The Nutshell by Rob CloughDuke's players did not lack for effort or heart in the ACC tournament final
loss
to UNC. The tightly-called game kept Duke off-balance and kept key personnel
off the floor at important junctures, and the Heels were able to take advantage
of the opportunities given to them. This was a winnable game for Duke,
especially given that the Heels were not nearly as sharp as they had been
against Virginia. Both teams made silly fouls, careless turnovers, and took
bad shots. In the end, UNC's 26-14 edge on second-chance points, combined with
their 44 free throw attempts (to 18 for Duke), proved that even though this win
wasn't a work of art for them, their aggressiveness carried the day for them.
Duke got some nice performances from its freshmen, incredibly intense hustle
from Abby Waner and a workmanlike showing from Chante Black. The Devils made
some key matchup errors (especially in defending the perimeter) and didn't
pursue certain advantages when presented to them, and those mistakes cost them
dearly. Still, this group is playing much more cohesively than just a single
week ago, and have firmly established themselves as a three seed.
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