TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - There was no 19-0 run to start the game for the Blue Devils Thursday night against Florida State.
In fact, Duke didn't look like the No. 1 team in the nation for most of the night, allowing a weak Seminoles team to grind the game out for most of regulation.
The Blue Devils were noticeably lacking in intensity to open the game, especially compared to the passion they showed Monday night when they beat No. 4 Tennessee 74-70 in the Volunteers' packed home stadium.
"We were a little fatigued, this being our third game on the road in a row," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "You can't be as emotionally up for every single game-it's just impossible."
About nine minutes into the game Duke was holding onto a slim 12-10 lead and the Seminoles were staying with the Blue Devils stride for stride. Goestenkors had already pulled three starters-Abby Waner, Wanisha Smith and Lindsey Harding-out of the game briefly following a dismal opening stretch.
Out of this cloud emerged an unsuspected silver lining. Sophomore Carrem Gay, who had fouled out of Duke's last contest with just two points, hit a smooth jumper to kick start a sputtering Blue Devil offense.
Gay had her best night of the season so far. She scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half, easily topping her combined 11 total points over the last three games.
"I've been really slacking the last few games," Gay said. "I just wanted to come out and attack on offense a be a little more of a threat."
Gay's presence in the post was crucial for the Blue Devils, who found themselves challenged by Florida State's physicality on the low block.
"[Gay] did a great job taking the ball to the basket," Goestenkors said. "They double teamed [Alison Bales] a couple of times and we were able to find her slashing to the basket".
Although Bales scored in double figures, along with all of Duke's starters, the usually dominant center was often out-muscled down low by Seminole forwards Britany Miller and Jacinta Monroe.
"I thought Florida State's post players did a really good job tonight," Bales said. "We wanted to dig in a little bit more-they were really strong and physical and had good moves down there."
The Seminole tandem combined for 22 of Florida State's 60 points. They also chipped in 14 rebounds and five blocks. Six of those points came from consecutive and-one plays by the sophomore Miller with two minutes left in the first half. Miller's stellar effort brought the Seminoles within one point of Duke, giving a breath of life to the FSU squad.
"I felt like I could [play against] Alison even though she's 50 feet taller than me," Miller said. "I just kept playing my game and kept moving my feet, and I defended."
Gay responded to Miller's strong play by scoring twice in a row, leading the Blue Devils into a momentum-shifting 8-1 run to end the half.
Florida State head coach Sue Semrau blamed her team's slip-up on foul trouble-certainly plausible considering her team had 11 fouls when the run began.
"Are you going to risk getting the third foul?" Semrau said. "I think we just didn't have the discipline we needed at the time."
The Blue Devils' 13-point victory does not reflect the lack of discipline on their side, but Goestenkors did make note of her relative disappointment after the game.
"I'm just happy to come away with a win," she said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.