Mosch provides huge spark off bench

RALEIGH -- This time around, it was different.

After not being pleased with the outcomes of her first two trips to the Sweet 16, both upset losses for the Blue Devils, junior Sheana Mosch did all she could in the second half Saturday afternoon to assure that the third time was a charm.

The Blue Devils appeared to be coasting, leading Texas by as many as 17 points early in the second half of what was a sloppy, turnover-riddled contest. And although Duke eventually won by 16 points, it wasn't necessarily an easy finish.

The Longhorns started to heat up just as Duke started cooling off. The Blue Devils scored just one basket in a stretch of over six minutes, and a steal by Texas point guard Kenya Larkin and subsequent layup by Heather Schreiber brought the Longhorns within three points, 38-35.

Sensing the crowd's lingering doubts, Duke's Crazy Towel Guy, making a rare road appearance, leapt to his feet and started swirling his signature white towel.

And that's when Mosch, scoreless on her four field goal attempts in the first half, stepped it up.

She drained a jumper from just inside the key to put the Blue Devils up by five, and then stole the ball from Kenya Larkin near midcourt, one of Larkin's staggering 12 turnovers in the game. After being fouled, Mosch stepped to the line for a one-and-one and calmly drained both free throws.

"I'm very proud of Sheana," coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I thought she came in and was just a huge spark for us, which was exactly what we needed."

Mosch received the ball just in front of the Duke bench, and drew Texas center Stacy Stephens as her defender. Stephens had been the Longhorns' primary weapon in the game, missing just two field goals and pulling down nine rebounds.

Stephens was sitting on two fouls, and a Texas rally would be impossible without her in the game, so Mosch dribbled right at Stephens, immediately drawing the contact and the whistle. Frustrated, Stephens punched at the basketball angrily, drawing another whistle and a technical. With four fouls, she was benched, where she remained for the rest of the game.

Mosch promptly stepped to the line and made three of the four shots. The Blue Devils led by 13 points, and Texas would never creep any closer.

"There was no point in that game when I thought we were going to lose," Mosch said. "I was confident the whole time. But we needed a little boost. It was a little closer than we all wanted. My energy level stepped up a little, and we were able to pull through."

Mosch finished with 13 points, the only Duke player other than Alana Beard to post double figures. And although she made just two field goals, it was her defensive energy, and of course, her near-perfect free throw shooting, that preserved the victory for the Blue Devils.

Still, Mosch wasn't entirely happy with her performance.

"I hate to say it, but of course I'm upset that I missed that one [free throw] because, of course, I expect to be perfect from the line," Mosch said. "But I'm happy with the nine out of 10. I think that's good enough."

It was good enough for Sheana, and good enough to keep Duke dancing.