Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus North Carolina on February 15, 2026 at 1 p.m.
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1 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs North Carolina
Quotes: Duke 81, Maryland 62
1/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Duke Coach Gail Goestenkors
Opening Statement:
“Overall, I'm pleased with our defensive effort in particular. Maryland is such a tough team to defend because they score from every position and off the bench, as well. So I thought our team overall did a great job with the game plan. They executed, they worked hard, they were very aggressive, I thought, on both ends of the floor. So I'm just proud of them. And offensively, I thought we did a good job, with Lindsey [Harding] really attacking the basket and getting the ball in to Alison(Bales). I thought Ali did a nice job inside for us. It was just a total team effort. I'm really proud of the team.”
On Duke's offensive strategy:
“We do take what people give us. They weren't doubling Ali [Bales] so she had some real good looks early, and then with screens on the ball I thought Lindsey [Harding] did a real good job attacking the basket. So that's what they did give us. They were one-on-one, which is fine. You know a lot of times teams double Ali so she doesn't score as much, but I thought she did a real nice job reading the defense tonight and being aggressive with the ball.”
On her comments to the team going into the second half:
“I said, ?I don't care about a lead. I have no interest in a lead right now. I don't want to secure a lead or hold onto a lead. We started the game being aggressive and attacking. We're going to finish the game being aggressive and attacking.' I don't care what the score is. And I thought we came out in the second half and did that, as well.”
On Duke continuing to play its best:
“There's more in there. Today we were very good. Now we've got to be consistent with what we do. Our defense has always been good, but I thought we did some things today offensively that we haven't done in some of the other big games. And, really, it's with Ali. I thought she was aggressive and we looked for her a little bit more. I said, ?If they don't stop you, you're going all the way to the basket. Somebody has got to stop you.' I just thought we were much more aggressive right down the line with our offense.”
On Alison Bales:
“When she hit those first two shots, I think that was good for her confidence level, as well. They're such a good team on both ends of the court, and they've got several great post players that give different looks to her, but I thought she took what each one gave and she was confident with what she was doing.”
Sophomore Guard Abby Waner
On avenging last season's loss in the national championship game:
“One thing that Coach [Gail Goestenkors] said to us yesterday that I think is really important is that with a win today, we don't win last year's national championship ? that no matter what happened last year, we can't take it back. So, I'm more excited for this year. I think that this was our first big test and we really proved ourselves, I feel like. But we have a lot farther to go.”
Junior Guard Wanisha Smith
On having an 11-point lead at halftime:
“We were just trying to continue to attack, like Coach [Gail Goestenkors] said. We weren't going to let up. We knew we had a lead coming into the second half, but we just wanted to get to the basket, attack, and make things happen.”
Senior Guard Lindsey Harding
On her performance:
“It was fun. I think we had a lot of fun out there. I just wanted to attack and get to the basket. I knew that they were going to have a little trouble with penetration, and so that was my goal ? to try to get by my defender and try to draw help and then to dish or take it to the basket.”
On her ability to penetrate Maryland's defense:
“I knew today that when I had my mind made up to get to the basket, then I knew I could get there. I had a little trouble finishing at times, but I felt in the zone. I felt just take it and take it because they weren't stopping me, so I just kept attacking.”
Senior Center Alison Bales
On scoring early in the game:
“It helped my confidence a lot, to hit my first two shots and have them not just be regular lay-ups. I think we worked really well together and when I was hitting then they went to double team me and then all of a sudden our outside shooters were really hitting their open shots. And then go back to be and then I would be open for seals. So I think it was really about the team today.”
On stopping Maryland in the post:
“[Crystal] Langhorne and [Laura] Harper are really, really talented players, and I think for our team to step up, I'm really the only veteran post player. We have three, but not with a ton of big game experience and I think that they really did well today, especially Carrem [Gay], just executing Coach [Gail Goestenkors'] game plan and really stopping what they wanted to do.”
Maryland Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
“I thought this game we were outworked, outhustled, outplayed, outcoached, you name it. I thought Duke was obviously the dominant team. They made a huge statement coming into this game and played hard and very aggressive for 40 minutes. All the credit goes to them. But the exciting thing is on Jan. 13 we're going to have a great review to be able to see on film where we're at. Obviously we have a lot of room for improvement. We know coming on the road now just how tough it is every time you come here to play. The big picture is, and I said it going into the game, it's one game and it counts the same as any game in the ACC. It's a game that will motivate us to improve to get better. That's what I'm excited about? to be able to come away with this game and find a lot of areas where we can improve on the next time we get back for practice.”
On what disappointed her the most:
“The fact that we knew that Duke's defensive pressure was tremendous and the fact that in the first half when we weren't hitting shots that we didn't find other areas within the game to be able to have an impact on? in terms of rebounding, trusting our team defense, being able to make plays until we could step up and make shots. When you lose your sparkplug with Shay (Doran)? you know the few limited minutes she did get to have on the court?it takes a lot out of your team. Their seniors played phenomenal. Shay unfortunately didn't get to have the time to spend on that court, and she gave us a lot of great energy in the minutes she got to play.”
On Lindsey Harding getting to the basket so often:
“I think the breakdowns we had on the defensive end. I mean the fact that Duke's post players start slipping the screens and we didn't start trusting our team defense?the help side that we needed to have in terms of our guard position. They started to continue to gain confidence in those plays and for us it spiraled the other way. For us it's going to be just a great lesson in terms of staying together with what we want to try to get done.”
On considering using junk defense such as a box-and-one:
“They have too many talented players when you look across the board?four players in double figures. We just really talked about where we needed to be-- we knew defensively on our slides and our drops. It felt like we were going in slow motion most of the game and they were in fast forward. Again, a lot of areas that we can improve on.”
On Alison Bales confidence and her performance:
nfidence and performance:“The play of the game by her was when I saw her put a dribble on the floor and with the pull-up jumper?I knew she was in a groove. You just have those nights. At 6-7 when she's making a play like that. You know she gained a lot of confidence and she was obviously inspired. She's a phenomenal player?I think she is the most underrated post player out there in the country. She never gets the credit of what she's been able to do for this Duke team. Last season, even this season, you never hear her name mentioned and obviously she's a phenomenal player.”
Senior guard Shay Doron
On difficulty of making shots:
“It was just one of those nights. Unfortunately all of us had that tonight. We just have to learn to relax on our defense more. That's the thing I was mostly disappointed in tonight was our defense, not our shooting, not anything else.”
Sophomore guard Kristi Toliver
On her ankle injury:
“It's fine. I guess I slipped on water or sweat. So it's a little tweak but I'm going to ice and it will be fine.”
Players Mentioned
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