WBB: Duke 66, VaTech 55

[DoubleBlue]

I don't. That percentage is not something anyone can control (other than the player taking the free throw), so advanced stats focus on how many times you put your opponent on the line rather than whether they actually make the shot.

Free throws obviously can decide a game's outcome, especially in the last 2 minutes. I was thinking more of a measure of offensive effectiveness.

You make a good point about a strong active defense can affect an opponent's FT% due to fatigue. I noticed VT's Amoore missed a couple down the stretch last night and she looked gassed.

[Kedsy]

Free throws obviously can decide a game's outcome, especially in the last 2 minutes. I was thinking more of a measure of offensive effectiveness.

You make a good point about a strong active defense can affect an opponent's FT% due to fatigue. I noticed VT's Amoore missed a couple down the stretch last night and she looked gassed.

Again, if you're looking at how efficient an offense is, the factor is how often that offense gets to the line. After that, it's just a matter of percentages. Obviously, if a team plays a bunch of high percentage free throw shooters, that's a good thing for its offense. But that goes more to the assembly of the team, rather than to the efficiency of its offense. If a player misses free throws she would ordinarily make, that's bad for the game result, but doesn't say much about how well the offense played in that game.

The points from made free throws contributes to overall offensive efficiency (which is basically points divided by possessions), but there's really nothing else to evaluate.

[killerleft]

Maybe we should start a thread, "Elephant in the room, is Coach Lawson too angry?" Just kidding of course. I love your updates on the Womens team. Jim Sumner has an article up on his website for those of us interested in Duke Women's basketball. Definitely worth reading. He said the VT coach complained in his pressor about the physical play on his star center. Sounded like sour grapes as Duke had more fouls than VT even though some of their fouls were late in the game trying to catch up. Like you, I love to see the teams desire to play good defense. If they can get their offense close to the defense, this team could beat any team they face.

GoDuke!

I expected as much. His handshake with Kara was a quickie without, I think, any eye contact on his part. I guess that's what you do when the other team is very active and physical and your team has no answer. If Kara Lawson continues to get players in the same mold, the rest of the league is going to be crying like babies on, I hope, many occasions to come.

[burnspbesq]

She missed the open one and then somehow hit an and one over the best center in the acc

The pass was perfectly timed and to the right spot for her to go straight up over her left shoulder. Kitley picked up a needless foul going for a block she had no chance to get.

If Shynessa could deliver passes like that consistently, we’d have a low-post game.

[dudog84]

The pass was perfectly timed and to the right spot for her to go straight up over her left shoulder. Kitley picked up a needless foul going for a block she had no chance to get.

If Shynessa could deliver passes like that consistently, we’d have a low-post game.

omg, please fix that before your 15 minutes are up!

[burnspbesq]

Celeste Taylor this season may well be playing like the best defensive guard we've seen at Duke.

Lindsey was NDPOY in her senior season, which is a pretty high bar, but I agree that Celeste is approaching that level. At a minimum, I expect her to be ACC DPOY.

[CameronBornAndBred]

The pass was perfectly timed and to the right spot for her to go straight up over her left shoulder. Kitley picked up a needless foul going for a block she had no chance to get.

If Shynessa could deliver passes like that consistently, we’d have a low-post game.

omg, please fix that before your 15 minutes are up!

Deep in the heart of Duke Medical Center, some lab is at work, stirring Day-Wilson and DeJesus genes in a pot, working on a clone to be ready in time for the 2025 season.