#5 Blue Devils get tough in 75-43 win over Demon Deacons
The
#5 Duke Blue Devils (18-3, 9-0) powered through the Wake Forest Demon
Deacons (12-10, 2-7) recording a 75-43 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium in
Durham, N.C. on Thursday night. Richa Jackson (11...
In-game notes and commentary:
The Blue Devils (17-3, 8-0) are coming off only their second loss in Cameron Indoor Stadium over the last four years as they host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (12-9, 2-6) on Thursday.
The Blue Devils will look to defend their 26-game home court winning
streak against ACC opponents and a 36-game win streak versus Wake
Forest.
Duke is in the middle of a three-game homestand as the Blue
Devils will next host 23rd-ranked cross-Triangle rival North Carolina on Monday, Feb. 6.
Pre-game notes:
Inside Duke
Record: 17-3, 8-0 ACC
Ranking: #5 (AP), #5 (Coaches)
Last Result: L, 45-61 vs. Connecticut, 1-30-12
Up Next: vs. North Carolina, 2-6-12
Head Coach: Joanne P. McCallie (5th Year)
Duke Record: 131-29 (5th Year)
Career Record: 447-177 (20th Year)
Wake Forest
Record: 12-9, 2-6 ACC
Ranking: #NR (AP), #NR (Coaches)
Last Result: L, 71-75 vs. North Carolina, 1-29-12
Up Next: at Boston College, 2-5-12
Head Coach: Mike Petersen (8th Year)
WFU Record: 117-118 (8th Year)
Noting Duke:
- Allison Vernerey (65.8) and Richa Jackson (62.7) rank 1-2 in ACC games only for field goals percentage , while Jackson ranks fifth overall (52.3)
- Vernerey has played in team-best 92 straight contests
- Duke ranks first in the ACC with a 35.8 three-point field goal percentage
- Chelsea Gray’s 6.4 assists per game ranks No. 1 in the ACC while Elizabeth Williams is fourth in rebounds (8.5) in the ACC
- Gray leads the ACC with a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio
- Williams is averaging 4.8 blocks per game in ACC action, which leads the league
- Wake Forest enters matchup against Duke with an overall record of 12-9 after falling to North Carolina, 75-71, in Chapel Hill on Sunday
- Coming off of two consecutive ACC losses, and is 2-3 in road contests this season.
- Lakevia Boykin (11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds) and Sandra Garcia (10.0 points, 4.2 rebounds) are averaging double figure scoring for the Demon Deacons
Live blog notes (coming up):
Opening tip-off:
Difference in starting line-up tonight is that Shay Selby starts while Tricia Liston sits
1st half:
- Wake Forest wins the tip and scores a quick two points - Duke scramble a little on its first possession, but ties it up at 2-2
- Duke goes up 5-2 but the Demon Deacons catch up - 5-5 with 17:00 to go in the 1s half
- Duke leads 14-7 with Haley Peters already collecting nine points already
- Chelsea Gray adds one from the free throw line
- Elizabeth Williams still taking some time to get going in the paint
- Wake Forest is sharp in picking off Duke passes to stay close - trailing 15-9 w/ 12:55 remaining
- Chelsea Gray hits her first three-pointer of the game - wide open and all net
- Wake Forest hits a three and Duke takes a timeout leading 22-14 with under eleven minutes to play
- Shay Selby goes up for what looks like an easy lay-up but is fouled hard while going airborne and landing hard - she gets up breathing hard but manages to shoot her free throws - misses them both
- The Demon Deacons can't convert on their possession but Gray hits a wing shot off the glass and extends the Duke lead
- Duke committing more turnovers with bad passing - seems like they're telegraphing them too much and taking Wake Forest's defense for granted
- With 7:35 remaining, Duke lead is now 28-14
- After the timeout Duke goes to a full-court press that the Demon Deacons break but can't score on
- Big steal by Gray and an open toss to Peters who converts on the lay-up - lead 30-14 now
- With just under a minute to play, Duke leads 34-19 - not a a great half but one that Wake Forest has tried to use physical play to wear the Blue Devils down
- If the Demon Deacons were shooting better than 25%, Duke would be in serious trouble
Duke 36, Wake Forest 19
Duke Notes at the half:
Leading scorers: Haley Peters (11 pts), Elizabeth Williams (9 pts), Chelsea Gray ( 8 pts)
Shooting: 15-32 (46.9%)
FT: 4-9 (44.4%)
2nd half:
- Duke starts with possession but can't convert on it - Wake continues to miss shots, but Duke is not doing themselves any favors
- Duke ball movement looks very slow compared to what hey are used to
- Selby finally hits her first three and Wake returns with a long ranger of their own - 39-22 after the first few minutes of play
- Williams with back-to-back baskets in the paint as Wake Forest continues to play body-to-body as Duke now leads 43-25
- Gray goes up for a lay-up and gets fouled - misses the extra point at the free throw line
- Demon Deacons turn it over and Selby hits another three to extend the lead to 48-25
- Elizabeth Williams putting up the rejection signs as Wake Forest makes its shot attempts
- Duke still having to work hard to earn theirs as Richa Jackson is blocked on her baby-hook attempt - she misses the free throw on that sequence
- Duke leading 52-29
- Jackson gets another chance a minute later and sinks two more - Blue Devils now leading 57-29 with 11:15 to go
- Blue Devils riding a 9-1 run over 3:28 while still trying to find 'their' rhythm against the Demon Deacons
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| 2nd half action with 10 minutes to go - defense |
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| 2nd half action with 10 minutes to go - offense |
- Coach P. puts out the bench for a few runs up and down the court as Allison Vernerey, Ka'lia Johnson, and Kathleen Scheer getting some playing time
- With 7:50 remaining, Duke leading 59-30
- Wake Forest continuing to play Duke tough with hard fouls and physical play - Kathleen takes a hard fall while shooting after Wake defender powered through her - Peters comes in for Scheer
- Duke extends lead to 64-36 with 5:20 remaining after Gray drops two free throws
- Peters gets the ball stolen from her but Liston gets it back and drives it in for a basket
- Another Wake Forest turnover and Williams drops another two points the hard way
- The Demon Deacons hit a three but so does Peters
- Duke leads 71-38 with under three minutes to play
- Under two minutes to play and Duke gives its starters a breather
- Local product Jenn Frush at the line for two - sinks them both to extend Duke lead to 75-41
- Wake continues to miss shots and Duke continues to play sloppy at the end but as time winds down, Duke maintains its unbeaten record in ACC play
