Duke Tops LSU, 64-45, To Advance To National Championship Game

Sunday, April 2

Boston

9:30 p.m.

Duke University

LSU

Duke Tops LSU, 64-45, To Advance To National Championship Game

4/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Duke Sports Information

BOSTON - The Blue Devils sure can play defense. Duke held LSU to season lows in points and field goal percentage while shooting 50 percent on the offensive end to secure the school's second trip to a national championship game. Six playes scored seven or more points for Duke (31-3), who held LSU (31-4) to an all-time Final Four low 15 first half points and held on for a 64-45 victory.

Mistie Williams led Duke with 14 points, including the first six of the second half, while shotting 7-of-9 from the field. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for the Blue Devils. Monique Currie played a solid game, going for 13 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals against the Tigers.

Abby Waner sparked Duke off the bench again, scoring 11 points off of just three field goal attempts. She hit both of her three-pointers, the last one putting a dagger in the Tigers, and also had three rebounds, a pair of steals and a blocked shot.

Lindsey Harding scored 10 points, grabbed six boards and had a game-high five assists directing the offense.

Duke guarded player of the year Seimone Augustus by committee, holding her to zero first half points for the first time in her career and 14 overall after she hit a couple of late jumpers. Augustus and Florence Williams (10 point) were the only Tigers in double figures.

"The defense on Seimone was good," Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. "But the defense off of Seimone was probably better because they were helping out so well."

Duke sagged off of several players, trapping the ball every time Sylvia Fowles or Augustus got the ball. The strategy worked for the Blue Devils as they held LSU to season lows in points (45), field goal percentage (29.0 percent) and assists (eight).

"Several teams played them in similar fashion this season," Goestenkors said. "We're not the first team to sag off a couple of players. Once they learn what you're doing on defense, they become efficient, so that's why we also kept chaning it up. This was a collective effort on defense. It wasn't one player, it was the entire team. I'm so proud of what we were able to do on defense."

Several players guarded Augustus during the game, including Jessica Foley, Lindsey Harding, Wanisha Smith and Abby Waner.

Duke started the game quickly with a pair of lay-ups from Harding and one each from Bales and Williams to open up on a 9-2 run in the first four minutes. Duke continued that same pace, holding an 18-4 lead half way through the first stanza including two free throws and a three-pointer from Abby Waner.

LSU went on a 9-0 run as Duke didn't score for over six minutes but never lost the lead. After the Tigers pulled to within 18-13, Duke finished the half on an 8-2 run holding LSU to a Final Four record low 15 first half points. The Blue Devils led 26-15 at the half.

Williams scored the first six points of the second half for Duke but LSU kept the lead between 10 and 15 points and six minutes in they made their final run, pulling to within 37-31 after a 7-1 run. After the second media timeout of the second half, Duke went on a 9-1 run with two lay-ups apiece from Currie and Williams.

Duke's lead grew to 18 at 50-32 after another Currie layup and then LSU pulled to within 14 before Waner's three-pointer pushed the lead back to 17 at 54-37 with five minutes left. Currie's last basket gave Duke its first 20 point lead at 63-43 and Duke held on for a 64-45 final.

Duke will now face Maryland for the fourth time this season. Duke defeated Maryland twice in the regular season, 86-68 in College Park on January 8 and 90-80 in Durham on February 13 before falling to the Terps in the semifinal of the ACC Tournament, 78-70 on March 4.

Prior to the last game, Duke had won 14 straight in the series and the Blue Devils have won 17 of the last 19 contests against Maryland. This will mark the 62nd game all-time and the first in the NCAA Tournament.

Duke improved to 2-3 in Final Four games, having advanced to the 1999 National Championship game before falling in the 2002 and 2003 national semifinal contests.