Duke women's basketball Player of the Week: Week 3

Azurá Stevens

Statline: Thursday vs. Idaho: 22 points on 11-of-17 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks; Friday vs. Iowa State: 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks; Saturday vs. Texas State: 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block.

The good: Stevens led the Blue Devils in scoring in two of the three games played in Cancún, Mexico and was named MVP of the round-robin tournament. The star forward scored early and often in blowout victories against Iowa State and Texas State, and was crucial in preserving a six-point victory against Idaho.

Stevens was able to utilize her 6-foot-6 frame to her advantage in the post, often making easy shots over smaller defenders. The Cary, N.C., native’s post presence also allowed her teammates to find themselves in prime scoring spots, as Stevens cleared the way for Rebecca Greenwell, Oderah Chidom, Crystal Primm and Angela Salvadores to have strong performances in the tournament.

Stevens made an impact on the defensive end as well, as she was credited with seven blocks in the tournament, and she affected many other shots as well. Due to her length and ability to alter shots in the paint, opponents were forced into low-percentage 3-point attempts. Opponents collectively made only 17 of their 91 attempted shots from beyond the arc, as the star forward made her mark on the defensive side of the court.

The bad: Stevens struggled to get to the free throw line throughout the tournament, as she attempted only six free throws in Mexico. At times, Stevens did not initiate contact when she had the ball in the post and thus did not get to the foul line as often as she is accustomed to. The tournament MVP was extremely effective on the offensive half of the court, but will look to take advantage of the contact she draws by getting to the line more. 

The bottom line: Stevens is unquestionably the go-to scorer on the offensive end after being named MVP of the Cancún challenge. Averaging 18.9 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game, Stevens will continue to be one of the key cogs in the post for this young Blue Devil squad. With upcoming games against Minnesota and No. 2 South Carolina this week, Duke will need Stevens to be on the top of her game if they want to bring home a statement victory this week.

Honorable mention: Salvadores, who was inserted into the starting lineup for the Cancún Challenge, has made her presence felt offensively after a slow start to the season. Salvadores averaged six assists per game in Mexico and has clearly improved the ball movement for the Duke offense, as they scored more than 80 points in two of the three games. The freshman guard has been able to find her teammates in open spots on the court, giving them ample shots from close-range.