In the red corner, weighing in with a record of 19-4, 11-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the tenth-ranked Wolfpack of N.C. State. And in the blue corner, with a record of 18-6, 11-3 in the ACC, the 11th-ranked Blue Devils of Duke. This bout is scheduled for two 20-minute rounds. The winner receives sole possession of first place in the conference. Let's get ready to rumble.
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium. With only one other conference game left for both teams, the winner controls its own destiny in the race for the ACC title.
"We're really excited right now since we've been playing such good basketball," junior Hilary Howard said.
The Wolfpack is led by All-ACC candidate Chasity Melvin, an inside presence who will be one of the primary objects of the Blue Devils' attention. She leads the ACC in rebounding with 9.7 boards per game. Melvin is also third in the conference in scoring (16.2 ppg), second in field-goal percentage (.590) and fourth in blocks, with 1.1 per game.
"I think the most important thing that we've been concentrating on is boxing her out, limiting her to just one shot," freshman Georgia Schweitzer said.
The last time the two teams met, in Duke's 75-61 upset win in Raleigh, the Blue Devil defense held Melvin to 10 points in the first half but only two in the second. On offense, junior Payton Black came off the bench for Duke to pour in 20 points.
Containing Melvin will be key. Duke did this in Raleigh by playing off the guards and giving them open shots. This strategy led to the Wolfpack's worst shooting game of the year as it shot an abysmal 36.8 percent from the field.
That was then; this is now. State is on a tear, having won five of its last six games. In its last game, a 75-53 win over Maryland on Monday, the Wolfpack received a 25-point effort from guard Tynesha Lewis.
"Lewis has been doing a great job lately penetrating and shooting," Schweitzer said. "We will have to be aware of where she is on the court."
While the Wolfpack has been hot of late, the Blue Devils have been on fire. They have won seven of their last eight and three in a row, including a 13-point win over then-No. 5 North Carolina. Duke has won its last six games in Cameron, compiling an 11-1 home record overall.
Duke will try to jump out to an early lead-in all its wins over ranked opponents, Duke opened an early lead and did not relinquish it.
"We just try to be aggressive at the start of the game both defensively and offensively," Howard said. "The last couple of games we've been shooting really well, but you can't always depend on that. So we're just going to come out and try to attack the basket."
This matchup will certainly be a clash of opposing strengths. The Wolfpack uses a solid inside game, receiving most of its scoring in the paint. In contrast, the Blue Devils are content to stay behind the arc and shoot threes and jump shots. They rely on guards Nicole Erickson and Howard to carry the bulk of the scoring, although Schweitzer has been quite efficient from long range lately.
On the defensive end, Duke will count on juniors Michele Van Gorp, Peppi Browne and Black, as well as sophomore Lauren Rice, to wear down the Wolfpack's inside players and control the boards. N.C. State has outrebounded its opponents in 21 of 23 games this year.
This game will likely be nothing like the last one. This time there is a lot more at stake than a mid-season win. The Wolfpack wants to avenge its home loss to Duke, in which it trailed the entire game.
For Duke, this could be the game that bumps it into the top 10 for the first time since 1988. It is also a chance for the Blue Devils to sweep the regular-season series against the Wolfpack for the first time ever. After the early emotion and excitement are gone, this game will come down to which team does a better job of controlling its opponent's key players.
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