Waner, Black Spark Duke Past Florida State Into ACC Semis

Friday, March 7

Greensboro, N.C.

8:00 p.m.

Duke University

Florida State

Black & Waner Named To Naismith Watch List

Waner, Black Spark Duke Past Florida State Into ACC Semis

3/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Duke Sports Information

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Chante Black and Joy Cheek took care of the first 29 minutes, Abby Waner then took care of the last 11 minutes.

Waner went the first 29 minutes of the game without scoring and saw her Blue Devils down six points with just under 12 minutes left in the game before she took the game over and pushed Duke (22-8) past Florida State, 81-67, and into the semifinals of the 2008 ACC Tournament.

"We've come together this season, but that's very powerful, those last 11 minutes," Waner said. "We don't want to go home. K.J. (Keturah Jackson) was just like, 'Look guys, it's now or never. We can't wait until the last two minutes to try to beat them.' "

No. 3 seed Duke will now face No. 2 seed Maryland Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the semifinals.

Black scored 20 and Cheek 11 and the Blue Devils had an impressive performance from the free throw line to keep themselves in the game before Waner took over, scoring 14 points and assisting on five baskets that included two three-pointers in a 30-9 run that spanned 9:37 and saw a six-point Seminole lead turn into a 15-point advantage for the Blue Devils. She was responsible for 26 of the 30 points in that run and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals.

“Shots draw attention, and I understand why they do,” Duke first-year coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “But some of the passes Abby made were just as fabulous and brought the same emotion. When you see people do what they love to do and do it well, it's very motivating.”

Duke also ended its team-wide, long-range shooting slump as the Blue Devils missed on 19 straight three-pointers over the past two games before hitting its last four three pointers, with all four coming in that 30-9 run.

Florida State jumped out to a quick 13-6 lead just four minutes into the game with a trio of three-pointers from three different players. Jacinta Moore gave FSU a 15-8 lead before Keturah Jackson scored four points in a 6-0 run to pull the Blue Devils within a point at 15-14 eight minutes into the game.

Florida State then pushed the lead back to five points at 24-19 with another three over the next four minutes but Duke would respond again with a 9-1 run to get a 28-25 lead with four minutes left in the half. In that run, Chante Black scored on a layup and was fouled and then Duke rattled off seven straight free throws. Duke held the lead the remaining of the half continuing the good free throw display as they finished the first half 16-of-17 from the line as a team. Duke held a 36-35 advantage at the half.

The Seminoles began the second half much like the first with an 11-4 run to build their lead to five at 46-41 five minutes in. They would hold the lead between three and six points for the next few minutes before Waner started her magic at the 11:15 mark.

She assisted Black to pull Duke within four and then 15 seconds later got a steal and layup to pull Duke within two at 53-51. Joy Cheek got a layup fed by Wanisha Smith for the game's last tie and then Waner hit another layup at the 9:27 mark to put Duke on top for the first since early in the second half and for the Blue Devils did not surrender the lead.

Waner then hit two free throws and nailed a 35-foot three-pointer with 8:09 remaining to give Duke a 60-53 lead and then she assisted on a Jasmine Thomas three pointer the next time down the floor to push the run to 16-0 and give Duke a double-digit lead at 66-56.

Courtney Ward hit a three-pointer to end the run but Waner responded with another three, this one from 25-feet on the right wing for the immediate answer. With 5:12 left, Waner would hit yet another layup and then the next trip down the floor, she assisted on a Joy Cheek layup. After the final media timeout, she assisted on a Wanisha Smith three-pointer to give Duke's a 73-60 lead with 3:25 left.

Chante Black then hit an unassisted layup and then Waner had yet another assist, this one on a Krystal Thomas layup. Waner was subbed out at the 1:44 mark and in the 30-9 run, she scored 14 points and she assisted on five baskets, including a pair of three-pointers, to be responsible for all but two of the baskets during run.

Krystal Thomas hit another layup and Jasmine Thomas added a jumper to push Duke to the 14-point, 81-67 victory.