Friday, February 24, 2012

ACC WBB Action In-Game: #7 Duke Blue Devils vs #5 Miami Hurricanes

#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)

Duke Blue Devils warm-up to face Miami Hurricanes - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting


Inside Duke

  • 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
2nd 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