Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus UCLA on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 70
/
Final
Women's Basketball
58
vs UCLA
70
Women?s Basketball Game Notes: vs. South Florida, Nov. 15, 7 PM, ESPNU
11/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Blue Devils To Compete In ESPNU Invitational Against South Florida On Thursday...
After opening the Joanne P. McCallie era at Duke with a road contest at Denver on Sunday, the ninth-ranked Blue Devils (1-0) will once again hit the road for Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday for a Thursday, Nov. 15 contest against South Florida (1-0). The game will be part of a doubleheader in the ESPNU Women's Basketball Invitational, which will take place at the 2008 NCAA Final Four site -- The St. Pete Times Forum. Duke and South Florida will open the doubleheader at 7:00 p.m., followed by Tennessee versus Oklahoma.
Thursday's game will be aired live on ESPNU with Beth Mowins (PxP), Brooke Weisbrod (Color) and Melissa Knowles (Sideline) calling the action. The game will also be aired live on the Duke Radio Network with Steve Barnes (PxP) and Missy Anderson (Color) on WDNC AM 620.
Noting Duke...
Over the last eight years, Duke owns a 42-5 record in games played in November ... the Blue Devils have won 15 straight contests in the month ... the squad returns three starters and nine letterwinners off a squad that went 29-0 in the regular season last year becoming the first ACC team and 14th in NCAA history to go undefeated in the regular season ... senior Wanisha Smith is 22 points shy and junior Abby Waner is 196 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points ... Duke returns its top three three-point shooters -- Abby Waner (68), Wanisha Smith (27) and Emily Waner (26) from last year.
A Look At South Florida...
South Florida returns two starters off last year's squad that produced a 21-12 record under the direction of Jose Fernandez. The Bulls return Shantia Grace (14.4 points, 4.7 assists) and ChiChi Okpaleke (7.0 points, 6.5 rebounds) as starters, but will have to replace Jessica Dickson, who was South Florida's all-time leading scorer with 2,402 career points.
The Bulls return a total of seven letterwinners and welcome seven incoming players that includes three freshmen, two transfers and two junior college recruits. The squad advanced to the third round of the WNIT last season and has made four consecutive postseason appearances.
South Florida opened the season with an 84-49 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday, Nov. 13.
The Series With South Florida...
Duke leads the overall series with South Florida, 2-0. The first victory came on Dec. 22, 1990 as the Blue Devils totaled a 78-62 win and on Nov. 14, 2004 Duke posted an 82-50 win. In the 2004 victory, both Chante Black and Wanisha Smith started and had big games. Black pulled down 13 rebounds, scored six points, and had two blocks and three assists in 20 minutes, while Smith scored 20 points to go along with three assists and two rebounds in 30 minutes.
Joanne P. McCallie has faced South Florida twice as a head coach and has notched a 2-0 mark. The victories came on Dec. 3, 2006 as Michigan State downed the Bulls, 79-71, and Dec. 3, 2006 with the Spartans winning 79-71.
Duke Versus The BIG EAST...
The Blue Devils own a 26-15 record against teams from the BIG EAST-- Cincinnati (0-1), Connecticut (3-3), DePaul (1-1), Georgetown (4-0), Louisville (1-1), Marquette (2-0), Notre Dame (1-4), Providence (1-1), Rutgers (2-2), St. John's (1-0), Seton Hall (4-2), South Florida (2-0), Syracuse (1-0), Villanova (1-0) and West Virginia (2-0). The last BIG EAST opponent was Rutgers, who knocked off Duke, 53-52, in the 2007 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
Denver Recap...
In the homecoming game for Emily and Abby Waner, the duo combined for 19 points as ninth-ranked Duke used a 19-0 run in the second half to pull away from Denver for a 57-37 victory. Abby Waner scored a game-high 16 points as she sank three treys in 31 minutes.
She had two three-pointers and kept constant pressure on Denver's guards as Duke turned a 29-25 deficit into a 44-29 lead. Joy Cheek added 11 points in the Blue Devils' season opener and first game under Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie.
Nnenna Akotaobi led Denver with nine points. The Pioneers shot 27 percent in the second half while falling to 0-11 against ranked teams.
Duke started slowly and played out of sync in the first half. The Blue Devils shot 36 percent with 10 turnovers in the first stanza and trailed 27-25 at intermission.
