Greenwell Blog: Big Games Down the Stretch

DURHAM, N.C.-- Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've checked in but it's time to give ya'll a little update on what's going on in the lives of DWB! Hard to believe I first started writing these blogs my freshman year, now its five years later and I only have one semester at Duke left… yikes, scary stuff. Hate to be cliché, but time really does fly when you're having fun. My time here has given me amazing memories, allowed me to meet so many great people and has taught me so much about myself.

It's my senior year, my last ride, and to be honest…it hasn't quite gone the way I've planned. It's actually been a little deja vu to my injury filled senior year of high school. As most of you know, I've been dealing with some knee problems throughout this season that have been both physically and mentally frustrating. But if I've learned anything from playing sports and dealing with injuries, it's mental toughness. Dealing with adversity is hard, but nothing worth having comes easy. It's easy to stay positive when everything is going fine, but adversity is what tests your true character and the best way to overcome it is a positive mindset and focusing on the things you can control. It may not be the perfect situation, but everything happens for a reason and I'm definitely going to make the most of it!

After missing some time on the court, all these things that got me through my injuries before, were just reinforced once again. As much as I hate sitting out, being on the sidelines just reminded me how much I love the game and it allowed me to see how talented this team is! Lexie has been making her case for ACC POY all season, and she just notched her 1000th point in a Duke uniform! Second fastest to do it too! Erin has been a solid force in the paint for us, Jayda shows hustle and heart every time she's on the floor, and then to see Haley Gorecki playing lights out after all she's been through has been amazing! Haley's really stepped up huge for us this year and I'm confident in her ability to fill my role quite nicely next year and the years to come… and to maybe even break my three-point record one day.

As some of you may know, I recently broke the all-time record for most career three-pointers at Duke (previously held by my buddy Tricia Liston). It feels pretty sweet, but if it weren't for my teammates, I'd still be a long way's off that milestone. I had to rub it in to Trish, but she only reminded me it took me about 100 extra attempts to do it…touché Trish, touché.

We're about halfway through the season now which is hard to believe. As fast as its going, I have to remind myself to step back and really cherish every moment. The season can be a grind and it's easy to just start going through the motions, but it's always good to remind yourself why you do it. It's crazy to think five awesome years are soon coming to an end, but I'm not done yet! We still have a lot to accomplish this season and I know our team is focused on the big picture. No matter what you may be going through individually, if you want to do special things, you have to put the team first.

We may have gotten off to a slow start with the ACC season, but we've picked it up and we're had some great wins recently. We had a hiccup at UNC on Sunday but we will learn from the loss and get better. Hope to see everyone in Cameron on Thursday as we host Boston College and then we have some big games down the stretch.

Go Duke!

Rebecca Greenwell