The rough start confirmed something I've sensed all year: this Duke team is greater than the sum of its parts. However, if those parts don't fit together snugly, Duke is vulnerable to pretty much anyone with a few quality players. In this game, Duke tried out its usual overplaying style in its halfcourt defense. However, not everyone was on the same page and VPI got plenty of great looks off its penetration. They either drew defenders in off the dribble and got the ball to cutters (a favorite Duke tactic), or penetrated and pitched to open shooters. In the latter case, every Duke defender was slow to recover and get a hand up. The result was that VPI was able to establish a nice rhythm and carve up Duke with ease. The Hokies shot 53% in the first half, easily the best mark an opponent has had this year. Considering that this team doesn't have an ACC-quality point guard on the roster, was lacking its best post player and got nothing from its other bench players, there's simply no reason why Duke shouldn't have been able to shut down at least one of VPI's perimeter players. It didn't happen, and so the team learned a lesson in focus & discipline. Thankfully, they were able to recover in time to prevent this game from being a disaster.

VPI won the tip (photo) and made their first 3 shots. Duke countered with a Wanisha Smith steal & layup and a Bales turnaround jumper over 6-6 Nare Diawara. The post from Mali gave Bales all sorts of trouble in Blacksburg, dominating her at both ends. Bales made sure there wouldn't be a repeat engagement, taking extra care to attack the basket whenever possible instead of fading away. A Lindsey Harding 17' jumper and 2 Abby Waner foul shots put Duke for the first time at 8-6. Bales then missed a shot and VPI's Brittany Cook scored off some dynamic penetration from senior leader Kirby Copeland. Harding and Bales then both missed easy shots. Duke came up with a steal and a 2-on-one break, but Harding was whistled for an offensive foul. That play was Duke's night in microcosm: a decent hustle play blown by a careless mistake. VPI's Brittany Cook (a 13% three point shooter) drained a trey and then Britney Anderson put them up 15-8 with under thirteen minutes to play in the half.

Duke wisely went to Bales, who first sank 2 foul shots and then stuck back an Emily Waner miss. Copeland missed a shot but got her own rebound against a flat-footed group of Duke players and dished to Anderson for a three. Coach G was desperate for some energy on the floor, subbing in Emily Waner, Brittany Mitch & Bridgette Mitchell en masse. When Mitchell found a cutting Mitch for a three point play to bring Duke within 20-15, it seemed to be working. Duke blew an open-floor opportunity right after that, and Cook took advantage with another three. Cook then stripped Mitch and started a VPI fast break that wound up in a three point play over Mitch. Virginia Tech had a 26-15 lead, which was not only their biggest of the game but the biggest deficit Duke's faced all year.

VPI coach Beth Dunkenberger subbed out Diawara. Duke took advantage as Wanisha Smith droved and dished to A.Waner for a 15' jumper, and then Nish hit Joy Cheek inside after a Hokie turnover. Copeland carved Duke up again, finding Cook on a cut after she drove. Cheek countered by attacking the basket off the dribble, catching VPI a bit off guard. Harding came up with a steal and passed to A.Waner, who was fouled on her way to the basket. After she nailed both, Duke threw on a rare full-court press. This was a bit of a risk, since this high risk/high reward type of defense can be shredded if it doesn't immediately yield a turnover.

What followed was perhaps the key play of the game. Lindsey Harding missed a leaner, and the ball bounced into the hands of Laura Haskins. Lindsey reached in and literally ripped the ball out of her hands (it was close to being a jump ball), but the alert Harding kept playing and didn't wait for the whistle to direct her. She got the ball to A.Waner, who whipped the ball to Smith in the right corner for a huge three. That brought the crowd of close to 7000 to a roar, and Duke continued to pour it on as Abby came up with a steal and got a three point play in transition. That put Duke up 29-28 with under six minutes left.

VT tied it up with a free throw, but the Devils closed out the half with a 10-4 run. That started with a Wanisha Smith jumper; Duke forced a miss and Bales got to the free throw line on a questionable foul on Copeland. Another VT miss led to another Duke fast break, as Smith hit A.Waner in transition. With about two minutes left in the half, Duke suddenly led 35-29. Virginia Tech scored a couple of more times, but they were met by a drive from Mitchell and a last-second jumper from Harding to make it 39-33 at the half.

Duke's superior talent (thanks mostly to Harding & Bales) forced VT out of a rhythm at times, but never enough to rattle a group of veterans. Duke's ability to get second chance points (11-3) and some points scored off turnovers is what turned the tide. Waner had 11 points and Bales 8 (on 2-7 shooting). Normally bit players Anderson & Cook combined for 24 points. Duke would have to play with a lot more intensity in the second half.