When playing on the home turf is not an option, a home away from home is always a nice alternative.
Lucky for the Blue Devils, 'home away from home' is the location of their NCAA tournament opener.
While most teams find it difficult playing on the road in hostile environments against top teams, Duke has thrived under such conditions. And although the team has dropped its past two games for the first time all season, it could benefit from a change in scenery.
Duke takes on fourth-seeded Connecticut in College Park, Md. at 2 p.m. Saturday as the team begins its quest to make the final four for the fifth time in sixth seasons after missing the national semifinals last year.
Two season-ending losses likely dropped Duke (14-5) out of contention to host two games in the tournament. Instead, the Blue Devils were sent to Maryland, where they have experienced tremendous success.
"We like going to Maryland and are excited about the draw," head coach Beth Bozman said. "In the past, College Park has been pretty good to us."
Earlier this season, the Blue Devils upset the then-No. 1 Terrapins Oct. 11, just as they did in 2006.
If there is anywhere that the team can get back on track against the Huskies (17-3), the Big East tournament runner-up, College Park seems to be the right place.
"We have had a lot of success there and have won some big games," junior Amie Survilla said. "The magnitude of the games that we've played there, along with the great facility at Maryland have helped us rise to challenges in the past."
Duke has certainly had long runs in the NCAA tournament since Bozman arrived, but the head coach, who earned her 300th victory this season, said this year's team is unique-even in comparison to her squads that made the final four.
"In the past, we've had some very skilled teams, yet we always had a hole or two that we would try and cover up," Bozman said. "I don't feel that we've have any holes this year, and we really play like a team."
If Duke manages to get past the Huskies Saturday, the team will face the winner of the Albany-Maryland matchup Sunday, which could present Duke with the opportunity to earn a final four bid by knocking off the best team in the land for the second time this season.
After all, the last time Duke faced Connecticut was in the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament, in which the Blue Devils advanced to the national championship.
Senior captain Marian Dickinson believes her team could make it that far, plus add on a final win.
"This is the best team that I've played on at Duke," Dickinson said. "I think we definitely have the capability to go far in the tournament."
And after games in College Park, the Blue Devils could do just that.
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