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Duke Game Notes: Houston On Dec. 28 At 2:00 PM (EDT)
12/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Blue Devils Resume Action At Houston On Friday...
After heading home for the Christmas holiday, the 13th-ranked Duke women's basketball team will resume action as the Blue Devils will travel to Houston, Texas for a Friday, December 28 contest against the University of Houston at the Guy V. Lewis Court at Hofeinz Pavilion at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern).
The game will be aired live on the Duke Radio Network with Steve Barnes (PxP) and Missy Anderson (Color) calling the action on WDNC AM 620. Live video will also be available at www.UHCougars.com.
Duke is coming off winning four straight games, three of which came at home at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils will be playing their ninth overall game on the road out of 13 games this year. Duke will next return home to open 2008 against N.C. Central on Jan. 3 at 7:00 p.m., followed by traveling to Miami to kick off Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play on Jan. 5. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press and No. 14 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Polls.
Media Info
What: Duke at Houston
Date: Dec. 28, 2007
Location: Houston, Texas
Venue: Guy V. Lewis Court at Hofeinz Pavilion (8,479)
Tipoff: 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
TV: None
TV Talent: None
Radio: WDNC AM 620
Radio Talent: Steve Barnes (PxP), Missy Anderson (Color)
Series Record: Duke leads 1-0
Online Video: www.UHCougars
Livestats: TBA
A Look At Houston...
Houston enters the contest with a 5-7 overall record, but has won four out of its last six contests since going on a five-game losing streak. Interim Head Coach Danny Hughes has totaled a 5-7 record on the season as he has stepped in for Joe Curl, who has missed the 2007-08 season due to health reasons.
Leading the Cougars on the year has been Tye Jackson (12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds), Twiggy McIntyre (12.6 points, 22 treys) and Courtney Taylor (8.9 points, 43 assists).
The Series With Houston...
Duke and Houston will meet for only the second time in school history as the two squads faced off last season in Cameron Indoor Stadium as the Blue Devils claimed an 81-35 victory on Nov. 19, 2006. Five different Duke players registered double-figures in the victory, while the Cougars were held to 23.8 percent shooting.
Win Streaks At Home...
Duke currently has three very impressive home winning streaks in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils have won a school-record 21 straight home games, 26 straight contests versus non-conference opponents and 73 consecutive games against unranked opponents. The 21-game home winning streak is second nationally to Texas A&M (23).
Storylines/Trends...
? With nine more minutes played, senior Wanisha Smith will become only the 16th player in Blue Devil history to play 3,000 minutes in a Duke uniform.
? Duke is coming off scoring a season-high 53 points in the first half and has scored over 90 points in the last two games.
? After getting outrebounded in five out of the last seven games, Duke held a 57-32 board advantage against Bucknell. In the first half, Duke had 17 offensive rebounds, while Bucknell had a total of 16 rebounds. The Blue Devils finished the game with a season-high 33 offensive rebounds.
? Junior Chante Black is coming off dishing out a career-high five assists against Bucknell and is one of four Blue Devils to have over 20 assists on the season (23).
? Blue Devil Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie will face Houston for the third time in her coaching career. McCallie and her Michigan State teams faced the Cougars each of the last two years and won both contests. On Nov. 26, 2006 the Spartans won 68-55 in Houston, Texas and on Dec. 17, 2005 they won 76-53 at Michigan State.
? In the eight games on the road this season, Duke has hit 41.6 percent of its field goals, 30.7 percent from downtown and 54.5 percent from the free throw line. The Blue Devils are averaging 62.6 points per game, while holding opponents to 57.5 points. In those games, Duke is averaging 14.0 assists to 19.3 turnovers. Opponents are hitting 36.3 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from downtown and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. Chante Black (12.6 points) and Abby Waner (11.6 points) are the only Blue Devils averaging double-figures on the road.
? After scoring only 49 and 51 points in games nine and 10, Duke came out and registered 95 and 92 points against Utah Valley and Bucknell, respectively. In the last two games, the Blue Devils averaged 93.5 points, 25.0 assists, 22.0 turnovers, 7.0 blocks and turned the ball over only 13.5 times. Duke's opponents had only eight total steals in the two games and turned the ball over 35.5 times a contest. Over the first 10 games of the season, Duke averaged only 63.4 points a game, after leading the nation the last six years with an 80.3 scoring average.
? The Duke at Houston game will now be played at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern), due to the Cougars' football team playing in the Texas Bowl at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) against TCU.
? Junior Carrem Gay posted a season-high 20 points against Utah Valley on Dec. 18, which marked the third time this season has posted double-figure points. She added 10 rebounds which marked her second double-double of the season and third of her career. Her 10 field goals and 16 field goal attempts were career highs.
? In the latest NCAA stats that were released through games of Dec. 16, Duke's Chante Black ranks 23rd nationally in blocked shots per game (2.5). As a team, the Blue Devils are averaging 6.5 swats a game to rank sixth. The next highest team category is field goal percentage defense as Duke ranks 25th (34.2).
? The Blue Devils registered four players in double-figure scoring against Utah Valley for only the third time this season (UNCG, Penn State). Duke came back to notch all five starters in double-figures against Bucknell for the first time all year.
? A total of eight Blue Devils have hit at least one three-pointer this season with junior Abby Waner (20), freshman Jasmine Thomas (10), and senior Emily Waner (6) leading Duke in the threes made category.
? After hitting 11-of-32 three-pointers (34.4%) over her first five contests, Abby Waner has hit 9-of-19 (47.4%) from downtown the last three games.
? Duke had its 107th straight week streak of being ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll come to an end on Nov. 26 as the Blue Devils dropped to 11th. On Dec. 3, the Blue Devils dropped out of the top 15 for the first time since Dec. 20, 1999, as Duke was listed at No. 17.
