In front of the largest crowd ever to witness an ACC women's basketball game, No. 3 Duke surged past No. 19 Maryland Sunday in College Park.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Not even the cheers and taunts of 17,243 Maryland fans could stop Duke’s women’s basketball team Sunday.
In front of the largest crowd ever to witness an ACC women’s basketball game, No. 3 Duke surged past No. 19 Maryland Sunday in College Park, 60-49.
“I know it wasn’t a pretty game,” head coach Gail Goestenkors said. “I know both teams missed some open shots that we normally hit, but I think the defense was really good for both sides.”
With neither team shooting accurately, rebounding proved decisive in the contest. The Blue Devils (23-2, 9-1 in the ACC) topped the Terrapins (17-6, 6-5) on the glass 48-38, grabbing 27 rebounds in the second half.
Center Chante Black led the team with 13 boards, and Alison Bales grabbed 11, nine in Maryland territory.
Goestenkors emphasized how important post presence would be in this game and told the squad to make a concerted effort on the glass.
Maryland came on strong after the break with a 9-0 run, pulling ahead of the Blue Devils, but Duke regained its momentum after Wynter Whitley layed up an easy basket on a fast break, generated by Monique Currie’s lone steal of the game.
But a Blue Devil possession in the 17th minute of the second period typified a game marked by low offensive production and strong defense. After Bales blocked a short jumper from Terp center Jade Perry, Currie grabbed the defensive board. Currie drove down the court only to miss a three-point shot. She then grabbed the rebound and missed a layup.
Bales recovered the missed shot and dished the ball to guard Jessica Foley, who missed another three. Maryland’s Shay Doron snagged the board.
Both the Blue Devils and the Terps posted their second-worst shooting percentages of the season, sinking only 35.1 percent and 33.8 percent of their baskets, respectively.
“I think both teams played exceptional defense,” Goestenkors said. “I don’t know that it was necessarily poor offense.”
Duke’s bench players gave the team a much-needed scoring boost, with reserves netting 19 points. Senior Whitley scored 11 points in 19 minutes of play, and freshman Black scored eight points and grabbed 13 boards in 23 minutes off the bench.
“Our game plan was to give [Whitley] the open shot. She was the X-factor in my opinion,” Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said. “All eight players on their team can step up and shoot the ball. They all have a tremendous role on their team, and they did a tremendous job with it tonight.”
Doron, the Terps’ leading scorer, brought in 18 points, but Maryland’s offense was not evenly distributed. The Terps’ bench contributed only two points, as Doron and Kalika France carried the team. France, the only other Terp to score in double-digits, netted 13 points.
In a clean game with few free throw opportunities, the Blue Devils made their chances at the line count, while inaccuracy hurt the Terrapins. Duke sank 15-of-19 at the stripe, and Maryland made only 1-of-6 free throws.
“I’ve never seen us be so passive,” Frese said. “But a lot of that is the physicalness of Duke.”
NOTES:
Black posted a career-high four blocks.... Jessica Foley had a season-high eight assists.... Duke currently sits atop the conference with a 9-1 ACC record.
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