Denver had the lead at the break thanks to making 6-of-12 three-pointers. The Pioneers led by as much as 12-4 after Brooke Meyer's three-pointer with 12:38 left. Duke tied it at 25-25 on a layup by Jasmine Thomas with 1:15 left in the first half, before Meyer's two free throws ended the scoring for the half.
The Blue Devils continued their struggles for the first seven minutes of the second half, managing only two baskets. Fortunately, Denver had only a basket by Alisha Godette to show for it in that span and that came 1:33 into the second half.
Denver missed its next 16 shots and went scoreless until a free throw by Akotaobi with 6:42 left.
Chante Black finished the run with a rebound basket with 7:01 left that put Duke up 44-29. Waner came out of the game with 1:35 left after hitting a reverse layup and the Blue Devils ahead 54-36.
The Blue Devils opened the season on the road for only the second time in the last 15 years.
Storylines...
? Duke is coming off holding Denver to only 37 points in the season opener, which is the fewest points allowed in a season opener in school history. The Blue Devils also scored only 57 points, which is the lowest season-opening total since the 1980-81 campaign when Duke totaled 57 points against St. Joseph's.
? Junior Carrem Gay pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds in the season opener at Denver. She broke her career high of 10 which happened five times last season.
? Duke will make the trip to Tampa, Fla., on Thursday which is the site of the 2008 NCAA Final Four, at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Blue Devils have advanced to the NCAA Final Four on four occasions-- 1999 (San Jose), 2002 (San Antonio), 2003 (Atlanta) and 2006 (Boston).
? The Blue Devils held a 26-2 points in the paint advantage in the season opener at Denver.
? Chante Black celebrated her 22nd birthday on Monday, Nov.12 and Keturah Jackson will turn 21 on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
Give It To The Posts...
Since Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie took over the Blue Devils and began working with them in the preseason, she has wanted to get Duke's tremendous post players more involved. Duke has four very talented post players -- Chante Black (6-5), Krystal Thomas (6-4), Carrem Gay (6-2) and Joy Cheek (6-1). In the Denver contest the post players combined for 23 points, 31 rebounds and four blocks. Duke held a 26-2 points in the paint advantage.
Black Makes Return Against Denver...
After missing the entire 2006-07 campaign, junior Chante Black made her return to the court on Sunday at Denver as she totaled eight points, six rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes of play. She started and struggled from the field hitting just 1-of-6 first half field goals, but hit 3-of-4 attempts in the second stanza. In her first two years, Black started 15 of 68 games and was coming off a sophomore season where she averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks and had four games with 10 or more rebounds in 2005-06.
The Waner Homecoming Was a Success...
Two of the top players to come out of the state of Colorado over the last number of years headed home on Nov. 11 to face Denver. Emily and Abby Waner grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colo., played at ThunderRidge H.S. and played on the Colorado Hoopsters AAU squad.
The duo scored a combined 19 points as Abby totaled a game-high 16 points in Duke 57-37 victory. Both sisters started the contest for the Blue Devils.
Home Opener On Sunday...
Duke will host UNC Greensboro on Sunday, Nov. 18 in the 2007-08 home opener. The Blue Devils have won 17 straight games in Cameron Indoor Stadium as Duke is coming off its first undefeated home campaign in school history (14-0). The contest will tip at 2:00 p.m., with the first 500 fans receiving a free women's basketball goodie bag with a poster, schedule card, magnet, roster card, sticker and a flip card. Also, the first 500 Duke students will get a free slice of pizza and a t-shirt.
The contest is sponsored by the Duke Children's Hospital and there will be a fun zone opening at 12:00 p.m. next to Card Gym. The fun zone will include inflatable's, face painting, food and much more. There will also be a Hoops for Health interactive area for children and families to get healthy lifestyle information. Following the game, the team will sign autographs on the court.
Kick off the Joanne P. McCallie era with a packed house in her first home game at Duke!
Blue Devils Remain 10th In Associated Press & Ninth Coaches Poll...
The Associated Press and USA Today ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches second polls have been released with the Blue Devils remaining No. 10 in the Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today ESPN Coaches Poll. With the top-10 ranking, the Blue Devils have been listed in the top-10 of the USA Today ESPN Coaches Poll for 92 straight weeks, dating back to the 2001-02 campaign.
ACC Select To Air Contests...
Throughout the 2007-08 season all non-televised Duke women's basketball contests will be aired live on “ACC Select,” which is a broadband experience that gives you the best seat in the house for the sports you love, the team you care about and the games you can't see anywhere else. With full-screen video delivered right to your computer, you'll feel like you're actually at the event. Just head to duke.accselect.com or GoDuke.com for additional information.
