Yes, I know the Duke-UConn game left much to be desired. I am not, however, avoiding the game or wishing it away (well, maybe the last one...) I haven't written the game report yet because I have two ridiculously busy weeks coming up in school. That means I won't have the game reports right away for the next four Duke games. After December 6, I will post my game reports for every game I missed starting with UConn. I have several thoughts about that UConn game which may be cooled by time a little bit, which will enable me to write a more accurate assessment on here. Hopefully, when I get back to blogging about Duke WBB, I'll only be griping about that UConn game.
GO DUKE!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
11/23--Duke Squeezes by Temple 64-53
Okay, my heart officially can't take this. I was ready to die when we needed a good push near the end of the first half to grab a lead into the locker room. I was ready to die somewhere in the second half when Temple had gotten close to us (and I'm not even sure if they tied it because I was frantic over here.)
Having said that, good on our players for buckling down and getting the job done. They didn't panic or throw in the metaphorical towel. They showed great poise and maturity, something I obviously did not have as I was squeezing my couch pillows to a pulp.
I didn't really formulate any coherent thoughts during the game, and I was too drained after it to think of some then, unfortunately. Gutty win by the Devils, but I'm still waiting for the real Duke to show up, please?
Abby Waner suited up, but according to Coach P, it's just part of her rehab to warm up before the game and during halftime and she wasn't really meant to play. I hope she gets on the court soon (again, UConn on Sunday anyone?) because we're really missing her out there. That being said, I'd rather not have her on Sunday than miss her for the rest of the year for ACC play which could happen if they try to rush her back just to win an early season game against UConn. So I'd love to have her back out there but only if she' s ready.
Top 5 Scorers:
Chante Black--13
Carrem Gay--13
Jasmine Thomas--11
Karima Christmas--8
Joy Cheek--6
Top 5 Rebounders:
Carrem Gay--12
Chante Black--4
Karima Christmas--4
Jasmine Thomas--3
Wanisha Smith--3
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--4
Emily Waner and Jasmine Thomas--3
Top 2 Steals:
6 players with 1 steal each
Top Blocks:
Chante Black, Jasmine Thomas, Krystal Thomas--2
*I love point guards who can block. That's pretty darn cool*
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 48.3% over Temple 32.7% (ahh, much better shooting)
3 PT %
Temple 27.3% over Duke 25% (And Abby is coming back when?)
Rebounds
Temple 42 over Duke 41
Assists
Duke 14 over Temple 6
Turnovers
Duke 11 over Temple 14
Worrying Stat of the Day
Oh God, the free throw shooting bugaboo is back! 7-20 from the line. This goes right under things that make you want to weep.
Attendance:
US Virgin Islands--NA
Next Game:
Sunday November 25 vs. UConn Huskies (Paradise Jam)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 5-0
GO DUKE! (please put up a good showing against the Huskies)
Having said that, good on our players for buckling down and getting the job done. They didn't panic or throw in the metaphorical towel. They showed great poise and maturity, something I obviously did not have as I was squeezing my couch pillows to a pulp.
I didn't really formulate any coherent thoughts during the game, and I was too drained after it to think of some then, unfortunately. Gutty win by the Devils, but I'm still waiting for the real Duke to show up, please?
Abby Waner suited up, but according to Coach P, it's just part of her rehab to warm up before the game and during halftime and she wasn't really meant to play. I hope she gets on the court soon (again, UConn on Sunday anyone?) because we're really missing her out there. That being said, I'd rather not have her on Sunday than miss her for the rest of the year for ACC play which could happen if they try to rush her back just to win an early season game against UConn. So I'd love to have her back out there but only if she' s ready.
Top 5 Scorers:
Chante Black--13
Carrem Gay--13
Jasmine Thomas--11
Karima Christmas--8
Joy Cheek--6
Top 5 Rebounders:
Carrem Gay--12
Chante Black--4
Karima Christmas--4
Jasmine Thomas--3
Wanisha Smith--3
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--4
Emily Waner and Jasmine Thomas--3
Top 2 Steals:
6 players with 1 steal each
Top Blocks:
Chante Black, Jasmine Thomas, Krystal Thomas--2
*I love point guards who can block. That's pretty darn cool*
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 48.3% over Temple 32.7% (ahh, much better shooting)
3 PT %
Temple 27.3% over Duke 25% (And Abby is coming back when?)
Rebounds
Temple 42 over Duke 41
Assists
Duke 14 over Temple 6
Turnovers
Duke 11 over Temple 14
Worrying Stat of the Day
Oh God, the free throw shooting bugaboo is back! 7-20 from the line. This goes right under things that make you want to weep.
Attendance:
US Virgin Islands--NA
Next Game:
Sunday November 25 vs. UConn Huskies (Paradise Jam)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 5-0
GO DUKE! (please put up a good showing against the Huskies)
11/22--Duke Beats Purdue 53-41
Positives:
We won the game against a ranked opponent.
Free throw shooting was up significantly
Negatives:
Turnovers
Field goal shooting was awful
Offensively, it was an ugly game
I don't really quite know what has happened to Duke's offense lately. Our posts, while they're doing a great job defensively and a great job running the floor, seem to be having a difficult finishing near the basket. Our guards aren't doing so hotly either, especially with the three pointers. I'm confident that this will come. Hopefully this comes along sooner rather than later (well, tomorrow against UConn would be nice).
