Devils Soar Over Eagles, 82-29

Chante Black

Coach P noted that Chante probably didn't get the ball enough, considering that she went 7-7 from the floor. She wasn't doing anything fancy--just sealing off her opponent and making a strong move to the hoop, using the window. Her splashiest play in the first half was a stickback three point play that broke up a 6-2 NCCU run. Black neutralized Central's top scoring threat, Jori Nwachukwu, sending back a couple of her shots while avoiding foul trouble. Chante has been Duke's most consistent player all year long, and she just needs to continue to aggressively attack the basket while patiently using the best angle of attack when looking at the hoop. Chante sometimes rushes her shots and she doesn't need to, considering her ability to turn, rise and elevate over virtually any opponent.

Joy Cheek

Joy left several shots short but kept plugging away, scoring either by posting up or running the floor. Her last basket, a little turnaround jumper, had a very soft touch. It was nice to see Joy try to power up against a smaller opponent, though she sometimes didn't contribute to great spacing on the court. One nice thing I saw from Cheek in this game was her ability to run the floor; of all the starters, she's the slowest of foot so it was impressive to see her commitment to really get after it. In particular, her ability to handle the ball is a great skill for a player of her size, and I hope to see that translate into her potential of "point power forward" when she becomes more comfortable passing the ball.

Wanisha Smith

Nish was superb in this game and was much more confident shooting the ball, all while flirting with a triple-double. She missed some jumpers in the first half but continued to take good shots. More importantly, she's started to really get comfortable again feeding the post from the wing, piling up 7 assists. That included 2 nice passes to Black inside, 2 assists to A.Waner for three, fast break dishes to A.Waner and K.Thomas, and a touch pass to Cheek. Nish was very efficient with the ball, rarely pounding the floor with unnecessary dribbling--when she had possession, she immediately looked to set up a teammate or pass it out. Two things Duke needs to see from her in order to succeed: a greater willingness to shoot the three and more accuracy, and a commitment to attacking the basket against opponents that play a lot of man-to-man defense.

Abby Waner

Abby was forcing things early in the game, missing 3 of her first 4 shots from long range and turning the ball over 3 times in the first half. In the second half, she flowed much more naturally with Nish, getting set up for scores and in turn setting up others. Abby is still getting used to playing point when Jasmine goes out of the game in the first half, and it will take time for her to get used to that mindset.

Jasmine Thomas

This was one of the first games of Jasmine's career where she was able to exert a strong influence on it without scoring. She missed a couple of jumpers and a drive, but her quickness off the dribble resulted in 4 assists. She positively broke her opponent's ankles on Duke's first possession, on the way to getting an assist on a pass to Black. It was her stifling defense that made Central's guards think twice about trying to go to the hoop, especially when she blocked a couple of shots. Though Jasmine was beaten once or twice, she forced some very tough shots and overall did a fine job of making the right decisions on defense. The next step for her will be putting it all together against ACC foes.

Carrem Gay

Carrem really struggled on offense in this game, scoring only in transition. She missed a few easy stickbacks and a jumper, but she was active on the offensive boards and forced several steals. That included outright ripping the ball out of an opponent's hand at one point. Carrem did have a nice assist to Cheek in transition, beating a trap.

Keturah Jackson

KJ really stood out with her defense, rebounding, unselfishness and overall hustle. If she developed any offense at all or could finish attacking the basket, she'd be one of the top reserves in the ACC. She has greatly improved her feel for the game and has done a nice job pushing the team's tempo at both ends. She triggered a couple of fast break baskets and used her ability to slash to open up a jumper for Smith. KJ is starting to really excel as a defensive stopper, but that role will be tested in the ACC season. Her first test will be slowing down Miami's potent scoring threat Maurita Reid.

Bridgette Mitchell

Bridgette made a cameo in the first half but the play of Jackson & Christmas kept her on the bench--and it didn't help that she threw a bad pass for a turnover in her only minute of play. She was much more active in the second half, attacking the basket and getting a score.

Krystal Thomas

Krystal got some nice minutes, especially in the second half, when she started to go into a rhythm. In the first half, she actually played a few minutes with Black, a look Duke hasn't been able to employ much this year. Chante played at the top of the press in this configuration, but Krystal looked a bit uncertain at times as to where she was supposed to be, and a couple of defensive breakdowns resulted. In the second half, Krystal was much more comfortable, piling up 7 rebounds, scoring inside twice and played tough defense. Coach P likes to pound away at opponents inside, and adding Krystal to the rotation gives Duke a formidable lineup. In particular, she's Duke's best defensive rebounder. She obviously had an advantage in this game because of her size, but her overall understanding of positioning and angles makes her tough to block out. During games when Duke absolutely needs to keep their opponents away from the offensive boards, she'll be a valuable resource for the team.

Karima Christmas

Karima is supremely confident for a freshman, and by far the most physical player on Duke's roster. In the first half, she didn't shoot well and coughed the ball up a couple of times, but she kept coming. Down the stretch, she was fouled after an offensive rebound and hit both freebies, and then scored on a stickback. In the second half, she used her hustle to score three times attacking the basket, including one impressive twisting reverse layup. She led the team with 5 offensive rebounds, simply powering past her opponents with sheer determination. At the moment, she's splitting time at the wing with Jackson. KJ is more experienced, but Christmas brings a bit more to the table. Her rebounding, hustle and power make her a player who can have an impact against any opponent. If she develops any touch from the perimeter, she'll be a perfect bench player, capable of playing several roles. Right now, she still has to watch her fouling, especially against players who are as quick as she is.

Brittany Mitch

Brittany stuck back a wildly missed three by Mitchell and found Bridgette inside on a cut.

Emily Waner

Emily hit a huge shot at the end of the first half, and it's not the first time that she's hit a big shot under pressure. Really, she seems to thrive with that kind of shot, where she doesn't have to think about it much. She also had a nice pass inside to Black for a score.