Game Commentary - Goestenkors blames herself for loss to Gamecocks

This year's Duke women's basketball team is the most physically gifted in school history. When watching the team compete against men in practice, or blow away some overmatched opponent, the Blue Devils' athletic prowess is blatantly obvious.

In years past, even in their run to the championship game in 1999, the Blue Devils were always underdogs against other highly ranked opponents because of an athletic inferiority. Duke simply didn't have the players that traditional powerhouses like Tennessee, Connecticut or Purdue had.

This year's Duke team has finally overcome that obstacle. Alana Beard is as fluid a player as there is in the nation, and possesses the best crossover dribble in the women's game. Iciss Tillis, who, with her terrific ball handling skills and 6-foot-4 frame, is a guard in a forward's body, and can pull off moves that leaves one's mouth agape. Freshmen Monique Currie and Wynter Whitley are strong, powerfully built forwards that are the physical equals of their upperclass adversaries.

However, despite their reservoir of talent, the 2001 Blue Devils currently appear to be deficient in the area of mental toughness.

In Sunday's disappointing loss to South Carolina, Duke frequently looked uninterested and confused. Even as the Gamecocks raced to an early lead, the Blue Devils didn't seem to care very much.

Goestenkors said the lack of focus was her fault.

"I told the team that obviously I need to do a much better job of being more demanding in practice," Goestenkors said. "I take full responsibility for this loss, and any loss, because I feel that it ultimately comes back to the coaching."

Goestenkors is a tremendous coach, and although it is noble of her to attempt to seize the onus for Duke's 3-2 start, her coaching staff shouldn't be to blame. Her practices are already intense, and it is hard to doubt the preparatory effort of any member of her coaching staff.

To have already lost to an unranked team seven days previously, and then to allow yourself to remain complacent, is simply bizarre.

The Duke players must have assumed that after their 107-58 annihilation of Davidson Saturday, that they had regained their edge. Obviously, they were wrong.

"Yesterday's game did not make us better," Goestenkors said. "It gave us some confidence, and maybe a false sense of confidence."

When a team's focus and effort are absent, the most apparent casualty is its defensive performance.

"Our defense was horrendous today, horrendous," Goestenkors said. "It was about like Toledo, in that we're letting teams run what they want to run.

"We picked it up midway through the second half. We caused some turnovers that led to some easy baskets for us, but it was too late in the game. We need to start the game with that kind of focus and intensity."

Despite Duke's poor defense, USC committed 32 turnovers Sunday. Thirty-two! That translates into 32 extra possessions, most of which were outright gifts, as Gamecock guards played catch with the spectators.

Duke never capitalized. The Blue Devils too often have this deer-in-headlights look of disbelief. Even when a brief scoring spurt would elicit a chest-bumping, fist-pumping celebration, the Blue Devils' confidence disappeared as soon as South Carolina made a basket.

It is weird to watch a team that is so good be so docile. Duke is capable of dictating the flow of the game to any opponent in the country. Yet despite its tremendous athletic gifts, this young team has thus far become frightened whenever an opposing team looks them in the eye.