Another thing, and this from both games (Purdue and Temple later), I'm left a little annoyed by Coach P's comments after these games. On one hand, you love how she keeps praising the team and building up their confidence. On the other, come on, she has to know that Duke can do so much better offensively than what they are doing, starting with foul shots. Posts missing layups--not going to get it done against better opponents (again, UConn's coming up tomorrow). She keeps on saying how she loves the intensity and the grit, which is all fine and good but people know what Duke can look like and Duke so far has not looked like it. So, Coach P, maybe it's time to start harping the offensive part of the game a little bit? I know you love the heart, but what about the production? I love Duke and support the team wholeheartedly, but it sure has been tough to watch/listen to the team this year. It's been easy to cheer for the team and the individual players, no doubt, with the intensity that they've shown, but clearly something needs to be worked out offensively for everyone to be more productive and to avoid silly mistakes.
Top 5 Scorers:
Jasmine Thomas--15
Chante Black--10
Wanisha Smith--7
Joy Cheek--6
Brittany Mitch, Keturah Jackson--4
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--11
Krystal Thomas--5
Joy Cheek--4
Carrem Gay--4
Jackson, Mitchell, J. Thomas--3
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--2
Jasmine Thomas--2
Top 2 Steals:
Keturah Jackson--3
Jasmine Thomas--2
Top Blocks:
Chante Black--4
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 31.7% over Purdue 29.3% (ermmm...let's get that up, okay?)
3 PT %
Purdue 33.3% over Duke 23.5% (ummm..this too...)
Rebounds
Duke 39 over Purdue 35
Assists
Duke 9 over Purdue 8
Turnovers
Duke 20 over Purdue 25
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Shooting percentages, both FG and 3 PT ones. Our players rock offensively and they just haven't really shown it too much this year. Again, I'm not worried that it won't happen, because I'm confident it will. I just wish it would get here sooner. Speaking of that, when's Abby going to play??
Attendance:
NA--US Virgin Islands
Next Game:
Friday November 23 vs. Temple (Paradise Jam)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 4-0
GO DUKE!
We won the game against a ranked opponent.
Free throw shooting was up significantly
Negatives:
Turnovers
Field goal shooting was awful
Offensively, it was an ugly game
I don't really quite know what has happened to Duke's offense lately. Our posts, while they're doing a great job defensively and a great job running the floor, seem to be having a difficult finishing near the basket. Our guards aren't doing so hotly either, especially with the three pointers. I'm confident that this will come. Hopefully this comes along sooner rather than later (well, tomorrow against UConn would be nice).
Another thing, and this from both games (Purdue and Temple later), I'm left a little annoyed by Coach P's comments after these games. On one hand, you love how she keeps praising the team and building up their confidence. On the other, come on, she has to know that Duke can do so much better offensively than what they are doing, starting with foul shots. Posts missing layups--not going to get it done against better opponents (again, UConn's coming up tomorrow). She keeps on saying how she loves the intensity and the grit, which is all fine and good but people know what Duke can look like and Duke so far has not looked like it. So, Coach P, maybe it's time to start harping the offensive part of the game a little bit? I know you love the heart, but what about the production? I love Duke and support the team wholeheartedly, but it sure has been tough to watch/listen to the team this year. It's been easy to cheer for the team and the individual players, no doubt, with the intensity that they've shown, but clearly something needs to be worked out offensively for everyone to be more productive and to avoid silly mistakes.
Top 5 Scorers:
Jasmine Thomas--15
Chante Black--10
Wanisha Smith--7
Joy Cheek--6
Brittany Mitch, Keturah Jackson--4
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--11
Krystal Thomas--5
Joy Cheek--4
Carrem Gay--4
Jackson, Mitchell, J. Thomas--3
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--2
Jasmine Thomas--2
Top 2 Steals:
Keturah Jackson--3
Jasmine Thomas--2
Top Blocks:
Chante Black--4
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 31.7% over Purdue 29.3% (ermmm...let's get that up, okay?)
3 PT %
Purdue 33.3% over Duke 23.5% (ummm..this too...)
Rebounds
Duke 39 over Purdue 35
Assists
Duke 9 over Purdue 8
Turnovers
Duke 20 over Purdue 25
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Shooting percentages, both FG and 3 PT ones. Our players rock offensively and they just haven't really shown it too much this year. Again, I'm not worried that it won't happen, because I'm confident it will. I just wish it would get here sooner. Speaking of that, when's Abby going to play??
Attendance:
NA--US Virgin Islands
Next Game:
Friday November 23 vs. Temple (Paradise Jam)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 4-0
GO DUKE!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
11/18---Duke Trounces UNC-Greensboro 84-39
My first day using Inside Access. Yes, I gave in and registered which puts me back about 100 dollars for the year, but I couldn't help myself. It was great to listen to the game and it really gave me a better feel for the flow of the game. My only problem was awful sound quality and times when the broadcast would shift to some ESPN radio show. For that much money, you'd think this would be better, but it's so much better than I'm used to so I'm thrilled. My ears may not be so happy though. Awful static, really.
As the final scoreline indicates, Duke completely outmatched the Spartans from the opening tip. They only gave up something like three field goals in the entire first half. Much of the same defensive intensity continued during the second half, with a little lapse somewhere at the beginning of the half. Still, it's definitely not something to complain about given the superb defensive showing by the Devils today. Obviously, as everyone is quick to point out, the quality of the opponents haven't been that great thus far, so the great defensive showing needs to be somehow peppered by realistic expectations as the competition level rises. Still, one has to be impressed with the sustained defensive effort during the game. As the game was slowly coming to an end, Brittany Mitch made two great steals and converted them for layups. That kind of intensity is impressive, given how huge the lead was and how they probably could have sleep walked through the rest of the game and still won.