The UNC Greensboro, Rutgers, Utah Valley, Bucknell, N.C. Central and Wake Forest games will be aired.
Waner, Smith Named To Top-Five Position Lists...
ESPN.com released its top five players at each position on Nov. 8 with Duke junior Abby Waner listed as one of the top five 2-guard's and senior Wanisha Smith was named as one of the top five wings in the nation. Waner is listed along with Candice Wiggins (Stanford), Matee Ajavon (Rutgers), Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin) and Alexis Hornbuckle (Tennessee). Smith earned the honors along with Marissa Coleman (Maryland), Essence Carson (Rutgers), Angel McCoughtry (Louisville) and Maya Moore (Connecticut).
Duke Picked Third In ACC/Waner Named Preseason All-ACC...
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) office released the ACC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll on Oct. 21 with Duke tabbed third for the second straight season. A total of 37 votes, determined by a vote of the media, sports information directors and head coaches, picked the Blue Devils third behind Maryland and North Carolina.
The Terrapins received 27 first place votes, while the Tar Heels had 10. Rounding out the preseason poll was No. 3 Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia, N.C. State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Miami, Boston College and Wake Forest.
It marks the second straight year the Blue Devils have been selected third in the preseason poll and only the second time since 1999 that Duke has been tabbed lower than first or second. In 1999, the Blue Devils were selected fourth in the preseason poll and ended up advancing to the NCAA Final Four and National Championship game before falling to Purdue. Last season, the Blue Devils produced a 14-0 league record on their way to winning an impressive eighth ACC regular season title. Duke was picked No. 1 in the ACC preseason polls in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005, while being listed second in 2004.
The five-member preseason All-ACC squad was also released with Duke's Abby Waner, Erlana Larkins (North Carolina), Crystal Langhorne (Maryland), Khadijah Whittington (N.C. State) and Marissa Coleman (Maryland) earning honors. Langhorne was named Preseason Player of the Year and Duke's Jasmine Thomas was tabbed Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Season Ticket Sales Make Big Jump...
After totaling 2,994 season ticket holders in 2006-07, the Blue Devils have jumped to a school-record 4,169 season ticket holders so far this season. After Joanne P. McCallie was hired in April, the ticket office did a promotion for season tickets at a discounted price. Over 800 fans jumped on board then and it has helped boost the ticket sales.
Coach P To Have Radio Show...
The Joanne P. McCallie Radio Show will kick off on Friday, Nov. 16 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. Coach P will be at Satisfactions in Durham's Brightleaf Square on that date as Morgan Patrick will be broadcasting on 620 The Bull - ESPN Radio live from 10:00-1:00 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and ask questions in-person or by calling in ((919) 860-0000).
McCallie Takes Over Head Job...
After spending seven years at Michigan State, Joanne P. McCallie took over the helm at Duke on April 20, 2007. During her 16 years as a head coach, McCallie has registered a 317-148 mark.
McCallie began her head coaching career at Maine where she posted a 167-73 record along with six NCAA Tournament appearances. At Michigan State, McCallie collected a 149-75 mark, while advancing to five NCAA Tournaments. In 2004-05, the Spartans reached the NCAA title game, while posting a school-record 33 victories.
Preseason Rankings...
Duke was preseason ranked eighth in the Lindy's and Slam Magazine's, 10th in the Women's Basketball Magazine and 11th in the Athlon Magazine preseason polls.
Experience Returns...
Even though the Blue Devils lost seniors Lindsey Harding and Alison Bales, Duke returns three starters and nine letterwinners. Overall, Duke boasts a roster of 12 players in 2007-08.
Wanisha Smith, Abby Waner and Carrem Gay are the returning starters, while Chante Black, Emily Waner, Brittany Mitch, Keturah Jackson, Bridgette Mitchell and Joy Cheek are the returning letterwinners.
Black returns after missing last season due to an injury, but was a key contributor as a freshman and sophomore averaging 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 2005-06.
Overall, Duke returned 66.3 percent of its scoring and 72.2 percent of its rebounding from last year.
Third-Best Recruiting Class Arrives...
Duke brought in the third-best recruiting class in the nation that includes Karima Christmas, Jasmine Thomas and Krystal Thomas. All three played in the WBCA H.S. All-America game.
