Every week throughout the basketball season, The Blue Zone will name the highest-performing Blue Devil the Duke basketball Player of the Week.
Richa Jackson
Statline: Sunday vs. Boston College: 17 points, 8-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in 26 minutes.
Thursday vs. Virginia: 16 points, 8-of-9 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 29 minutes.
The good: After starting point guard and two-time All-American Chelsea Gray left Sunday’s game with a fractured kneecap that ended her season, Jackson has taken advantage of extended minutes and a spot in the starting lineup. She helped the Blue Devils cruise to victory against two ACC opponents at home, more than doubling her season scoring average from 7.3 points per game to 16.5 points per contest in her last two games. Jackson’s buzzer-beater lay-up, in which she spun around a Cavalier defender, shortly before halftime exhibited her scoring ability. She also helped out on the boards, providing a partial explanation for why the Blue Devils have easily out-rebounded their opponents in the last two games.
The bad: Jackson has only shot 53 percent from the charity stripe this season and has gone 1-for-5 from the line in her past two games. Duke lost a near-75 percent free throw shooter in Gray and will need Jackson to be more accurate with her free throws, especially in close games. Luckily for Jackson, three fellow starters—Tricia Liston, Alexis Jones and Haley Peters—all shoot 76 percent or better from the line.
The bottom line: Gray, a talented senior with a wealth of experience, can not be replaced. She was one of the best passers in the nation and could also get to the basket and score. Despite the loss, the Blue Devils don’t have to go into panic mode just yet. Jackson has proved over the last two games that she can not only assume a starting role, but also have an immediate impact in her new role. Look for Jackson’s role to continue to grow as Duke finds that a Final Four trip isn’t yet out of the question.
Honorable Mention: Even though Tricia Liston only posted five points against Boston College, she bounced back on Thursday night, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the Virginia game. Liston has been the Blue Devils’ most reliable scorer, averaging 16.9 points per game, but her monster night on the boards earned her a double-double. The sharpshooter from River Forest, Illinois also shot 5-of-8 from beyond the arc over the two game span.
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