Offensively, I feel like the Devils started the game a little sloppily once again. It didn't take too long for the posts to start hitting their shots and I ended up actually quite impressed with the offense. Three-point shooting was quite painful, but I was pretty pumped when Bridgette and Joy hit some and Emily drained two of them. I did mention during the post about the last game that I wanted Emily to hit those and she did (along with some other excellent things, I might add) which made a huge difference in the game. I think they actually doubled her one time down the floor. The 3 pt percentage was bad, but, again, everyone needs to remember that Abby and Wanisha are not in the lineup. Another thing to remember is that we have (according to Coach P) four stud posts who should be getting the ball everytime. It's quite apparent that the game plan is to not rely on three point shooting anymore. This may change when Abby gets back, but from listening to Coach P, I feel like she'd prefer they pound the ball more into the post at all times.
Several players had stand out games. Krystal and Chante were monsters down in the post once again. Krystal is super talented and it's pretty neat to think she'll just continue to improve in her next four years at Duke. Yes, this freak of a player is only a freshman. Happy days are sure to stay at Durham. I also loved Emily today. Now, she hit those shots which I absolutely went crazy over but her assists (7) were even more impressive. Brittany was equally as impressive. Try these on for size: 7 steals? 11 pts? And this is from a player who rode the bench pretty much all of last year. She's playing with a purpose and it shows with her hustle and intensity. Although, I will have to point out that sometimes it is exactly this that gets her into trouble with some errant passes and turnovers. Regardless, it seemed like every time she was in the game on defense, she would always somehow be in on the disruption of a play. That is invaluable, no doubt about it.
Once again, everyone who suited up scored. That's a great stat right there.
Top 5 Scorers:
Krystal Thomas--20
Chante Black--17
Brittany Mitch--11
Joy Cheek--11
Jasmine Thomas--8
Top 5 Rebounders:
Krystal Thomas--10
Carrem Gay--7
Chante Black--5
Karima Christmas--5
Joy Cheek--5
Top 2 Assists:
Emily Waner--7
Mitchell, Mitch, Jackson, Cheek--2 each
Top 2 Steals:
Brittany Mitch--7
Carrem Gay--5
*Special note--All Blue Devils apparently recorded a steal!
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--2
Team Comparison:
FG%
Duke 46.6% over UNCG 23.3%
3 PT %
UNCG 28.6% over Duke 26.3%
Rebounds:
Duke 44 over UNCG 30
Assists:
Duke 17 over UNCG 7
Turnovers:
Duke 20 over UNCG 38
* And free throws actually fell today. Good job.
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Well, I guess I'm going to have to nitpick a little and say....turnovers. It's going to have to get a lot neater for them to win against tougher competition. Still, when you're forcing 38....it's really a nitpick.
Attendance:
5,534 at Cameron Indoor Stadium
Next Game:
Paradise Jam at the Virgin Islands: Thursday, November 22 vs. Purdue
*Coach P said that Wanisha and Abby are day to day, with Wanisha being in a better position right now. Now I'm beginning to think that Abby won't play Paradise Jam at all, which would suck against UConn/Stanford right? Wanisha actually dressed today. I think she'll be good to go for Purdue but I don't think that the team will use her unless needed yet just to be on the safe side.
Let's go DUKE!!
As the final scoreline indicates, Duke completely outmatched the Spartans from the opening tip. They only gave up something like three field goals in the entire first half. Much of the same defensive intensity continued during the second half, with a little lapse somewhere at the beginning of the half. Still, it's definitely not something to complain about given the superb defensive showing by the Devils today. Obviously, as everyone is quick to point out, the quality of the opponents haven't been that great thus far, so the great defensive showing needs to be somehow peppered by realistic expectations as the competition level rises. Still, one has to be impressed with the sustained defensive effort during the game. As the game was slowly coming to an end, Brittany Mitch made two great steals and converted them for layups. That kind of intensity is impressive, given how huge the lead was and how they probably could have sleep walked through the rest of the game and still won.
Offensively, I feel like the Devils started the game a little sloppily once again. It didn't take too long for the posts to start hitting their shots and I ended up actually quite impressed with the offense. Three-point shooting was quite painful, but I was pretty pumped when Bridgette and Joy hit some and Emily drained two of them. I did mention during the post about the last game that I wanted Emily to hit those and she did (along with some other excellent things, I might add) which made a huge difference in the game. I think they actually doubled her one time down the floor. The 3 pt percentage was bad, but, again, everyone needs to remember that Abby and Wanisha are not in the lineup. Another thing to remember is that we have (according to Coach P) four stud posts who should be getting the ball everytime. It's quite apparent that the game plan is to not rely on three point shooting anymore. This may change when Abby gets back, but from listening to Coach P, I feel like she'd prefer they pound the ball more into the post at all times.
