Sunday’s slow start against N.C. State nearly cost No. 3 Duke its undefeated record, but last night’s game against Clemson game could not have started more differently.
Behind a dominant press and spectacular passing, Duke jumped out to a 59-12 halftime lead against the Tigers.
“[Starting strong] wasn’t just something that we’ve been talking about since last game,” senior guard Jasmine Thomas said. “We’ve been talking about that for a while.... I think our defensive intensity is what sparked that tonight.”
The Blue Devils’ press was nothing short of dominant in the first half—the Tigers shot less than 18 percent from the field. Duke’s ability to jump passing lanes, combined with the team’s superior athletic ability and aggressive style of play, forced Clemson to commit 19 first-half turnovers. The Blue Devils took advantage, scoring 27 points off turnovers.
In the second half, Duke didn’t back off entirely, forcing 17 turnovers and coming up with 11 steals. But the Blue Devils didn’t press—likely because pressing an obviously overmatched team while holding a 40-point lead seems in poor taste. Calling off the press made a clear impact on the stat sheet.
Without the press, Duke’s defense was solid but unspectacular, surrendering 25 second-half points on 36 percent shooting. The offense also fell into mortal territory without the benefit of a suffocating press. Assists fell from 16 in the first half to only six after the break, and the team made fewer than half as many shots from the field, largely due to the missing fast-break points the press had generated.
Consequently, this lack of intensity in the second half highlighted the strength of the Blue Devil’s ball movement in the first half and their offensive success earlier on in the night.
Part of that success came from deft passing. Duke had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2:1 at the break, which is a good individual number for a point guard. For a team, it’s striking. As a result of making the extra pass, all 11 Blue Devils scored in the first half.
“An extra pass is kind of an easy pass,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “You can see it coming and you can spot your teammate, and I thought everybody did that.... And I just think that makes us terribly difficult to defend.”
Between the defensive pressure and offensive distribution, Duke showed an incredible focus in the first half. Even though the dominance wavered in the second period, the overwhelming impression was one of a very poised, focused team.
“[The Blue Devils] did a lot of smart things tonight,” Clemson head coach Itoro Coleman said. “They made the extra passes, they trapped well, [and] their transition offense was really good.”
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