Duke women's basketball Player of the Week: Week 4

Kyra Lambert

Statline: Thursday vs. Minnesota: 8 points on 3-of-5 shooting, 4 rebounds and 4 assists; Sunday vs. No. 2 South Carolina: 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 3-of-4 on 3-pointers, 1 assist and 2 steals.

The good: Lambert was the Blue Devils’ star on Sunday, scoring one point more than the dominant duo of Rebecca Greenwell and Azurá Stevens combined. The freshman's back-to-back threes gave Duke its first six points in its 66-55 loss at South Carolina and the freshman point guard set the tone throughout the back and forth affair. Her 6-of-9 shooting from the field was tied for her most efficient mark of the season and kept the Blue Devils in the game until the final five minutes when the Gamecocks were finally able to break it open.

The Cibolo, Texas, native was also solid in Thursday’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge victory against Minnesota. Lambert has helped cut down on the team’s turnover issues, giving the ball away just three times over the last two games. Her aggressive defense was key in keeping the talented Gopher scoring attack in check, as Minnesota shot just 40 percent from the floor. 

The bad: Lambert’s career-high 16 points were the most since the season opener at Penn, when she dropped 12 on the Quakers. But in the Blue Devils’ other seven games, the top recruit has failed to score in double-figures. Outside of Greenwell and Stevens, Duke lacks a consistent alternative scoring option. The freshman also needs to assert herself as a passer and improve on helping her teammates. She is averaging just 2.4 assists per game and with plenty of options for the Blue Devils on offense, Lambert needs to work on finding ways to move the ball and get others involved in the offense.

The bottom line: Lambert undoubtedly kept the Blue Devils afloat Sunday afternoon and without her career effort, Duke would have floundered against one of the nation’s top teams. The guard showed why she was one of the most highly-touted freshmen in the country and performed well on the big stage in front of a raucous crowd. If she can evolve as a consistent scorer and improve as a passer, Lambert will remain as a key cog in the Blue Devils’ lineup.

Honorable mention: For Azurá Stevens, it was yet another week of lather, rinse and repeat. The Raleigh, N.C., native posted a double-double in a strong performance against Minnesota with 26 points and 11 rebounds, leading the way to help Duke get its seventh win of the season. She struggled from the field against South Carolina, shooting just 3-of-11 from the field, but her nine rebounds and three blocks kept the Gamecocks at bay for much of the afternoon before they pulled away late.