Several players had stand out games. Krystal and Chante were monsters down in the post once again. Krystal is super talented and it's pretty neat to think she'll just continue to improve in her next four years at Duke. Yes, this freak of a player is only a freshman. Happy days are sure to stay at Durham. I also loved Emily today. Now, she hit those shots which I absolutely went crazy over but her assists (7) were even more impressive. Brittany was equally as impressive. Try these on for size: 7 steals? 11 pts? And this is from a player who rode the bench pretty much all of last year. She's playing with a purpose and it shows with her hustle and intensity. Although, I will have to point out that sometimes it is exactly this that gets her into trouble with some errant passes and turnovers. Regardless, it seemed like every time she was in the game on defense, she would always somehow be in on the disruption of a play. That is invaluable, no doubt about it.
Once again, everyone who suited up scored. That's a great stat right there.
Top 5 Scorers:
Krystal Thomas--20
Chante Black--17
Brittany Mitch--11
Joy Cheek--11
Jasmine Thomas--8
Top 5 Rebounders:
Krystal Thomas--10
Carrem Gay--7
Chante Black--5
Karima Christmas--5
Joy Cheek--5
Top 2 Assists:
Emily Waner--7
Mitchell, Mitch, Jackson, Cheek--2 each
Top 2 Steals:
Brittany Mitch--7
Carrem Gay--5
*Special note--All Blue Devils apparently recorded a steal!
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--2
Team Comparison:
FG%
Duke 46.6% over UNCG 23.3%
3 PT %
UNCG 28.6% over Duke 26.3%
Rebounds:
Duke 44 over UNCG 30
Assists:
Duke 17 over UNCG 7
Turnovers:
Duke 20 over UNCG 38
* And free throws actually fell today. Good job.
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Well, I guess I'm going to have to nitpick a little and say....turnovers. It's going to have to get a lot neater for them to win against tougher competition. Still, when you're forcing 38....it's really a nitpick.
Attendance:
5,534 at Cameron Indoor Stadium
Next Game:
Paradise Jam at the Virgin Islands: Thursday, November 22 vs. Purdue
*Coach P said that Wanisha and Abby are day to day, with Wanisha being in a better position right now. Now I'm beginning to think that Abby won't play Paradise Jam at all, which would suck against UConn/Stanford right? Wanisha actually dressed today. I think she'll be good to go for Purdue but I don't think that the team will use her unless needed yet just to be on the safe side.
Let's go DUKE!!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Duke Women's Basketball News Links
I read on TDD that Abby and Wanisha are not going to be playing on Sunday against UNC-Greensboro. I forgot to mention it in my game report but Wanisha injured her hand/wrist somehow in the game. She looked to be in quite a bit of pain. Definitely not good news. These two are the two most experienced players we have. I guess now our scoring punch really and truly has to come from our post players. This isn't really a good start to our season injury wise but a lot of other players on other major schools (Stanford, Cal and Purdue to name a few off the top of my head) have been saddled with even bigger injuries. Right now, our injuries are still claimed to be relatively minor so I guess I can live with that. Still, hopefully they don't miss more than two weeks. Abby's supposedly coming back in the Virgin Islands but I'm not too sure how realistic that is. Wanisha's hasn't been fully reported on yet.
Duke Chronicle (student newspaper) article on South Florida game
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/11/16/WBasketball/Blue-Devils.Run.Through.Bulls-3107479.shtml
Duke Chronicle article on the team's great assistant coaches
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/11/15/WBasketball/Assistants.Bring.New.Perspective-3104078.shtml
Tampa Bay Online's interview with Coach P
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/nov/15/sp-a-conversation-with-joanne-p-mccallie/?sports
Abby's blog on Goduke.com
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1320381
Quotes from Coach P about the South Florida game
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22760&SPID=1846&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1313127
Duke Chronicle (student newspaper) article on South Florida game
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/11/16/WBasketball/Blue-Devils.Run.Through.Bulls-3107479.shtml
Duke Chronicle article on the team's great assistant coaches
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/11/15/WBasketball/Assistants.Bring.New.Perspective-3104078.shtml
Tampa Bay Online's interview with Coach P
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/nov/15/sp-a-conversation-with-joanne-p-mccallie/?sports
Abby's blog on Goduke.com
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1320381
Quotes from Coach P about the South Florida game
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22760&SPID=1846&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1313127
11/15---Duke Beats Down South Florida 89-52
My first actual look at Duke this season was a pleasant one. I hope I get to watch other matchups this season. I think I'll be able to get the others on ESPN but sometimes my sports pack screws up and does not show these games, instead airing some obscure men's basketball game somewhere.
The game itself was not earthshattering. It became obvious early on that we would get the win even if South Florida had an early and very short run which put them above us. Don't get me wrong, I love blow out wins for my Devils. My problem with this game was the referees. I don't usually pay attention to what the refs are calling or whether they are the right calls or not, mostly because I'm not knowledgeable enough about the rules of basketball. I can say, however, that they turned last night's game into a bit of a snoozer, calling fouls left and right, both offensive and defensive.
Abby Waner's injured, so I didn't get to see her play. This was obviously bad news for the team, but it was also bad news for me. I mean, it's not like I get to see a lot of Duke games as it is right? Hopefully it's nothing too serious and nothing that will become a problem as the year goes on. This year, more than ever, the team needs the shooting of Abby on the floor a lot.
Overall, I thought that they played really well. It's obvious that there is a gameplan and that the players are following it. There was a lot of good passing to the post players. It was pretty neat actually. Someone would be holding it on the perimeter, looking like she's still diagramming a play. All of a sudden, woosh, the ball zips inside to our very open post players who just put it in the basket quite easily. This is, in my opinion, a winning strategy (although it works so much better when they make free throws, which I'll get to later), although when Abby gets back, I sense a bit more perimeter play.
