When women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors calls her team's schedule one of the toughest in the country, she sure isn't kidding.
Instead of easing its way into the regular season with a few games against cupcakes, No. 4 Duke will kick off its campaign against two top-20 teams-No. 3 Connecticut and either No. 17 Stanford or 18th-ranked Arkansas-as it travels to San Jose, Calif., to participate in the Nike Four in the Fall tournament.
"I think that helps us to work hard and understand that we need to get better, because of the level of competition we'll be playing day in, day out," Goestenkors said of the difficult early season slate. "We're playing the very best.... I wanted to learn as early as possible what we're made of, what our strengths are, what our weaknesses are and how to improve because our goal is to be the best team possible in the NCAA Tournament."
The Blue Devils will face their first and toughest challenge tonight at 9 p.m. when they contend with Connecticut. The Huskies boast several potent offensive threats, including Big East Preseason Player of the Year Svetlana Abrosimova. The Russia native averaged 14.4 points per game in her freshman campaign.
Abrosimova isn't the Huskies' only threat. Newcomer Asjha Jones led Connecticut in scoring in its final exhibition game with 16 points.
On Saturday, Duke faces the possibility of battling its nemesis, Arkansas. Last season, the Lady Razorbacks dashed the Blue Devils' Final Four hopes, handing them a heartbreaking 77-72 loss in the national quarterfinals. Even though Duke had its best season ever last year, it hopes to use the disappointing finish as extra motivation to advance even further in 1998-99.
"We're just excited," Goestenkors said. "I think the success we had last year gave us a lot of confidence. I think the way last year ended, though, with the loss to Arkansas, has encouraged us to work harder over the summer."
The Razorbacks return their top two scorers from last year, guard Sytia Messer and forward Karyn Karlin. Both have averaged 16 points per game in Arkansas' two exhibition games.
If the Blue Devils do not play the Lady Razorbacks, they will take on a young Stanford squad. The Cardinal returns only two starters from last year, Milena Flores and Regan Freuen. Furthermore, Stanford has only one senior and three juniors on its roster.
Center Carolyn Moos has emerged as the Cardinal's most deadly weapon on the floor thus far. The sophomore recorded 25 points and nine rebounds in Stanford's exhibition opener against the Armed Forces and 24 points and 10 boards in its other exhibition game, against Alvik, a team from Sweden.
The location of the tournament has special meaning for Duke. The San Jose Arena, where this weekend's action will take place, is also the site of the 1999 NCAA Final Four, and the Blue Devils hope to bring their season full circle and finish it where they start.
"Our motto this year is 'Join the Journey,' and our season is a journey," Goestenkors said. "That's why we scheduled the tournament in San Jose, because it is the first game of the season, and that's the arena where the Final Four is, so we're looking at it as a journey. We want to begin and end the journey in the same place."
And whatever will be said about Duke when it finishes its journey, no one will be able to say that it took the easiest route.
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