? In 12 games this season, Duke has totaled six different Blue Devils lead the team in scoring.
? So far this season, junior Chante Black is getting to the free throw line as she leads the Blue Devils with 40 attempts and 29 made for a 72.5 percentage.
? Duke has held a 448-234 points in the paint advantage in the 12 games this season.
? Junior Abby Waner is 112 points away from reaching 1,000 for her career and would be the 23rd player in school history to reach that mark.
? Utah Valley's Robyn Fairbanks pulled down a Cameron Indoor Stadium record 20 rebounds on Dec. 18. The previous record was 19 by two Blue Devils (Carey Kauffman and Chris Moreland).
Moving Up The Charts...
With her 16 blocks over the last four games, junior Chante Black has moved into fifth place on Duke's all-time blocked shots list with 140. She is nine away from tying Alana Beard at fourth.
Junior Abby Waner has hit seven three-pointers in the last two contests, which moved her into fifth place on Duke's career three-pointers made list with 138. She passed Kira Orr (133) and Hilary Howard (132) on her way. She is 21 treys away from fourth place where Jennifer Scanlon sits with 159. With her four steals on Dec. 21 against Bucknell, Waner moved into 10th place on Duke's all-time steals charts with 173 passing Georgia Schweitzer's mark of 171. Waner also moved into sixth place on Duke's career three-pointers made list against Bucknell with 370.
Moving her way up the Blue Devil career assists list is senior Wanisha Smith as she owns 428 and is tied for fifth along with Georgia Schweitzer (428).
Injury Report...
Duke has been hit with the most injuries in recent Blue Devil history with two of Duke's most experienced players -- Abby Waner and Wanisha Smith -- missing a total of eight games. Both Waner and Smith saw action against Utah Valley and Bucknell marking only the third and fourth games this season the duo has played in the same game together (Connecticut, Denver).
Smith suffered an spiral fracture of her fourth metacarpal in her right hand against South Florida and missed the UNCG contest. She broke a streak of 107 straight games played and 55 consecutive starts. Smith returned to the court in the Paradise Jam playing all three contests, but then missed four straight contests to rest her hand. She came back to play against Utah Valley and Bucknell starting both contests.
On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Waner suffered a high left ankle sprain and missed four straight contests before returning against UConn. By missing the South Florida game, Waner broke a streak of playing 70 straight games for the Blue Devils. She has played in seven straight games since missing four in a row.
Freshman Krystal Thomas suffered a subluxed left kneecap in the first half at Vanderbilt and did not return. She has been participating in selected drills in practice and is listed as questionable for the Houston contest. Thomas had earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Nov. 19.
Redshirt sophomore Brittany Mitch was hit below her right eye early in the second half versus South Florida and received five stitches.
Smith Finding Her Rhythm...
After going 1-of-9 shooting in her return on Dec. 18 versus Utah Valley from missing four games with a hand injury, senior Wanisha Smith hit three out of her first four shots and finished with nine points in the first half on Dec. 21 against Bucknell. She went on to close the game with 11 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals. It marked the first time this season she has scored double-figures.
Smith has hit 2-of-4 three-pointers and started both contests in her return. She has also dished out eight assists to only three turnovers in the two games. In the two games back, Smith has averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals.
Stellar Defense...
Duke is coming off forcing over 30 turnovers in two straight games against Utah Valley and Bucknell prior to the Christmas holiday. On the season, the Blue Devils have forced opponents to more than 30 turnovers on three occasions, while eight of 12 opponents have given the ball away 20 or more times against Duke.
Only two Blue Devil foes have shot over 40.0 percent against Duke this season (Connecticut and Penn State).
Last Meeting With Houston...
Duke senior Alison Bales and freshman Bridgette Mitchell each scored 16 points as the fifth-ranked Blue Devils cruised to an 81-35 victory over Houston on Nov. 19, 2006 in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Mitchell registered her second career double-double as she also pulled down 12 rebounds, dished out three assists and had two steals in only 18 minutes. Sophomore Abby Waner added 15 points, six rebounds and six assists, while junior Wanisha Smith had 11 points and five rebounds. No Duke player played more than 25 minutes in the contest.
Duke led the entire game and was up 39-18 at halftime. Bales scored four of the Blue Devils' first seven points and helped them jump out to an 11-2 lead. That grew to 26-6 after a reverse layup by Mitchell with 6:11 left in the first half.
Duke scored on eight of its first 11 possessions of the second half, paced by three layups by Mitchell, to lead 56-27 with 12:55 to play. Bales hit two baskets midway through the second half to spark a 12-0 run that Duke used to put the game out of reach.
Waner hit three of seven three-point tries in the first half and had 11 points by the break. Bales had 10 in the first half. The 6-foot-7 Bales helped Duke score 29 second-chance points. She blocked three shots in the game's first 15 minutes and ended up with five blocks.
Cheek Coming On Strong...
Sophomore Joy Cheek continues to play well in her starting role she took over the last four games. During the stretch she has averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.5 steals.
In the last two games against Utah Valley and Bucknell, Cheek posted 15 points and a career-high 19 points, respectively. Versus Pittsburgh in the Maggie Dixon Classic, Cheek scored 13 of her team-best 16 points in the second half but her biggest field goal came with 0.3 seconds remaining as she grabbed the rebound off a Chante Black missed jumper and scored the game-winner. Cheek has hit three out of her last four three-point field goal attempts.
Over the last three games, Cheek has averaged 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 blocks, while hitting 75.0 percent from three-point land and 46.0 percent from the field. She has totaled double-figure points in three straight contests for the first time in her career.
Cheek is now averaging 10.0 points a game this season, giving Duke three players averaging double-figure points.
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