Defense was, in a word, astounding. South Florida could get nothing going down low. Our posts forced them to drive in way too much, then they'd close in on the opponents and double team them under the basket. The Bulls couldn't get a shot off from that position and they struggled to pass the ball out as well. Full court was used a lot and was effective pretty much the entire game. I loved the hustle of Duke when getting back into position in the half court. Impressively, once South Florida broke the press, Duke didn't let them just get an easy basket. Instead, the one or two players who weren't pressing at the time would close out on them effectively and everyone would hustle back and begin to torment the Bulls with their half court defense. I was a little worried at the beginning because I felt that this was a risky plan given that our normal speedster, Harding, isn't in Duke blue anymore. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was effective even with our slower players. What they lacked in speed, they certainly made up for in heart, often pushing really hard to get back in defensive position. By the middle of the first half, South Florida looked flummoxed and defeated.
There were two negative points as well. However, and I'm not being a homer, I feel that these are relatively minor things that pale in comparison with excellently played defense. Number one, three-point shooting. Number two, free throw shooting.
On the first point, I don't really quite understand it since the players looked pretty open when they shot the ball. Most of the shots were off by quite a bit. I believe that this will improve though when Abby comes back. Don't they say that once one person starts hitting, others will likely follow like a ripple effect? If true, then we'll be fine. One person I'd love to see hitting her threes however is Emily Waner. I'm pretty sure she's a great shooter (if I'm not mistaken) and when she starts hitting more of her shots, with her decision making capabilities, she can be a solid option for major point guard minutes.
On the second point...well...hmmm....Okay, I truly don't understand why Duke has been struggling at the line for quite some time. This is something that is of maximum importance to improve. Why? Because we're getting the ball into the post so effectively and efficiently, the other players are forced to foul us. That's great and all, except when we miss free throws. Then it starts to weigh on my head whether or not we should dump it into the post when there are defenders around them. Okay, so just work on those free throws and we'll be fine. One positive is that it definitely got a lot better in the second half, which is important.
By the way, Brittany Mitch and Keturah Jackson got their first starts. I thought they played quite well actually. Brittany had a bunch of really stellar passing plays. How stellar? I actually remember them today still. She's obviously a very smart player and made pretty good decisions out there. There were two possessions, however, when she was pretty open for a three and didn't take it. I'd like to see her be more aggressive in that department. On another note, she had to leave the game to get stitches under her eye at one point, came back with a band aid on it and looked eager to come back in, which she did. She also played pretty well after that. Can anyone say stud? Go Brit! Keturah Jackson was also really good. She was one of those players who I really marveled at their intensity. She was scrapping and fighting for everything. Coach P also gave a special shout out to Keturah's 7 rebounds. Now, you know you must be doing something right for your coach to mention it like that.
Top 5 Scorers:
Chante Black--16
Joy Cheek--15
Krystal Thomas--10
Karima Christmas--9
Wanisha Smith--9
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--11
Bridgette Mitchell--8
Keturah Jackson--7
Karima Christmas--6
Gay, Cheek--5 each
Top 2 Assists:
Jasmine Thomas--5
Brittany Mitch--4
Top 2 Steals:
Jasmine Thomas--4
Mitch, Christmas, Cheek--2 each
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--6
*special note: Jasmine Thomas--4 (whoa, hello freshmen!)
Team Comparisons:
FG%:
Duke 46.3% over South Florida 27.7%
3 PT %:
Duke 23.5% over South Florida 20%
Rebounds:
Duke 55 over South Florida 42
Assists:
Duke 25 over South Florida 8
Turnovers:
Duke 15 over South Florida 22
Worrying Stat of the Day:
I'll say free throws simply because it's beginning to bother me that I'm beginning to cringe when we're fouled, although the final percentage was a little higher than I expected watching the game. Even Joy mentioned it in their post game huddle ("got to make those free throws!). That's one thing that can really bite the team in close games against better competition. And no, I don't want to be reminded of that school in New Jersey, thank you very much.
Attendance:
St. Pete's Times Forum in Tampa--NA
Next Game:
Sunday November 18 vs. UNC-Greensboro (first regular season home game for Coach P!)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 2-0
Here we go, Devils, here we go!!!
The game itself was not earthshattering. It became obvious early on that we would get the win even if South Florida had an early and very short run which put them above us. Don't get me wrong, I love blow out wins for my Devils. My problem with this game was the referees. I don't usually pay attention to what the refs are calling or whether they are the right calls or not, mostly because I'm not knowledgeable enough about the rules of basketball. I can say, however, that they turned last night's game into a bit of a snoozer, calling fouls left and right, both offensive and defensive.
Abby Waner's injured, so I didn't get to see her play. This was obviously bad news for the team, but it was also bad news for me. I mean, it's not like I get to see a lot of Duke games as it is right? Hopefully it's nothing too serious and nothing that will become a problem as the year goes on. This year, more than ever, the team needs the shooting of Abby on the floor a lot.
Overall, I thought that they played really well. It's obvious that there is a gameplan and that the players are following it. There was a lot of good passing to the post players. It was pretty neat actually. Someone would be holding it on the perimeter, looking like she's still diagramming a play. All of a sudden, woosh, the ball zips inside to our very open post players who just put it in the basket quite easily. This is, in my opinion, a winning strategy (although it works so much better when they make free throws, which I'll get to later), although when Abby gets back, I sense a bit more perimeter play.
