The last time Florida State beat the women's basketball team, Peppi Browne was a sophomore in high school. Now a senior at Duke and a hoops veteran, Browne hopes to lead Duke to another victory against the Seminoles tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Browne and the No. 9 Blue Devils (16-2, 5-1 in the ACC) travel to the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center against Florida State (8-8, 1-5). After a particularly draining overtime loss to No. 6 N.C. State last week, Duke will try to get back on track with another ACC win.
Coach Gail Goestenkors noted that her team was upset after the loss, which ended a 15-game winning streak, but she added that her players were tough and ready to get back on the court.
"I know we're down about the loss," she said. "I think we've got a pretty tough game, both physically and mentally."
During practice this weekend, Goestenkors reflected on the mistakes of the State game, but looked ahead to tonight's match-up.
"[Saturday] we worked on some of the things we need to work on based on the N.C. State game, but [Sunday] we focused on Florida State. We don't have time to worry about too much, to sulk, to lick our wounds, because we've got to get ready for Florida State because they're very, very good, especially at home."
For a team that finished last year dead bottom in the conference, Florida State has been doing relatively better this season, dropping four conference games by 10 points or less. The Seminoles opened their season 0-3, but their losses to Wake Forest, Virginia and Maryland were all within five-point margins.
Yet a loss is a loss and the fact remains that Florida State still resides at the bottom of the ACC standings.
The Seminoles are led by senior Latavia Coleman. A 5-foot-10 forward, Coleman averages 17.4 point per game and is neck-and-neck for the ACC scoring title with the Blue Devils' Georgia Schweitzer.
"We definitely don't want [Coleman] to go off," Goestenkors said. "She's had games where she's gone over 30 points. I think we can still win if she has 15 to 17 points. But if she goes off and has an All-American night, then it will be tough.
"Peppi will be defending her; she's a lot like Peppi in that she's a small post player that can step up and shoot. But she's strong, she's very, very strong so we'll focus on her."
Still, a Coleman rampage is not the only weapon the Seminoles might pull out tonight. Guard April Traylor, who averages 13.4 points a game and forward Brooke Wyckoff at 11.5 points a game, are also key players having great seasons.
Goestenkors is still confident in her team's ability, despite last week's setbacks.
"I didn't think anyone would go through the conference and not lose a game," the coach said. "It's a tough conference from top to bottom. So we still feel good about where we are. There's still a lot of room for improvement for us."
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