Every week throughout the basketball season, The Blue Zone will name the highest-performing Blue Devil the Duke basketball Player of the Week.
Alexis Jones
Statline- Monday vs. Maryland- 22 points, 8-of-14 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and one steal in 37 minutes.
Thursday vs. North Carolina State- 12 points, 4-of-12 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals in 32 minutes.
The good: Jones’ strong play at the guard position helped Duke navigate a difficult week in which the Blue Devils notched wins over two ranked ACC opponents. Jones played extended minutes to fill a void in the backcourt due to injuries to guards Chelsea Gray, Chloe Wells and Rebecca Greenwell. She had a game-high 22 points against Maryland, but also showed her willingness to spread the ball around with seven assists. Even with the injuries, Jones and fellow guard Richa Jackson have combined to form a solid guard duo.
The bad: Jones had four turnovers in each of this week’s match-ups. Even though she has made some amazing passes this season, she is a young player that has the tendency to try to do too much with the ball. Jones will need to cut down on these turnovers as Duke moves into the postseason, where it will face some of the ACC’s and the nation’s best defensive talent.
The bottom line: For the second straight year, Jones has been forced to become the leader of the Blue Devil backcourt. But instead of being overwhelmed by her new role, she has grown into it and is once again playing at a high level heading into March. Jones and Duke proved this week that it can handle two top teams at home, but the real test lies this Sunday in South Bend, Ind. when the Blue Devils travel to play No. 2 Notre Dame. If Jones can have a big game and control the offense from her point guard position, look for Duke to have a chance at avenging the Blue Devils’ loss to the Irish earlier this season.
Honorable mention: Elizabeth Williams scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Monday’s contest against Maryland, following that performance with a nine-point, 10-rebound performance against North Carolina State. After struggling earlier in the season, Williams is improving her play at both ends of the court, giving the Blue Devils a strong paint presence. If Williams can consistently post double-doubles in her remaining games, Duke will have a much better chance of knocking off top-five teams that it has struggled against this season.
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