Defense was, in a word, astounding. South Florida could get nothing going down low. Our posts forced them to drive in way too much, then they'd close in on the opponents and double team them under the basket. The Bulls couldn't get a shot off from that position and they struggled to pass the ball out as well. Full court was used a lot and was effective pretty much the entire game. I loved the hustle of Duke when getting back into position in the half court. Impressively, once South Florida broke the press, Duke didn't let them just get an easy basket. Instead, the one or two players who weren't pressing at the time would close out on them effectively and everyone would hustle back and begin to torment the Bulls with their half court defense. I was a little worried at the beginning because I felt that this was a risky plan given that our normal speedster, Harding, isn't in Duke blue anymore. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was effective even with our slower players. What they lacked in speed, they certainly made up for in heart, often pushing really hard to get back in defensive position. By the middle of the first half, South Florida looked flummoxed and defeated.
There were two negative points as well. However, and I'm not being a homer, I feel that these are relatively minor things that pale in comparison with excellently played defense. Number one, three-point shooting. Number two, free throw shooting.
On the first point, I don't really quite understand it since the players looked pretty open when they shot the ball. Most of the shots were off by quite a bit. I believe that this will improve though when Abby comes back. Don't they say that once one person starts hitting, others will likely follow like a ripple effect? If true, then we'll be fine. One person I'd love to see hitting her threes however is Emily Waner. I'm pretty sure she's a great shooter (if I'm not mistaken) and when she starts hitting more of her shots, with her decision making capabilities, she can be a solid option for major point guard minutes.
On the second point...well...hmmm....Okay, I truly don't understand why Duke has been struggling at the line for quite some time. This is something that is of maximum importance to improve. Why? Because we're getting the ball into the post so effectively and efficiently, the other players are forced to foul us. That's great and all, except when we miss free throws. Then it starts to weigh on my head whether or not we should dump it into the post when there are defenders around them. Okay, so just work on those free throws and we'll be fine. One positive is that it definitely got a lot better in the second half, which is important.
By the way, Brittany Mitch and Keturah Jackson got their first starts. I thought they played quite well actually. Brittany had a bunch of really stellar passing plays. How stellar? I actually remember them today still. She's obviously a very smart player and made pretty good decisions out there. There were two possessions, however, when she was pretty open for a three and didn't take it. I'd like to see her be more aggressive in that department. On another note, she had to leave the game to get stitches under her eye at one point, came back with a band aid on it and looked eager to come back in, which she did. She also played pretty well after that. Can anyone say stud? Go Brit! Keturah Jackson was also really good. She was one of those players who I really marveled at their intensity. She was scrapping and fighting for everything. Coach P also gave a special shout out to Keturah's 7 rebounds. Now, you know you must be doing something right for your coach to mention it like that.
Top 5 Scorers:
Chante Black--16
Joy Cheek--15
Krystal Thomas--10
Karima Christmas--9
Wanisha Smith--9
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--11
Bridgette Mitchell--8
Keturah Jackson--7
Karima Christmas--6
Gay, Cheek--5 each
Top 2 Assists:
Jasmine Thomas--5
Brittany Mitch--4
Top 2 Steals:
Jasmine Thomas--4
Mitch, Christmas, Cheek--2 each
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--6
*special note: Jasmine Thomas--4 (whoa, hello freshmen!)
Team Comparisons:
FG%:
Duke 46.3% over South Florida 27.7%
3 PT %:
Duke 23.5% over South Florida 20%
Rebounds:
Duke 55 over South Florida 42
Assists:
Duke 25 over South Florida 8
Turnovers:
Duke 15 over South Florida 22
Worrying Stat of the Day:
I'll say free throws simply because it's beginning to bother me that I'm beginning to cringe when we're fouled, although the final percentage was a little higher than I expected watching the game. Even Joy mentioned it in their post game huddle ("got to make those free throws!). That's one thing that can really bite the team in close games against better competition. And no, I don't want to be reminded of that school in New Jersey, thank you very much.
Attendance:
St. Pete's Times Forum in Tampa--NA
Next Game:
Sunday November 18 vs. UNC-Greensboro (first regular season home game for Coach P!)
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 2-0
Here we go, Devils, here we go!!!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Thank you Basketball Gods!!!
AAAAAH!!!!
The Duke women's game tomorrow is going to be on here in Toronto on my special sports pack (reminds me why I ordered it in the first place).
I'm so freaking excited. I was supposed to watch a movie in class but then I'm skipping that to get home early for it. It's not required or anything, but...sshhh...even if it were, I'd skip it for DUKE BASKETBALL!!!
Go Blue Devils!!! Beat those Bulls to a pulp.
The Duke women's game tomorrow is going to be on here in Toronto on my special sports pack (reminds me why I ordered it in the first place).
I'm so freaking excited. I was supposed to watch a movie in class but then I'm skipping that to get home early for it. It's not required or anything, but...sshhh...even if it were, I'd skip it for DUKE BASKETBALL!!!
Go Blue Devils!!! Beat those Bulls to a pulp.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Nov. 11--Duke Struggles Past Denver 57-37
Yes, I said struggle. Don't think I've had to say that before.
Sigh...something tells me this may be a strange year. Okay, it was a 20 point win. There were plenty of worrying statistics though, and Denver isn't exactly a top caliber team. I still think this will be a decent year record wise, but it may be more gut wrenching and surprising than any other time in the short time I've been a Blue Devil fan.
