Duke opens its second year under head coach Joanne P. McCallie with a Nov. 14 home game against Oklahoma State, a Sweet 16 team from last year's NCAA Tournament. The quality of opponents does not dip much from there.
Non-conference contests with Stanford and Tennessee and four league games with North Carolina and Maryland highlight the Blue Devils' 2008-2009 schedule, released Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference. In total, Duke will play 13 teams that qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament, including four No. 1 or No. 2 seeds.
Eleven games will be aired on television and six will be featured nationally. The total number is three fewer than last year's television slate, excluding the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.
Among one of those that will be aired nationally is the Dec. 16 home tilt against Stanford. The Blue Devils host the Cardinal in the marquee non-league matchup in Cameron Indoor Stadium, even though students won't be on campus during winter break.
Two months later, Duke will travel to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on reigning champion Tennessee, which beat Stanford in last year's national championship.
"I think it's a terrific schedule, and there was some great planning that went into it," McCallie said. "What I love about it is the diversity of where we play, the different parts of the country that are represented and that it has such a great balance with many challenges. I love the fact that we have such a great home schedule, including a terrific opener with a very talented Oklahoma State team. Also having Stanford come in here to ignite that series, and to able to play a team like Tennessee right in the middle of the ACC schedule-I just think there are wonderful opportunities everywhere you look."
Unlike last year, there will be no big time holiday tournament. Instead of participating in the ESPNU invitational, US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam or the Maggie Dixon Classic in Madison Square Garden, Duke will enter the DePaul Invitational Nov. 20-21 in Chicago and the Women of Troy Basketball Classic at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles Dec. 19-20.
McCallie, though, does not think this takes anything away from the overall strength of schedule.
"Without a doubt we have the kind of schedule that can take it up another level," she said. "I feel strongly that these women are fantastic role models, and with the schedule as exciting as could be, we hope to have many true sellouts and continue to work to grow the culture of women's basketball and get the community involved."
The community will have the chance to take in seven ACC games, beginning with Miami Jan. 9. Maryland rolls into town the next Monday, and the Tar Heels will travel down Tobacco Road to close out the ACC slate March 1.
McCallie and the Blue Devils will also host Maine Nov. 16. McCallie's first head coaching gig came at the helm of the Black Bears, a squad she led to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Duke is coming off a 25-10 season in McCallie's first year, having lost in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. The Blue Devils earned a No. 3 seed in the postseason after finishing third in the ACC regular season and losing in the ACC Tournament final.
They return seven players with significant experience, led by senior tri-captains Chante Black, Carrem Gay and Abby Waner.
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