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Five Blue Devils Set to Open WNBA Playoffs
9/17/2015 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C.-- Duke had eight former basketball players compete in the WNBA this season. As the 2015 regular season comes to a close, Duke has five players continuing into the playoffs: Tricia Liston (Minnesota), Alana Beard (LA Sparks), Mistie Bass (Phoenix), Monique Currie (Phoenix), and Karima Christmas (Tulsa).
Tricia Liston – Duke '14
Minnesota Lynx, 6-0, Forward
2015 Stats: 31 games, 3.4 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Tricia Liston has finished her second regular season with the Minnesota Lynx and is awaiting the start of the WNBA Playoffs. While appearing in 31 games, Liston notched her first two career starts this season. She maintained a perfect free throw percentage and a three-point percentage of 42.9, the second highest in the league. In the team's final game of the regular season at Seattle, Liston posted five points and a career-high four rebounds. Liston and the Lynx finished at the top of the Western Conference with a 22-12 record. Minnesota will take on the Los Angeles Sparks in the first round of the playoffs, with the first game tipping off in Minnesota at 9:00 p.m., Friday, September 19.
Alana Beard – Duke '04
LA Sparks, 6-1, Guard/Forward
2015 Stats: 14 games, 7.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Alana Beard will face fellow Duke alumna Tricia Liston in the first round of the playoffs.
Coming off of a left foot injury, Beard returned to the floor following the All-Star Break in late July. In her 14 games this season, Beard posted 11 starts while averaging 26.1 minutes per game. She notched her best career free throw percentage this season hitting 90.0 percent of the shots. Beard and the Sparks have gone on an 11-4 run since the All-Star Break at the end of July, earning the No. 4 place finish in the Western Conference. Los Angeles takes on Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
Mistie Bass – Duke '06
Phoenix Mercury, 6-3, Forward
2015 Stats: 33 games, 4.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Monique Currie – Duke '06
Phoenix Mercury, 6-0, Forward
2015 Stats: 34 games, 8.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Veteran WNBA players Mistie Bass and Monique Currie look to guide Phoenix to its second straight championship.
Mistie Bass' second regular season with the Phoenix Mercury has come to a close, where she played in 33 games with seven starts. She maintained a field goal percentage of 51.4. Bass came to life in the final game of the regular season where she played a career-high 33 minutes, while also collecting career highs of 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists against the Tulsa Shock.
Although Monique Currie has earned the start every game this season, she has played her best games to close out regular play, finishing with more than 20 points in each of the last two regular season contests. She registered a season high 22 points in a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on September, which she bested two days later in the team's final game against the Chicago Sky. Monique Currie posted a season-high 26 points in 28 minutes, along with five rebounds and two assists, earning her WNBA Player of the Week honor for the first time in her 10-year career.
Bass and Currie are looking to defend Phoenix's championship, beginning on Thursday, September 17. After securing a second place finish in the Western Conference with a 20-14 record, the Mercury will face the Tulsa Shock in round one of the playoffs.
Karima Christmas – Duke '06
Tulsa Shock, 6-0, Guard/Forward
2015 Stats: 32 games, 10.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG
In her fifth season in the WNBA, Karima Christmas has played one of her best career seasons, helping to lead the Tulsa Shock to its first playoff in six seasons. Notching the start in every game that she played, she averaged a career-best 28.7 minutes per game. Her three-point field goal percentage of 38.6 also marked a career best, as did her 10.6 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game. Since the All-Star Break in July, Christmas has notched double-digit points in 10 of the 14 games. Christmas' consistency has helped lead the Tulsa Shock to an 18-16 record and a third place finish in the Western Conference. Christmas will face former greats Mistie Bass and Monique Currie in the first round of the playoffs.
Jasmine Thomas – Duke '11
Connecticut Sun, 5-9, Guard
2015 Stats: 34 games, 8.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Chelsea Gray – Duke '14
Connecticut Sun, 5-11, Guard
2015 Stats: 34 games, 6.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Elizabeth Williams – Duke '15
Connecticut Sun, 6-3, Center/Forward
2015 Stats: 21 games, 3.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Jasmine Thomas, Chelsea Gray, and Elizabeth Williams have finished their first season together in Connecticut.
Jasmine Thomas earned the start in every game this season, averaging 26.7 minutes of play per game. Her 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game were all career best averages. Thomas finished the season strong, posting a career high 21 points in 32 minutes against the Phoenix Mercury on August 27. She also registered a career-high eight assists at San Antonio on September 4.
Chelsea Gray also hit a hot streak as the season came to a close. In a tough road game against the Chicago Sky August 30, Gray put up 15 points, six assists, and nine rebounds, a career high showing. In their final road contest of the season, Gray bested her own high by posting 16 points in 17 minutes in a highly efficient showing at New York. Gray scored double digits in four of the last eight games of her rookie season.
Elizabeth Williams continuously improved throughout the season. She posted her best game following the All-Star Break against Seattle, putting up 10 points and 6 rebounds in 17 minutes. Williams was forced to watch her team from the sidelines for the last 13 games due to a knee injury.