On that note, great way to gut out the win, Duke. When things aren't going your way all game, the best way to get past it is to make it even worst for your opponent. Given the final scoreline, they did that. A win is awesome. :-)
Top 5 Scorers:
Abby Waner--16
Joy Cheek--11
Chante Black--8
Jasmine Thomas--7
Wanisha Smith--5
Top 5 Rebounders:
Carrem Gay--12
Krystal Thomas--8
Chante Black--6
Joy Cheek--5
Wanisha Smith--3
Top 2 Assists:
E. Waner, A. Waner, Smith, Mitchell, Mitch--2 each
Top 2 Steals:
Joy Cheek--3
Jasmine Thomas--3
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--3
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 38.2% over Denver 26.7%
3 PT %
Duke 33.3% over Denver 26.1%
Rebounds
Duke 42 over Denver 24
Assists
Duke 13 over Denver 6
Turnovers
Duke 23 over Denver 24
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Yeah, I'm going back there, 23 Turnovers. That's even worse than the last time when I said it was fine because it was an exhibition game. Mark it down, though. This will get so much better in the near future. They just have to get used to a new coach and no Lindsey Harding leading the way. I'll say it will be better by the next game but that there will be consistent improvement by ACC Tournament play. Before that, I think it can be tough and go.
Attendance:
6,635 (for the homecoming of the Waner sisters)--@ Denver
Next Game:
Thursday November 15 @ South Florida
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 1-0
GO DUKE!!
Sigh...something tells me this may be a strange year. Okay, it was a 20 point win. There were plenty of worrying statistics though, and Denver isn't exactly a top caliber team. I still think this will be a decent year record wise, but it may be more gut wrenching and surprising than any other time in the short time I've been a Blue Devil fan.
On that note, great way to gut out the win, Duke. When things aren't going your way all game, the best way to get past it is to make it even worst for your opponent. Given the final scoreline, they did that. A win is awesome. :-)
Top 5 Scorers:
Abby Waner--16
Joy Cheek--11
Chante Black--8
Jasmine Thomas--7
Wanisha Smith--5
Top 5 Rebounders:
Carrem Gay--12
Krystal Thomas--8
Chante Black--6
Joy Cheek--5
Wanisha Smith--3
Top 2 Assists:
E. Waner, A. Waner, Smith, Mitchell, Mitch--2 each
Top 2 Steals:
Joy Cheek--3
Jasmine Thomas--3
Top Blocks:
Krystal Thomas--3
Team Comparisons:
FG%
Duke 38.2% over Denver 26.7%
3 PT %
Duke 33.3% over Denver 26.1%
Rebounds
Duke 42 over Denver 24
Assists
Duke 13 over Denver 6
Turnovers
Duke 23 over Denver 24
Worrying Stat of the Day:
Yeah, I'm going back there, 23 Turnovers. That's even worse than the last time when I said it was fine because it was an exhibition game. Mark it down, though. This will get so much better in the near future. They just have to get used to a new coach and no Lindsey Harding leading the way. I'll say it will be better by the next game but that there will be consistent improvement by ACC Tournament play. Before that, I think it can be tough and go.
Attendance:
6,635 (for the homecoming of the Waner sisters)--@ Denver
Next Game:
Thursday November 15 @ South Florida
2007-2008 Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball: 1-0
GO DUKE!!
Friday, November 09, 2007
Upcoming Women's College Basketball Season
So I stopped blogging during the WNBA Season for a number of reasons:
1. I was extremely busy this summer, starting with a trip to Seattle and New Jersey. When I got back, my sister and I immediately began to look for a new apartment to move into, then we had to pack everything up and move in the same month.
2. The season was just not a great season for me. There was this whole, this might be the last season of the Storm in Seattle thing looming over it. While this should have given me more of a sense of "fan urgency", I found myself drained after games and thinking about games. I listened to them, watched them when I could and chatted with people about them. But I didn't feel like writing about them. This was also partly because this was a shitty season for the team playwise. Once again, there were signs of brilliance in between disappointing play. I love the Storm, but this season was tough.
On a last WNBA note, I LOVED my time in Seattle and, guess what happened to me? I saw the team when I flew out. They were on my plane and I managed to get a pic with Anne Donovan! I almost hyperventilated right there. By the way, she's super nice and meeting her and her being nice to me is going to make me an ardent supporter forever. So anyone who wants to criticize her has to come through me. :)
And in the dorkiest of moments, like always, I was wearing my Storm hoodie. Yeah, pathetic.
----------------
Now it's time for the WCBB season to start! Somehow being in school makes me less busy and I'm thrilled to be blogging about the progression of "The McCallie Era" in Durham. Yes, the Blue Devils are still my team. I wanted to sign up for Duke's Inside Access to catch the games either through watching or listening to them but it was just way too expensive for my student budget. There are other things that I need to pay for first before I even consider that. So, like last year, I'm going to be posting stats only and thoughts based on those stats. I agree that stats never tell the full picture but they're all I have to go by. Besides that, I think I can get some of the intangibles of the game from message boards and DWhoops.com (the best site out there), as well as news outlets from Durham.
I'm going to do a comparison this year between Duke and their opponents stats such as FG%, 3PT%. Also, I'll be keeping track of attendance, just because I want to see whether or not this has grown this year, given all the praise given to Coach P about really selling the program. I hope it does. I'm also going to try to link interesting Duke articles along the way.
