With seven minutes left in the first half Sunday, Wanisha Smith stole the ball on the perimeter, dribbled upcourt and connected on a pass to Lindsey Harding for an easy layup.
The play was indicative of the kind of afternoon Duke had, forcing turnover after turnover on its way to a 107-37 dismantling of Division II Anderson in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Lady Trojans turned the ball over 45 times while mustering only 37 points against a relentless Blue Devil defense.
"I was very pleased with our energy," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I thought our defense overall was good."
Duke converted Anderson turnovers into 53 points, and the Blue Devils only turned the ball over 12 times themselves. Duke used a full-court press throughout the game, trapping Anderson ball-handlers effectively to set up easy transition buckets.
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Senior center Alison Bales led Duke with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks. Sophomore guard Abby Waner added 16 points and four of the Blue Devils' 29 steals. The two players contributed while only playing 21 and 20 minutes, respectively.
Duke utilized its bench effectively, getting 48 points from its reserves, including 11 points apiece from junior guard Emily Waner and freshman forward Bridgette Mitchell. Mitchell also led the bench with eight rebounds in her first collegiate game.
"It's really exciting," Mitchell said. "There were a few early jitters, but overall, it was very exciting. I can't wait for more."
The constant rotation of the Blue Devils' reserves into the lineup-no Duke player played more than 22 minutes-allowed the team to effectively execute its up-tempo offense throughout the game.
Despite only shooting 42 percent from the floor, the Blue Devils exploded for 63 first-half points by exploiting Anderson's offensive miscues. The fast pace of play is something Duke will be looking to establish throughout the season.
"We definitely want to be an up-tempo team," Goestenkors said. "It's a style of play that our players enjoy, I enjoy, and the fans love the style of play as well."
Despite the lopsided score, the team said there is room for improvement. Offensively, the Blue Devils struggled finishing near the basket, especially with layups. Duke will focus heavily on this problem in upcoming practices, Goestenkors said.
"Sometimes when you get up by a lot, you tend to lose focus," Abby Waner said. "That's something we need to work on, because we can't afford to lose our focus against better teams."
Nevertheless, the Blue Devils demonstrated their talent and depth by making life miserable for the Anderson offense. Duke held the Lady Trojans to two points for more than nine minutes in the first half. Anderson managed just five field goals in the first half and 11 field goals in the entire game.
NOTES:
Absent from the Blue Devil lineup Sunday was center Chante Black. The junior is still rehabilitating a hyper-extended right knee, and she hopes to return to practice next week.... With their next exhibition game against Premier Players Thursday, the Blue Devils hope to continue their defensive dominance. While Duke wants to improve its offensive execution, it will not open up its offensive playbook yet. "It was different playing games like tonight, because we didn't have to execute as much," Bales said. "It was refreshing."
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