Duke (15-8, 6-7 ACC) at Virginia (3-21, 0-14)
Thursday, Feb. 17 • 7:00 PM
Charlottesville, Va. • ACC Network Extra
John Paul Jones Arena (14,593)
Tickets: www.virginiasports.com ((800) 542-UVA1)
Live Stats: www.GoDuke.com
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network (WDNC 620 AM, www.GoDuke.com, Varsity Network App)
Radio Talent: Chris Edwards (PXP)
TV/Video: ACC Network Extra
TV Talent: Jason Patterson (PXP), Lauren Moses (Color)
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Duke Media Guide
Setting the Scene...
After playing the last three games at home, the Duke women's basketball team (15-9, 6-8 ACC) hits the road for two contests this week. The Blue Devils will open action Thursday, Feb. 17 at Virginia with a 7 p.m., tip at the John Paul Jones Arena.
The game will be carried live on ACC Network Extra with Jason Patterson (PXP) and Lauren Moses (Color) calling the action. It will also be aired on the Blue Devil Sports Network via WDNC AM 620, the Varsity Network app and www.GoDuke.com with Chris Edwards (PXP) on the air at 6:45 p.m.
What is Next?...
The Blue Devils will close a two-game road swing at Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m., live on ACC Network Extra.
A Look at Virginia...
Virginia enters the contest with a 3-21 overall and 0-14 league mark. Camryn Taylor (12.8 points), Amandine Toi (11.9 points) and Mir McLean (11.4 points) have paced the Cavaliers on the season. In games played on the road, Virginia is 2-10 overall.
The Series with Virginia...
Duke and Virginia will face off for the 75th time in program history with Duke leading the series 40-34. The two teams have met at least once a season for the past 44 years, except for the 2020-21 campaign when the two teams did not play due to COVID.
The Blue Devil's longest win streak against the Cavaliers is 26 games from January 22, 2001 to January 14, 2018. Their longest losing streak is 12 games from February 10, 1990 to February 12, 1995.
In games played in Charlottesville, Va., Duke features a 15-19 ledger and is coming off losses in back-to-back contests.
The Blue Devils have won 28 out of the last 30 contests in the series against the Cavaliers.
Duke at Full Strength...
For the first time since returning from Christmas break, Duke was at full strength against Wake Forest on Feb. 6. The Blue Devils totaled an 81-76 victory.
The Blue Devils had gone 11 straight contests with at least one student-athlete or coach in each game due to either injury, suspension or health and safety protocols.
Duke head coach
Kara Lawson missed the UNC, Louisville and Georgia Tech contests due to health and safety protocols. She returned at Pitt to help snap a three-game losing streak.
With Duke's core team together, the Blue Devils have totaled an 11-3 record this season with the lone losses coming to top-ranked South Carolina, versus Florida State and NC State on Feb. 13.
Taylor Returns to the Court...
After missing seven games with an injury,
Celeste Taylor returned to the court and sparked the Blue Devils to a win at Pitt, snapping a three-game losing streak. Taylor has helped Duke win two out of the last four games.
In the seven games Taylor was out, the Blue Devils saw their offense struggle - hitting 41.5 percent from the field, 30.7 percent from downtown while averaging only 61.4 points. The Duke defense allowed 66.6 points in those games as well. In the first 13 games with Taylor, Duke hit 44.6 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from downtown and averaged 74.7 points. The Blue Devil defense was allowing only 59.4 points with Taylor as well.
Milestone Watch...
•
Shayeann Day-Wilson has moved into sixth on Duke's freshman three-pointers made (40) and fourth on the attempted lists (108). With her three games with 20+ points on the season, she ranks tied for 10th on Duke's freshman charts.
•
Miela Goodchild needs six 3-pointers to move into a tie for eighth on Duke's all-time treys list with 170, which would tie
Haley Gorecki.
•
Jade Williams owns 108 career blocks and needs 23 rejections to move into a tie for 10th on Duke's all-time charts along with Mistie Bass (131).
