In her days as an assistant at Purdue University, women's basketball head coach Gail Goestenkors schooled then-Boilermaker player MaChelle Joseph in the fundamentals of the game. When No. 1 Duke heads down to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. tonight, Goestenkors looks to teach Joseph, who now is the head coach of the Yellow Jackets, another lesson.
In its first year under Joseph, Georgia Tech (10-3, 1-0 in the ACC) looks to defeat the Blue Devils (11-1, 2-0) for the first time since February 27, 1994, a streak of 21 consecutive games. While the Blue Devils certainly have the right to be confident after obtaining the top ranking this week, Duke will be taking on the toughest Georgia Tech team in years and a squad that has not lost at home this season.
"We understand more than ever that the rankings don't mean anything," Goestenkors said. "We were basically one shot away from being ranked seven or eight. If Jess Foley misses that shot [against Connecticut], we would have dropped in the polls. She hits one shot, and we're No. 1."
The Yellow Jackets are led by Fallon Stokes, who is second in the ACC behind Duke's Alana Beard with 18.6 points per game. An Atlanta native, Stokes is a 5-foot-10 forward with an excellent post game and also leads Georgia Tech with 6.8 rebounds per game. Complimenting Stokes is 5-foot-5 senior guard Alex Stewart, a quick player who averages 9.2 points per game in addition to her ACC-leading 5.8 assists per game.
Despite the Yellow Jackets' improved firepower this season, few expect things to be any different than Duke's 79-59 win in Atlanta last season.
"I don't think there is any one thing you can say about Duke that you have to stop in order to compete with them," Joseph said. "They're so multidimensional. They have three or four players on their team that could be All-Americans."
Joseph's remarks are hardly controversial, as Beard is making another strong case for national player of the year honors by leading the ACC with 19.3 points per game, center Iciss Tillis is grabbing 7.6 rebounds a night while scoring 13.1 points per game, Monique Curry has recovered almost flawlessly from her torn ACL from a year ago while netting 13.8 points per game, the famed class of 2006 has improved as sophomores behind the maturation of Lindsey Harding and Mistie Bass, and freshman Brittany Hunter has added another athletic post player to Duke's already potent lineup.
"I think some of weaknesses last year were outside shooting and low-block play... and getting to the free throw line when we had to manufacture some points...and mental toughness," Goestenkors said. "We've got those pieces this year. We really have improved in some areas that were weaknesses last year."
Adding to the Blue Devils' motivation is the return of Wynter Whitley, who has missed all but three games this season due to damaged ligaments in her ankle. Whitley is an Atlanta native who averaged 22.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.0 blocks as a senior All-American for Holy Innocents High School.
While the Georgia Tech game seems just like one of many Duke games, the Blue Devils are looking at every contest as preparation for the ultimate goal.
"I think we're considered a national power now," Goestenkors said. "I think to go to that next level, we need to win the national championship."
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