If history repeats itself, then Duke will be all set for Sunday's game against the Demon Deacons.
The No. 10 Blue Devils will take on Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium at 2 p.m. in what will be the Blue Devils' ACC opener. Duke has not dropped the initial ACC game since 1997 and has beaten the Demon Deacons 40 times in a row, with the last loss dating back to 1993.
One player that will lend herself to extending the streak is freshman Azura Stevens. Stevens has been a bright spot for the Blue Devils (9-4) all season, but has come on even stronger in the past five games.
In that span, Stevens has averaged 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, including a career-performance in Friday's win against N.C. A&T in which the Raleigh native poured in 19 points. She has been Duke's leading scorer through the past three games, and between the play of Stevens, senior Elizabeth Williams and sophomore Oderah Chidom, the Blue Devil front court has developed into one of the most talented groups in the nation.
Williams also has a strong history of playing well against Wake Forest (9-5), as the senior center has averaged 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.8 blocks in her previous three contests, including a triple-double in her freshman campaign.
Looking at the Duke back court, one lineup change that was made against the Aggies was head coach Joanne P. McCallie's decision to start sophomore forward Kendall Cooper in place of Ka'lia Johnson. Although Johnson averages 4.1 assists per game—good for fourth in the ACC—McCallie wanted to go with a bigger lineup, and the move paid off. The Blue Devils dominated the Aggies, outscoring them 46-10 in the paint.
But as Duke moves into conference play, it will not always have the luxury of being able to overpower opponents. Although the Blue Devils are the tallest team in the nation, as they go up against tougher opponents down the road, Johnson's efficiency in running the point seems to be the way they will lean.
But with all the internal decisions to be made before Sunday's game, there is still one looming, 6-foot-3 problem Duke has yet to solve—Dearica Hamby.
The senior Wake Forest forward is averaging a staggering 21.0 points per game heading into the contest, good for 17th in the country. In last season's contest, Hamby dropped 20 points and eight rebounds on the Blue Devils, and judging by her work this season, Duke will again face a tall task in slowing her down.
Hamby also dominates on the boards with 10.5 per game, and she is now one of two players to average a double-double in the ACC. Williams was on the list prior to the N.C. A&T game, but her rebound number slipped to 9.7. Both Stevens and Williams will likely see time guarding the standout Marietta, Ga., native, as she will serve as another solid test for the Blue Devil post players.
Aside from Hamby, freshman guard Amber Campbell has been another bright spot for the Demon Deacons. The Charleston, S.C., native averages 10.7 points per game and is converting 45.5 percent of her field goals through 14 games. The matchup should be a favorable one for Rebecce Greenwell or Johnson, as both have a size advantage on the 5-foot-9 Wake Forest guard.
Duke will follow Sunday's game up with a Wednesday meeting at home against Syracuse at 6:30 p.m. to conclude a three-game home stretch.
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