I won't be doing UConn stats anymore, even if I'm still a fan just because I was reading through last year's basketball season posts and I got really confused. Instead, I'll be following two teams based on a monthly basis (hopefully, if I remember). They are UConn and UW (First, because it's in Seattle and second because Tia Jackson is now the UW coach). These will have their monthly record, game scores and the best stat line per game.
Can you feel it? That's the excitement of WCBB. I sure can. GO DUKE!
1. I was extremely busy this summer, starting with a trip to Seattle and New Jersey. When I got back, my sister and I immediately began to look for a new apartment to move into, then we had to pack everything up and move in the same month.
2. The season was just not a great season for me. There was this whole, this might be the last season of the Storm in Seattle thing looming over it. While this should have given me more of a sense of "fan urgency", I found myself drained after games and thinking about games. I listened to them, watched them when I could and chatted with people about them. But I didn't feel like writing about them. This was also partly because this was a shitty season for the team playwise. Once again, there were signs of brilliance in between disappointing play. I love the Storm, but this season was tough.
On a last WNBA note, I LOVED my time in Seattle and, guess what happened to me? I saw the team when I flew out. They were on my plane and I managed to get a pic with Anne Donovan! I almost hyperventilated right there. By the way, she's super nice and meeting her and her being nice to me is going to make me an ardent supporter forever. So anyone who wants to criticize her has to come through me. :)
And in the dorkiest of moments, like always, I was wearing my Storm hoodie. Yeah, pathetic.
----------------
Now it's time for the WCBB season to start! Somehow being in school makes me less busy and I'm thrilled to be blogging about the progression of "The McCallie Era" in Durham. Yes, the Blue Devils are still my team. I wanted to sign up for Duke's Inside Access to catch the games either through watching or listening to them but it was just way too expensive for my student budget. There are other things that I need to pay for first before I even consider that. So, like last year, I'm going to be posting stats only and thoughts based on those stats. I agree that stats never tell the full picture but they're all I have to go by. Besides that, I think I can get some of the intangibles of the game from message boards and DWhoops.com (the best site out there), as well as news outlets from Durham.
I'm going to do a comparison this year between Duke and their opponents stats such as FG%, 3PT%. Also, I'll be keeping track of attendance, just because I want to see whether or not this has grown this year, given all the praise given to Coach P about really selling the program. I hope it does. I'm also going to try to link interesting Duke articles along the way.
I won't be doing UConn stats anymore, even if I'm still a fan just because I was reading through last year's basketball season posts and I got really confused. Instead, I'll be following two teams based on a monthly basis (hopefully, if I remember). They are UConn and UW (First, because it's in Seattle and second because Tia Jackson is now the UW coach). These will have their monthly record, game scores and the best stat line per game.
Can you feel it? That's the excitement of WCBB. I sure can. GO DUKE!
11-09 * Exhibition*--Duke blasts Team Reebok 88-56
Even if it was only an exhibition game, I'm ecstatic about the game. Apparently, Team Reebok had beaten both Georgia and Georgia Tech and NC State and almost won against Florida State. They also happen to have Sidney Spencer, former Storm camp player Leah Metcalf and Fatima Maddox. So the final scoreline was impressive and exciting. Plus, the season's starting, which is always great.
Top 5 Scorers:
Wanisha Smith--16
Abby Waner--14
Joy Cheek--13
Carrem Gay--10
Jasmine Thomas--10
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--10
Joy Cheek--8
Abby Waner--7
Gay, Christmas, K. Thomas--5 each
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--5
Brittany Mitch--3
Top 2 Steals:
Black, A. Waner, Cheek, Jackson--2 each
Top Blocks:
Jasmine Thomas--2 (Really? That's so cool.)
Team Comparisons:
FG %
Duke 49.3% over Reebok 30%
3 PT%
Duke 52.6% over Reebok 25%
Rebounds
Duke 52 over Reebok 30
Assists
Duke 22 over Reebok 9
Turnovers
Reebok 17 over Duke 18
Worrying Stat of The Day:
18 Turnovers (But it's the exhibition game, not counting the Scrimmage, so I'm not too worried)
Attendance: Cameron Indoor Stadium--3,246
GO BLUE DEVILS!
1st Regular Season Game: Sunday @ Denver
Top 5 Scorers:
Wanisha Smith--16
Abby Waner--14
Joy Cheek--13
Carrem Gay--10
Jasmine Thomas--10
Top 5 Rebounders:
Chante Black--10
Joy Cheek--8
Abby Waner--7
Gay, Christmas, K. Thomas--5 each
Top 2 Assists:
Wanisha Smith--5
Brittany Mitch--3
Top 2 Steals:
Black, A. Waner, Cheek, Jackson--2 each
Top Blocks:
Jasmine Thomas--2 (Really? That's so cool.)
Team Comparisons:
FG %
Duke 49.3% over Reebok 30%
3 PT%
Duke 52.6% over Reebok 25%
Rebounds
Duke 52 over Reebok 30
Assists
Duke 22 over Reebok 9
Turnovers
Reebok 17 over Duke 18
Worrying Stat of The Day:
18 Turnovers (But it's the exhibition game, not counting the Scrimmage, so I'm not too worried)
Attendance: Cameron Indoor Stadium--3,246
GO BLUE DEVILS!
1st Regular Season Game: Sunday @ Denver
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