The 1999 Duke women's team achieved unprecedented success. It broke school records with a 16-game winning streak, 29 wins in a season, and 15 conference wins. Senior center Michelle VanGorp was named as a third-team All-American, the first Duke woman to achieve the national honor. Most importantly, the team made its first-ever appearance in the Final Four after defeating three-time defending champion Tennessee in the East regional final.
But senior point guard Krista Gingrich thinks this year's team is even better.
"Our execution in 1999 was tremendous," Gingrich said. "But I think execution is one thing that this team has really worked on. We've improved to the level of, or above that, of the 1999 team. I think if this team and the '99 team played each other that this team would win."
The 2002 team already has a 22-game win streak, 31 wins, and a perfect 16-0 conference record to its credit. In addition, Alana Beard was named as a first-team All-American, and tied an ACC record by being named conference player of the week five times (VanGorp was selected only once in 1999). And the team has a chance to better VanGorp's team when it matters
Gingrich was an All-ACC freshman selection in 1999 and remains the only player from Duke's first Final Four team.
"This team is a lot more athletic," Gingrich said. "We had a great post player in Michelle VanGorp, but I think Iciss Tillis and Michelle Matyasovsky are much more athletic than she was. Even our guards are much more versatile."
The teams were fundamentally different in a number of ways.
The 1999 edition featured six seniors, including five who played double-digit minutes. Gingrich is the only senior this time. While the '99 team had 10 players in the regular rotation, only eight players grace this year's roster.
But Duke's lack of depth has been a boon for team chemistry, and coach Gail Goestenkors feels that a lack of experience can be an advantage as well.
"[The 1999 team] was a team with six seniors," Goestenkors said. "I think they felt the pressure all year long."
Gingrich agreed that the 2002 edition enjoys a much more laid-back, jovial atmosphere, which comes in handy when facing the immense pressure of a Final Four.
"I think this team is a
But the 2002 team isn't as battle-tested as its predecessor. VanGorp and company beat 11 ranked teams, including No. 2 Tennessee and No. 5 Old Dominion in the East regionals. Before this year, Gingrich was the only Blue Devil to get past the third round of the NCAAs. Yet Goestenkors feels the Blue Devils' combination of athleticism and execution is enough to carry the team through their lack of big-game experience.
"Last year's team was more athletic, and the 1999 team could execute very, very well," Goestenkors said. "This year, I feel we have a good blend. This is the most athletic team we've had, yet when it's crunch time, when we need a basket, we've been able to settle down, and really execute, which is something that we didn't do last year."
In 1999, No. 1 Purdue was riding a 31-game winning streak and the Boilermakers beat Duke in the finals. Although the 2002 Blue Devils might be better than the team from three years ago, so is their potential challenger--undefeated Connecticut, whose lowest margin of victory this season is nine points.
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