Elizabeth Williams
Statline: Wednesday, Dec. 17 vs. Oklahoma: 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 20 rebounds, three blocks, three assists and two steals; Friday, Dec. 19 vs. UMass Lowell: 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, four blocks, three steals; Sunday, Dec. 21 vs. No. 8 Kentucky: 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three assists
The good: Williams led the No. 13 Blue Devils to their most successful week of the season after a nine-day layoff following a heartbreaking loss to No. 1 South Carolina. Motivated by head coach Joanne P. McCallie, who demanded more from her only returning starter, Williams became the third Duke player to ever record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a single game Wednesday against the Sooners.
The 6-foot-3 center also anchored the Blue Devil defense down low with her shot-blocking and quick rotations in the three games this week, helping Duke once again show off the zone defense that is capable of suffocating opposing offenses. The Blue Devils also maintained their nation-leading 19.2 rebounding margin en route to scoring their first win against a ranked opponent this season.
The bad: Despite her strong play down low, at times Williams was still too passive Sunday against the Wildcats, committing six turnovers, and finished with 11 total turnovers in the three games. The Virginia Beach, Va., native also only shot six combined free throws against Oklahoma and UMass Lowell, so attacking in the basket and continuing to get to the charity stripe will continue to be priorities as the season wears on.
The bottom line: Despite her turnovers, Williams still showed that Duke will only reach its potential this season if its center is attacking on both ends of the court. The Blue Devils averaged 92.0 points in their three games after three consecutive losses after failing to score more than 65 points in their first three defeats this year.
Williams being full strength also allows Duke's depth down low with freshman Azura Stevens, sophomore Oderah Chidom and senior Amber Henson to be even more overwhelming. The Blue Devils routed Kentucky and avoided late-game execution in a tight contest, but with Williams dominating on both ends again, Duke should be able to redeem itself when games get tight. A big night from Williams is also likely going to be a necessity for the Blue Devils to stay with No. 2 Connecticut in their next game Dec. 29.
Honorable mention: Once again, freshman Azura Stevens would have been just as deserving as Williams after three solid performances. Stevens put up 17 points and eight rebounds against Oklahoma, 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting and 11 rebounds against the River Hawks and 17 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky Sunday.
Stevens continues to pose huge matchup problems with her versatility and is improving her motor and defense each time she steps on the court. The Raleigh, N.C., native is averaging 12.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest and looks to be an integral part of one of the more balanced teams in the country; expect her success to continue as long as the Blue Devils can keep working on lowering their 17-turnover-per-game average.
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