Storylines/Other Blue Devil Notes...
• Freshman
Lee Volker will travel back to her home state of Virginia. She hails from Purcellville, Va., which is a little over two hours away from Charlottesville, Va.
• Duke registered 21 first quarter points against NC State, which was the most by the Blue Devils in the first quarter in ACC play this season.
•
Celeste Taylor leads the Blue Devils with nine charges taken. She had a season-best three against Florida State on Feb. 10.
• Senior
Jade Williams has hit 32-of-53 field goals for a 60.4 percentage since returning from Christmas break.
•
Miela Goodchild hit only 6-of-21 treys over the first nine games of the season, but has drained 32 the last 14 contests.
• Since
Elizabeth Balogun scored 22 and 27 points against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, respectively, she has averaged only 6.3 points, hit 34.1 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from downtown.
• Duke snapped an eight-game streak without scoring 70+ points as the Blue Devils scored 81. The 81 points was also a season high against an ACC opponent.
• Senior
Onome Akinbode-James had pulled down five or more rebounds in each of the last 10 games prior to grabbing four rebounds on Feb. 10 against Florida State.
• In ACC games only,
Miela Goodchild ranks second in 3-point field goal percentage (40.0) and tied for third in 3-point field goals made (2.31).
Onome Akinbode-James ranks tied for 19th in rebounding (5.7) and 10th in blocks (1.1).
Shayeann Day-Wilson ranks tied for eighth in assists (3.5), 11th in free throw percentage (74.1) and 15th in scoring (12.6).
• In both losses to Virginia Tech, the Blue Devils were without key members of the team. In the first game, Duke was without
Shayeann Day-Wilson,
Imani Lewis and
Emma Schmidt. Then, Duke was without
Lexi Gordon and
Celeste Taylor in the second contest.
• Duke features six different Blue Devils that have led the squad in scoring at least one game --
Lexi Gordon (5),
Miela Goodchild (4),
Celeste Taylor (1),
Shayeann Day-Wilson (8),
Elizabeth Balogun (5) and
Onome Akinbode-James (1).
• The Blue Devils currently have four different players who have scored 20+ points in a game this season --
Celeste Taylor,
Lexi Gordon (2),
Elizabeth Balogun (2) and
Shayeann Day-Wilson (3).
• In the 27 games under
Kara Lawson since arriving, Duke has scored 70+ points in 15 of the 27 contests. The Blue Devils have won every game in which they have scored 70 points. The games at Miami and home versus Virginia marked the first wins without scoring 70+ points.
•
Elizabeth Balogun stepped on the court in 2021-22 with Duke marking the third different ACC squad she has played for. She is the first women's basketball player in ACC history to play for three different teams in the league (Louisville, Georgia Tech).
• Blue Devil senior
Elizabeth Balogun represented her home country of Nigeria in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She appeared in all three contests for the Nigerians and played with former Duke standout Oderah Chidom with Nigeria.
• Duke features three graduate students in 2021-22 that are all attending the Duke Fuqua School of Business --
Amaya Finklea-Guity,
Jade Williams and
Lexi Gordon.
•
Kara Lawson's playing career has her in elite company as she is one of only three NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches to play in a NCAA Final Four, win an Olympic Gold Medal and win a WNBA Championship (Lindsay Whalen of Minnesota and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke of Texas Southern).
• Junior transfer
Jordyn Oliver will miss the 2021-22 season, after suffering an achilles injury over the summer.
• Follow @DukeWBB and @KaraLawson20 on Twitter to get the latest updates on Duke women's basketball. Also, "Like" Duke Women's Basketball on Facebook to get the latest videos, pictures and more. DWB is on Instagram at dukewbb, while
Kara Lawson is at KaraLawson.
Lawson Heads Back to Home State...
Blue Devil head coach
Kara Lawson will head back to her home state of Virginia for the second time as a head coach when Duke faces the Cavaliers on Thursday.
Lawson grew up in Alexandria, Va., and attended West Springfield High School.
