grad-transfer Bez Davalos adds post depth. She's 6-3, a native of Mexico and played three seasons at Fresno State. She was one of the NCAA's leading rebounders and shot blockers last season. She seems smart and fundamentally sound. But she's not a great athlete and she's moving up in class. Can she keep up with ACC athletes?

Mathias and Davalos are both good and willing passers, not always the case with Duke posts.

Jade Williams is a 6-5 McDonald's All-American. She looked good last week, looked lost tonight. A high ceiling but it may take some time. Jayda Adams is a combo guard who looks like she's a keeper. Tough defender and can hit an open J. Madison Treece is a physical 6-4.

Lots of talent and lots of options. Still raw. Duke had 22 turnovers against UAA. And the schedule includes road trips to South Carolina, Louisville, and Miami. But it's early November and there is young talent that should get better.

This time last season, the perception was that the Duke program was in free-fall. Last season was a bounce-back season but Duke needs to build on that, especially in a season when the two best players are grad students.