#7 Duke beats #5 Miami 74-64, locks up top seed in ACC
The
#7 Duke Blue Devils (23-4, 14-1) won their final home game of the
season with a solid 74-64 victory over the #5 Miami Hurricanes (24-4,
13-2) at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C...
The Battle for No. 1 seed in the ACC
#7 Duke (22-4, 13-1) hosts #5 Miami (24-3, 13-1)
- Record: 22-4, 13-1 ACC
- Ranking: #7 (AP), #7 (Coaches)
- Last Result: L, 61-63 at Maryland, 2-19-12
- Up Next: at North Carolina 2-26-12
- Head Coach: Joanne P. McCallie (5th Year)
- Duke Record: 136-30 (5th Year)
- Career Record: 452-178 (20th Year)
Inside Miami
- Record: 24-3, 13-1 ACC
- Ranking: #5 (AP), #5 (Coaches)
- Last Result: W, 67-60 vs. Florida State, 2-19-12
- Up Next: vs. Boston College, 2-26-12
- Head Coach: Katie Meier (7th Year)
- Miami Record: 124-92 (7th Year)
- Career Record: 200-137 (11th Year)
Noting Duke
- Over the last 11 games, Tricia Liston has scored double-figures only three times
- Elizabeth Williams hit her first career three-pointer at Florida State
- Allison Vernerey has played in a team-best 98 straight contests
- Chelsea Gray’s 6.0 assists per game ranks No. 1 in the ACC and 12th nationally while Elizabeth Williams is fourth in rebounds (8.3) in the ACC
- Haley Peters (50.6%) and Williams (48.8%) rank sixth and 10th, respectively, in field goal percentageGray is fourth in the ACC with a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio
- Williams is averaging 4.3 blocks per game in ACC action, which leads the league
Noting Miami
- Sixth-ranked Miami enters Friday’s contest with a record of 24-3 after collecting its 39 consecutive home victory Sunday in a 67-60 victory over Florida State
- The Hurricanes are 13-1 in ACC play with the lone loss in conference action coming against North Carolina (65-63)
- Shenise Johnson (16.7 points, 8.0 rebounds), Riquna Williams (16.2 points, 3.4 rebounds), Morgan Stroman (12.9 points, 6.5 rebounds) and Stefanie Yderstrom (10.5 points, 1.4 rebounds) are all averaging double-figure scoring for Miami
- Head coach Katie Meier is in her seventh year at the helm of the program after earning ACC Coach of the Year honors last season
- Meier garnered her 200th victory against Florida State
The
seventh-ranked Duke Blue Devils (22-4, 13-1) host the fifth-ranked Miami
Hurricanes (24-3, 13-1) at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Friday.
Duke enters Friday with a 29-game home court winning streak in ACC
contests.
Duke
has not lost an ACC contest at home since Maryland posted a 76-69 win
on Feb. 17, 2008.
A win will lock up at least a share of the ACC regular season
title for the third straight year.
A few additional notes to know about:
- Duke will face Miami for the second straight year following a loss - Duke lost to UConn last year in the game before
- Both Duke (6th, 13.0) and Miami (4th, 13.8) rank in the top 10 nationally in steals per game.
- In the last nine home contests, Chelsea Gray has averaged 13.3 points, 7.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 steals. She has had a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio during those games.
- Over the last four games, Duke has drained 31-of-68 three-pointers for a 45.6 percentage. The Blue Devils are hitting an ACC-best 38.1 percent from long range.
- In the ACC, Tricia Liston ranks first in three-point field goal percentage (43.2), tied for fifth in three-point field goals made (1.6) and 23rd in scoring (10.9)
- Duke has been in a shooting slump in the last two contests, hitting only 36.8 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from downtown. The Blue Devils have averaged only 64.0 points in those games
- Duke’s four losses this season have come against No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Connecticut, No. 8 Maryland and No. 7 Kentucky
In-Game notes, pictures, and video:
Duke warming up before hosting Miami - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC
Miami warming up before taking on Duke - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC
1st half:
- Miami wins the tip to start the game
- Chelsea Gray picks up the first steal of the game - only took about 15 seconds
- Duke misses on that possession and Miami comes down and gets the first points of the game
- Duke showing single-coverage defense and Miami hits their first three of the game - lead 4-0
- Haley Peters hits first field goal for the Blue Devils - 4-2 with 17:59 to go
- Duke can't score on their possession and Miami comes down and hits another three - now leading Duke 7-2
- Miami showing single-coverage as well but Gray cracks it twice as Haley Peters steals the ball on the second play - Duke trailing by 1 with 16 minutes to play
- After media timeout, Duke goes to press on the defense to force Miami to hurry up it's offense - Williams called for fould but Miami can't convert on either FT attempt
- Selby comes down the other end to score two which Miami matches
- Gray takes over with a no-look pass to Elizabeth Williams for an easy lay-up tp take the lead
- Tricia Liston steals the ball at mid-court and dishes it to Gray who goes up for the lay-up - it's good and she gets the foul - Duke leads 12-9
