Duke has a lot riding on Monday night's regional final against South Carolina.
A trip to the Final Four. A 22nd straight victory. A 26-0 record in Monday games in the last four years. A school record for wins in a season.
And oh yeah, a little thing called revenge.
The Gamecocks came into Cameron Nov. 25, and despite turning the ball over frequently, notched an 87-81 overtime win. It was Duke's only home loss on the season, and the first time in a decade that the Blue Devils failed to win the Duke Women's Classic.
"We were weak on the boards and we didn't move the ball well," freshman Monique Currie said. "But rebounding has made us a much better team, and that's something we have been working on a lot."
Improved rebounding will not be the only difference in Duke's game that South Carolina will encounter. The Blue Devils utilize a different lineup, with three of the starters from the game against the Gamecocks now coming off the bench. All of the Blue Devils see considerable minutes and scoring
Also, Crystal White and Rometra Craig were both still apart of the team in the Cameron loss, but the two players have since transferred. And the Blue Devils have been on a tear ever since, having only lost once since then to Tennessee, and Duke has yet to lose in 2002.
"I think at the beginning of the year we were really young," Alana Beard said. "But now, I think we're playing with a lot more poise."
Add to that the urgency of postseason play, and Duke should be ready to jump all over a South Carolina team making its first Elite Eight appearance.
One of the keys to a Duke victory will be its ability to control guard penetration and limit the scoring of USC's leaders as much as possible. In the November matchup, guard Kelly Morrone buried eight three-pointers and finished with 27 points, while Shaunzinksi Gortman posted 25 points and 12 rebounds.
As a team, the Gamecocks hit 52 percent of their shots, but Duke's defense has been relentless of late, and Saturday
"We're expecting a physical game," freshman Monique Currie said. "When we played them earlier this year, they were on the boards, knocking us around. They're upbeat, up-tempo style team, and we need to focus on that."
The Blue Devils will have to pick up their play on the offensive end after struggling against Texas. Duke shot only 35 percent from the field, and had to stave off a furious second half Longhorn run to advance. Protecting the ball better will also be a key, as sloppy passing against Texas led to 19 turnovers. In November, the Blue Devils coughed up the ball 18 times.
A win and Duke heads to San Antonio for its second Final Four appearance, but also earns a week to enjoy the benefits of revenge.
"Revenge is sweet," Currie said. "All year we've had games where we were getting revenge over a loss last year, but since I was a part of this loss, it means a lot more to me. We're going to be ready to play."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.