As a student-athlete at Tennessee, Lawson played two games in the state of Virginia - both against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. On Jan. 28, 2001 the Lady Vols won 87-70 and on Jan. 7, 2003 Tennessee won 91-63.
Duke traveled to Blacksburg, Va., on Dec. 30 and dropped a 77-55 decision earlier this season.
Lawson to Face Former Teammate...
Duke head coach
Kara Lawson will face her former USA Basketball teammate Tina Thompson, who is the head coach at Virginia.
The duo represented USA Basketball at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship and the 2008 Olympic Games. They won the gold medal at both events.
Both Lawson and Thompson also played in the 2007 WNBA All-Star game.
From Downtown...
Duke is currently averaging 7.3 made three-pointers on the season, which currently ranks fourth in the ACC.
If the season ended today, the 7.3 average would rank first in the Duke record book. The previous highest average of 3-pointers made per game in a full season was 6.3 in 2017-18.
Duke Record
Average 3-Pointers Made in a Season
1. 7.25 2021-22
2. 6.33 2017-18
3. 6.05 2005-06
4. 5.91 1998-99
5. 5.82 1999-2000
5.81 1995-96
7. 5.7 2018-19
8. 5.68 2001-02
9. 5.53 1997-98
10. 5.52 2010-11
Duke averaged 7.25 in 2020-21, but only played four games.
Rough Starts...
Prior to registering 21 points in the opening quarter against No. 5 NC State, Duke had struggled out of the gate in the first period over the last 10 games. The Blue Devils have trailed at the end of the first 10 minutes in eight of the 11 games. Duke has lost seven of those games it has trailed at the end of the first (Notre Dame).
Duke is 12-0 this season when leading after the first quarter.
Blue Devils on the Road...
So far this season, Duke has collected a 6-3 ledger on the road.
Shayeann Day-Wilson (13.3 points) is the Blue Devils' lone double-digit point scorer, while
Elizabeth Balogun (9.3),
Lexi Gordon (8.7) and
Miela Goodchild (8.3) are close behind.
Over the last five road games, Day-Wilson has averaged 14.6 points, 4.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals. This included 25 points at fifth-ranked Louisville.
Last Meeting...
Locked in another defensive battle, 21st-ranked Duke held off Virginia, 57-48, on Sunday in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Freshman
Shayeann Day-Wilson and sophomore
Vanessa de Jesus each collected double-digit scoring with 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The Blue Devils scored the first six points of the contest and used lock-down defense to build a 14-5 advantage after the first 10 minutes. Making her third straight start, Day-Wilson paced Duke with six points and two steals, while the Blue Devils held the Cavaliers to 2-of-15 field goals for 13.3 percent.
Duke used 63.6 percent shooting on 7-of-11 field goals in the second quarter and outscored Virginia, 20-13, to take a 34-18 into the half. Senior
Jiselle Havas capped off the quarter for the Blue Devils by draining her second career 3-pointer at Duke, just as time expired.
Day-Wilson led all scorers with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor and collected two steals. de Jesus added six points, while
Elizabeth Balogun chipped in four points for the Blue Devils. Senior
Onome Akinbode-James blocked a season-high three shots in the first half.
Duke came out in the third quarter and struggled early with four turnovers, while missing its first four shots. Sophomore
Nyah Green scored the Blue Devils' first points of the quarter at the 5:04 mark on a triple to give Duke a 37-22 advantage. Duke ended the period holding a 46-29 lead with 10 minutes remaining. Green drained two key 3-pointers in the quarter to provide a big lift.
The Cavaliers had a 10-0 run of their own late in the fourth period, cutting the Duke lead to 50-45 with 2:33 left. Day-Wilson calmly drained a pull-up jumper just inside the free throw line to halt the Virginia run and give the Blue Devils a 52-45 advantage with 46 seconds remaining. Duke's de Jesus added five free throws in the final minute to ice the game and claim the home victory.
Akinbode-James finished with a season-high five blocked shots to go along with seven points and seven rebounds.