Plagued with numerous injuries, the Connecticut Sun ended the season with a 15-19 record. Their season ended on a positive note as the Sun defeated the Chicago Sky, the second place team in the Eastern Conference. The Sun look to come back next year, healthier and stronger than ever.
#GoDuke
Tricia Liston – Duke '14
Minnesota Lynx, 6-0, Forward
2015 Stats: 31 games, 3.4 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Tricia Liston has finished her second regular season with the Minnesota Lynx and is awaiting the start of the WNBA Playoffs. While appearing in 31 games, Liston notched her first two career starts this season. She maintained a perfect free throw percentage and a three-point percentage of 42.9, the second highest in the league. In the team's final game of the regular season at Seattle, Liston posted five points and a career-high four rebounds. Liston and the Lynx finished at the top of the Western Conference with a 22-12 record. Minnesota will take on the Los Angeles Sparks in the first round of the playoffs, with the first game tipping off in Minnesota at 9:00 p.m., Friday, September 19.
Alana Beard – Duke '04
LA Sparks, 6-1, Guard/Forward
2015 Stats: 14 games, 7.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Alana Beard will face fellow Duke alumna Tricia Liston in the first round of the playoffs.
Coming off of a left foot injury, Beard returned to the floor following the All-Star Break in late July. In her 14 games this season, Beard posted 11 starts while averaging 26.1 minutes per game. She notched her best career free throw percentage this season hitting 90.0 percent of the shots. Beard and the Sparks have gone on an 11-4 run since the All-Star Break at the end of July, earning the No. 4 place finish in the Western Conference. Los Angeles takes on Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
Mistie Bass – Duke '06
Phoenix Mercury, 6-3, Forward
2015 Stats: 33 games, 4.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Monique Currie – Duke '06
Phoenix Mercury, 6-0, Forward
2015 Stats: 34 games, 8.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Veteran WNBA players Mistie Bass and Monique Currie look to guide Phoenix to its second straight championship.
Mistie Bass' second regular season with the Phoenix Mercury has come to a close, where she played in 33 games with seven starts. She maintained a field goal percentage of 51.4. Bass came to life in the final game of the regular season where she played a career-high 33 minutes, while also collecting career highs of 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists against the Tulsa Shock.
Although Monique Currie has earned the start every game this season, she has played her best games to close out regular play, finishing with more than 20 points in each of the last two regular season contests. She registered a season high 22 points in a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on September, which she bested two days later in the team's final game against the Chicago Sky. Monique Currie posted a season-high 26 points in 28 minutes, along with five rebounds and two assists, earning her WNBA Player of the Week honor for the first time in her 10-year career.
Bass and Currie are looking to defend Phoenix's championship, beginning on Thursday, September 17. After securing a second place finish in the Western Conference with a 20-14 record, the Mercury will face the Tulsa Shock in round one of the playoffs.
Karima Christmas – Duke '06
Tulsa Shock, 6-0, Guard/Forward
2015 Stats: 32 games, 10.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG
In her fifth season in the WNBA, Karima Christmas has played one of her best career seasons, helping to lead the Tulsa Shock to its first playoff in six seasons. Notching the start in every game that she played, she averaged a career-best 28.7 minutes per game. Her three-point field goal percentage of 38.6 also marked a career best, as did her 10.6 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game. Since the All-Star Break in July, Christmas has notched double-digit points in 10 of the 14 games. Christmas' consistency has helped lead the Tulsa Shock to an 18-16 record and a third place finish in the Western Conference. Christmas will face former greats Mistie Bass and Monique Currie in the first round of the playoffs.
Jasmine Thomas – Duke '11
Connecticut Sun, 5-9, Guard
2015 Stats: 34 games, 8.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Chelsea Gray – Duke '14
Connecticut Sun, 5-11, Guard
2015 Stats: 34 games, 6.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Elizabeth Williams – Duke '15
Connecticut Sun, 6-3, Center/Forward
2015 Stats: 21 games, 3.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Jasmine Thomas, Chelsea Gray, and Elizabeth Williams have finished their first season together in Connecticut.
Jasmine Thomas earned the start in every game this season, averaging 26.7 minutes of play per game. Her 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game were all career best averages. Thomas finished the season strong, posting a career high 21 points in 32 minutes against the Phoenix Mercury on August 27. She also registered a career-high eight assists at San Antonio on September 4.
Chelsea Gray also hit a hot streak as the season came to a close. In a tough road game against the Chicago Sky August 30, Gray put up 15 points, six assists, and nine rebounds, a career high showing. In their final road contest of the season, Gray bested her own high by posting 16 points in 17 minutes in a highly efficient showing at New York. Gray scored double digits in four of the last eight games of her rookie season.
Elizabeth Williams continuously improved throughout the season. She posted her best game following the All-Star Break against Seattle, putting up 10 points and 6 rebounds in 17 minutes. Williams was forced to watch her team from the sidelines for the last 13 games due to a knee injury.
Plagued with numerous injuries, the Connecticut Sun ended the season with a 15-19 record. Their season ended on a positive note as the Sun defeated the Chicago Sky, the second place team in the Eastern Conference. The Sun look to come back next year, healthier and stronger than ever.
#GoDuke
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