Congrats for breaking the streak for 15 games against ND.
I appreciate Tony Bennett's teams on a different level. Debbie Antonelli, normally super positive, could not stand calling this game at all.
Notre Dame is just not good this season. I have no idea how they fell so far and so fast.
State beat Notre Dame 90-56 over the weekend.
In other news, #9 State faced off against #13 FSU in Reynolds tonight. FSU is the leagues best FG% shooting team (over 47%) and State is the best FG% defensive team. The defense won. FSU shot only 36% and the Pack won 68-51. It was FSU's worst FG% of the season and fewest points.
I guess State is a WBB school now...and wrestling, and cross country
Just got home from the game. Still don't know how we won. Maybe the ugliest game I have ever seen. With apologies to Jim Sumner (see above) I have seen better CYO games. Not just the excess of TOs over FGs (25 to 20), not just the 6-17 foul shooting (which was only that good because Duke made 3 of the last 4). Several times this team had no idea who was going to inbounds the ball. Surely by the 17th game this should be second nature, regardless of the line-up on the floor. I can't count the number of times we threw passes directly to ND players. Haley had 5 buckets and 6 TOs. We are fortunate that ND stinks this year. I almost feel guilty rooting for the team, because each win means the chances of P coming back are greater. These games really are unwatchable. Next year I doubt that Cameron will be big enough for the two of us.
hoooolllly crap. nd is down, but a huge win! happy for us!!!!
Coach P teams seem to always be like you described. I saw ECU game last season.Not memorable, but terrible self forced errors all game long.
I made my point in earlier posts,but White and King whoever makes the decision should give the Coaching Job to someone new for sure.
I compared it to a pickup game. Someone else compared it to a CYO game.
Get your story straight.
I'm not sure I've ever seen a game with more turnovers (50) than points (47) but I sure don't want to see another one. The defenses were good but not that good.
Still, falling behind 14-4 after four minutes is a recipe for a collapse and yet Duke hung together and kept working the problem and came away with a win.
But yes, it was not an aesthetic masterpiece.
It’s great that we gutted out another tough win, but judging from the comments here I made a good call by turning to “Star Trek” reruns after the first six minutes.
Duke is currently in seventh place in what increasingly looks like a four-bid league.
POSTGAME NOTES
The Bad
• Duke’s four points in the first quarter was the lowest for a first quarter in school history
• The Blue Devils 15.4 percent shooting is the second lowest percentage in a first quarter in school history
• Neither team scored in the last 5:45 of the first quarter
The Good
• Duke trailed by as many as 13 in the second quarter, but brought it back to a one-possession game (31-34) with 4:14 remaining in the third
• Retook the lead with 32.6 seconds remaining, Duke’s first lead since 2-0 in the first quarter
• Outscored Notre Dame in the fast break 11-6
• Outrebounded by Notre Dame, 44-40
The Great
• Forced Notre Dame to score just seven points on 15.4 percent shooting in the fourth quarter. The seven points are the fifth-fewest in a fourth quarter while the Irish’s 15.4 percent shooting is the seventh-lowest in a fourth quarter in Duke history
• Tallied 17 bench points compared to Notre Dame’s three
• Scored all 11 fast break points in the fourth quarter
• Outscored Notre Dame, 17-7, in the fourth quarter
On an individual note, it was Mikayla Boykin's layup with 32.6 seconds remaining that Duke its first lead since 2-0 in the first quarter. This was her third consecutive game in double digits, and she also grabbed a season-high four steals.
An increasingly healthy Boykin who can increase her minutes played each game is the key to turning this season around.
Duke has very few people who can create their own shots...and even less who can create for others. Lambert is not the same player she was in 2016-17. When Odom is engaged, she can create one-on-one and take players off the dribble to get into the paint or hit a mid-range jumper (her 2016-17 game against UConn shows how dominant she can be, even against very good defenders), but she is not a great facilitator for others. Gorecki is a do-everything player who stuffs the stat sheet, but she is better as a secondary facilitator, as she prone to turnovers when forced to be the primary playmaker (especially if Odom is not engaged or is having a passive game). Goodchild is becoming much better at hunting her shot, but she is not great at creating off the dribble.
Boykin, on the other hand, can break players down, create her own shot, get to the rack, etc. Each game seems to show off her regaining confidence. She is a player to whom Coach P can say, "We need to score. Go create something" -- and Boykin can do it (either score a basket, get to the line, or create an opportunity for someone else). Occasionally, this leads to a few head-scratching plays, but the risk is far outweighed by the reward.
Boykin played 18:35 last night. It is not an accident or coincidence that Duke was +14 with Boykin in 18:35 on the floor and -11 in the 21:25 with her on the bench.
On a side note, it was great to see Elana(sp?) Beard in the ACC Network studio after the game providing color commentary on the women’s game.
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
I thought what the heck, I'll watch the Duke Women vs. ND Women as there was nothing much watching on tv. I watched the first quarter of what may be the worst college basketball game I've ever seen. Unforced turnovers and terrible shooting. I can't think of one positive thing to say about Duke in that quarter. So, I changed channels and watched the Senior golf tournament being played on the Big Island of Hawaii. As the players were finishing the last few holes, I thought I'd go back and see how bad the ladies of Duke were doing. I couldn't believe my eyes when the score was 50-47, Duke with about one second left. How could this team have scored 46 points in 3 quarters when they couldn't score 5 in the first quarter. I guess I got spoiled watching the Coach G teams over the years and can't bring myself to watch the boring offense of Coach Ps teams. I do admire our gals for not giving up and pulling out a win that I thought was impossible.
GoDuke!