Christmas is a native of Houston, Texas, and played for J. Frank Dobie H.S. She led the squad to a 32-7 mark last season, while averaging 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.9 assists.
Jasmine Thomas was both a WBCA All-America and McDonald's All-America as she earned MVP honors at the McDonald's game. A product of Fairfax, Va., Thomas averaged 26.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.1 steals, 4.8 assists and 1.5 blocks as a senior at Oakton H.S.
A native of Orlando, Fla., Krystal Thomas was also a WBCA and McDonald's All-America last year at The First Academy. She averaged 20.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 assists as a senior.
The Record Book...
Junior sharpshooter Abby Waner is coming off a season where she tied the school record with 68 three-pointers. She matched Jessica Foley's mark of 68 from the 2004-05 season.
A product of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Waner also attempted the second-most treys in a single season as she bombed 188 from downtown. In two years, Waner already ranks eighth on Duke's career charts for three-pointers attempted (325) and 10th for three-pointers made (121).
Entering her final year with the Blue Devils, senior Wanisha Smith owns 412 assists. She is only 167 shy of tying the Duke career mark set last season by Lindsey Harding. Smith, who is from Upper Marlboro, Md., currently ranks seventh on the Duke career list and is one shy of tying Monique Currie (413) for sixth on the chart.
Summer of Gold In 2007...
The summer of 2007 was golden for four members of the Duke women's basketball team. Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie and junior Abby Waner led the U21 World Championship Team to an 8-0 record and the gold medal in Moscow, Russia.
Incoming freshmen Jasmine Thomas and Krystal Thomas guided the U19 World Championship Team to a 9-0 mark and the gold medal in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The Sister Act...
Duke features its first set of sisters playing together for the third year in a row with Emily and Abby Waner suiting up. The natives of Highlands Ranch, Colo., will be a senior and junior, respectively, for the Blue Devils.
Looking across the nation, the Waners will be one of 15 sets of sisters playing together this season in women's basketball.
Gay & Cheek Have Surgeries...
Immediately after the 2006-07 season came to a close, Carrem Gay and Joy Cheek hit the operating room to have shoulder surgery. Both had shoulder instability during the season, which forced them to wear a brace during practice and games.
The surgery for Gay, who is from New York, N.Y., marked the second straight offseason she has had shoulder surgery as she suffered from the same injury on her left shoulder as a freshman.
Cheek, a native of Charlotte, N.C., had her operation performed on her left shoulder.
Both were cleared for preseason practice.
30-Win Seasons...
Duke posted its NCAA-record seventh straight year with 30 or more wins in 2006-07. No other ACC school has ever posted more than three straight 30-win seasons, while the Blue Devils have won 30, 31, 35, 30, 31, 31 and 32 over the last seven years. In NCAA Division I history, only Louisiana Tech has registered six consecutive 30-win seasons.
Wins Last Six Years...
Duke owns 220 wins over the last seven years, which ranks second in the nation to Connecticut (228). Rounding out the top 10 are Tennessee (219), Stanford (192), North Carolina (190), LSU (189), Purdue (187), Baylor (183), Louisiana Tech (179), Oklahoma (179) and Tennessee-Chattanooga (179).
Waner Travels To Guatemala...
Senior Emily Waner traveled to Guatemala over the summer with the CAPE program, which is the Collegiate Athlete Pre-Medical Experience (CAPE). Her group worked with an organization called Helps International, which worked in a hospital providing medical care, surgery, medication and dental care to the rural population. They also worked for a week in an orphanage outside of Antigua.
Gay Looks To Build Off Sophomore Campaign...
Coming off a solid sophomore year, junior Carrem Gay is primed for an even better season in 2007-08. A 6-2 forward, Gay averaged 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 assists as she started all 34 contests last year.
This all came during her second straight season with an injured shoulder. Over the last two offseasons, Gay has had surgery to repair both her left and right shoulders.
Last season, Gay hit 58.1 percent of her field goals and was the only Blue Devil to score double-figures in all three NCAA Tournament contests.
New Additions To Coaching Staff...
With the hiring of Joanne P. McCallie, three new staff members came to Duke along with McCallie -- Assistant Coach Al Brown, Assistant Coach Samantha Williams and Director of Basketball Operations Kate Senger.
Brown has 30 years of coaching experience and enters his fourth year along the side of McCallie. Williams arrives at Duke after spending the past three years on the staff at DePaul.
Senger was a former manager and Director of Basketball Operations at Michigan State under the direction of McCallie.
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballTuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