- Another steal and the Blue Devils head up-court and Williams gets a lay-up and the foul - she makes it and extends the lead to 15-9
- Miami comes right back and shortens the lead to 15-12 with 13:40 to go
- Liston hits her first three of the game at 13:11 - Duke leads 18-12
- Miami can't convert as Duke's zone D is in effect and the Blue Devils head up-court
- Allison Vernerey scores her first points of the game - lead is now 20-12 with 11:51 to go
- Both teams pressing to force turnovers and Miami's Krystal Saunders forces Liston to the sideline
- Just as quickly, the Blue Devils get the ball back and score - leading 24-12
- After a long silence Miami's Stefanie Yderstrom hits a three - 24-15
- Duke turns it over and Miami hits another field goal to get back into it
- Miami slowing grinding away at Duke lead - 24-9 with 7:32 remaining
- Hurricanes zone defense still allows Williams to score in the paint
- Duke forcing Miami to try the outside shots - not dropping easily for the Hurricanes
- Miami still traills by five - 26-21 with 5:22 left
- Hurricanes can't score and Gray comes back with it and feeds Williams for two - 28-21
- Miami answers with two and then Selby hits a short running jumper - 28-23
- Williams continues to be a force in the paint and rebounds and scores while Selby and Gray do their part in the Duke zone
- The Blue Devils go on a 6-0 run over the past 1:33 and now lead 36-25 with 2:11 remaining in the half
- Duke with possession by Vernerey misses on her shot - Miami goes out of bounds
- Scheer inbounds to Williams and she dribbles it up-court and scores on the lay-up
- As the half ends, Duke leading 38-28 - shooting 55% with Williams leading all scorers with 13 points during the first half
- Miami starts with the ball and drops two right away
- Scheer answers back for Duke - now leading 40-30
- Gray tries for three but doesn't get it but Riquina Williams scores a jumper for Miami
- Selby answers back but then Williams hits a three for the Hurricanes - Duke now leading 42-35
- Both teams trade baskets and its 44-37
- Miami's Williams tries to drive the basket but is denied by Duke's Williams - Peters eventually gets it and Duke leads 46-37 with 15:27 to play
- Hurricanes score another and Duke has a chance to match it but Scheer throws it away as she thought Williams would take it
- Duke now leads 46-41
- Miami slowing Duke's momentum a little and causing them to turn the ball over more with double and triple teams
- Williams finally scores on a lay-up and gets the foul - misses on the shot
- Hurricanes Yderstrom hits a long three to get to within five - 50-45
- Gray brings it up-court but Vernerey forces her shot and misses
- Miami misses their shot and gives Gray the chance to bring it up and she dishes it to Vernerey who doesn't miss that time
- Duke now leads 54-47 with 11:15 to go
- Peters rebounds and the Blue Devils score another two, leading 50-42 with 13:05 to play
- Williams handling the ball more - gets ball to Vernerey but she doesn't see a shot
- Gray gets it back off a tip and passes it to Liston who hits a three - Duke leading by 10
- Miami definitely heating it up shooting 58% from the field during this half while Duke is still hitting shots at 46%
- Williams now the force that Miami needs to contain as she gets another lay-up - Duke leads 61-51
- Duke moving the ball inside-outside-inside well as Selby gets it for a short jumper - misses and gets he own rebound
- Miami tries to get once back but can't as Duke rebounds and Gray comes down to score a lay-up
- Blue Devils lead 65-53 with 6:01 to play
- Duke doubles the ball in the backcourt and Miami throws it away
- Vernerey pass it to Peters in the lane for an easy basket
- Miami trying to claw back at the FT line - trailing 67-55
- Another foul and another point for Miami with 4:16 to go
- Hurricanes score another two as Williams drives the basket - lead now is 67-58 in Blue Devils' favor
- Miami trying hard but not scoring baskets - Duke doesn't help its cause either
- Hurricanes scoring from FT line and Duke then throws it away with 2:33 to go
- Duke making a defensive stand but fouling and allowing Miami to inch closer
- Liston gets triple-teamed on the inbound and gets it to Vernerey and it is deflected out - Duke gets it back
- Williams can't score and Miami heads up-court and Bullock is fouled by Vernerey with Duke lead shrinking to three - 67-64
- Gray drives the basket and scores two and gets the foul - now leading 69-64 with 1:13 left
- Miami to inbound and Duke presses - as Williams goes up, she misses and there is a scramble - Miami gets the ball back
- Hurricanes miss the three-pointer and Duke's Williams comes up with a huge rebound
- Duke with a five-point lead with 51 seconds to play - Miami burning up fouls
- Gray goes o the line with the one-and-one - she hits them both
- Duke leads 71-64 with 33 seconds to play and Peters is fouled on rebound Miami's missed shot
- FT is no good for Peters but Vernerey makes a huge block as Miami drives the basket - Liston comes up with the rebound
- Duke leads 73-64 after Liston hits two FT's with 19 seconds left
- Miami continues to foul and send Liston to the line who hits 1-2 - Duke leads 74-64 3.2 seconds left
- That's it - Duke wins 74-64 and gets #1 seed in the ACC Tournament