Duke women's basketball 2018-19 player preview: Sofia Roma

Sofia Roma hopes to crack the rotation this winter.
Sofia Roma hopes to crack the rotation this winter.

Sofia Roma

  • Year: Redshirt senior
  • Height: 6-foot-2
  • Position: Center
  • Last year's stat line: 0.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 5.9 MPG

Game Breakdown: Roma’s size and above-average quickness at her 6-foot-2 frame makes her an excellent option for head coach Joanne P. McCallie when the Blue Devils need someone to bang down low in the paint. Roma has no fear when going up against big bodies near the rim, and is relentless in attempting to bring down offensive rebounds to give her team second and third chances. 

Since transferring from Wagner in 2016, Roma has had to overcome a knee injury which left her ineligible to see the court until last January. However, after getting healthy, Roma  worked on her conditioning and speed to make her even more of a agile presence down low to accompany her strength. She has a good sense for knowing where rebounds will land and has an affinity for putbacks, even through contact.

Role on the team: Though junior Leaonna Odom, freshman Onome Akinbode-James and sophomore Jade Williams will most likely see the floor the most in McCallie’s frontcourt, Roma’s unique ability to rebound may be useful to the Blue Devils as they face bigger and taller competition. Roma’s role on this Duke team is a role player, but that doesn’t take away from her importance to the Blue Devils. As a senior, Roma can provide leadership and experience to a team which lost arguably its two best players to the draft last season. While Roma may not play that many minutes this season, she will definitely play a key role in Duke’s success.

Projected stats: 1.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Stay tuned with the Blue Zone for our continuing player previews with Jayda Adams tomorrow. 

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