Azurá Stevens
The statline
Thursday vs. Clemson: 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks.
Sunday vs. North Carolina: 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks.
The good: In a week with two big victories for the team, Stevens recorded a pair of high-scoring performances and was an offensive powerhouse for the Blue Devils. In the road win against Clemson, the Raleigh, N.C., native recorded a career-high 33 points en route to a 71-43 blowout, helping Duke finally win a conference game on the road. Stevens dominated Clemson in the paint with her size and drained most of her shots near the hoop for an efficient 11-of-19 shooting night.
With all the defensive attention she drew in the interior, Stevens also dished out four assists to help get her teammates going. Three days later, the sophomore center carried her hot hand into a game against archrival North Carolina, torching the Tar Heels for her 12th double-double of the season. Stevens also contributed to Duke’s shutdown defense in the rivalry game with a steal and two blocks.
The bad: Turnovers have been a major issue for Duke since the beginning of the season, and this week saw only minor improvement in that category. The Blue Devils committed 19 turnovers in each of their games, but were able to overcome the miscues with hot shooting. Although their sloppiness didn’t affect the end result, it remains a key weakness for the future. As someone who possesses the ball frequently in the frontcourt, Stevens needs to help the team make better passing decisions and take better care of the ball.
The bottom line: The recent drop in the AP poll may seem frustrating for Duke fans, but it appears to have propelled the Blue Devils onto a new winning streak, with Stevens' play being a major reason behind the team’s improved record. With her consistent output offensively, the sophomore has once again proved herself an indispensable piece to the puzzle for the team. Stevens' load will only increase against better opponents and especially if Duke continues having trouble with injuries.
Honorable mention: Stevens is not the only Duke player who can make a difference in the paint. Junior forward Oderah Chidom provided consistent firepower offensively to pave the way to a 2-0 record this week. Playing alongside Stevens, Chidom often finds herself open with defenders keyed in on the sophomore center. Against Clemson, Chidom finished off with 11 points and five rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting. Three days later, the junior tallied 15 points and four rebounds in the victory against the Tar Heels. Scoring aside, Chidom needs to be more effective on the glass if she wishes to carry a bigger role in the team.
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