The Blue Devils may still be reeling from their 36-point loss against Connecticut Monday night, but there is no rest for the weary in the heart of conference play. Duke now faces another stiff test, this time from a ranked opponent in the top tier of the ACC.
The No. 3 Blue Devils will look to put the embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Huskies behind them when they host No. 18 Miami tonight at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Hurricanes (20-2, 6-1 in the ACC) are off to one of their best starts in school history, having strung together 17 consecutive victories over a period stretching from November to Jan. 24.
The prolific scoring duo of juniors Riquna Williams and Shenise Johnson is largely responsible for Miami’s success to date. Williams averages 21.4 points per game—good for 11th-best in the nation—and Johnson isn’t far behind, putting up 19.3 points per contest. Sophomore forward Morgan Stroman gives the Hurricanes an active inside presence, leading the team with 7.8 rebounds per game, and sophomore guard Stefanie Yderstrom provides Miami with another viable threat from 3-point range alongside Williams.
But the Hurricanes will need to find a way to compensate for their lack of size down low if they want to have any chance of pulling off the upset over the Blue Devils (20-1, 6-0).
The Hurricanes were brutalized on the boards in their only conference loss to Florida State, as the Seminoles outrebounded Miami 41-22. Duke centers Krystal Thomas and Allison Vernerey, who both stand at 6-foot-5, have a three-inch height advantage over Miami’s tallest starter.
The Blue Devils also rank third in the ACC in offensive boards per game, while Miami ranks dead last in the conference in rebounding. Given Duke’s recent shooting struggles from beyond the arc—with the exception of the Clemson game—the team may look to the post early tonight.
Before the Blue Devils concentrate on their specific game plan, however, they must ensure they are ready to compete after their effort on the court was called into question Monday against the Huskies.
“I’m not so driven by the outcome, because the outcome was never in question here,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said after the Connecticut game. “I am upset about the process and the fight—we had no fight.”
Fortunately for Duke, Cameron Indoor Stadium seems to bring out the best in the Blue Devils. They have won their last two homes games by a combined total of 92 points and they forced 36 turnovers in their 92-37 demolition of Clemson Jan. 26. Tough defense has been one of Duke’s hallmarks this season, and if the Blue Devils combine this defensive intensity with lessons learned from the Connecticut loss—the importance of making the extra pass, good shot selection and competing from start to finish—then they will be in prime position to retain the top spot in the ACC.
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