Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus UCLA on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 70
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Final
Women's Basketball
58
vs UCLA
70
GoDuke.com Q&A With Brittany Mitch
2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. - Redshirt freshman Brittany Mitch stopped by to sit down with GoDuke.com this week. Mitch, a native of McLean, Va., is coming off a season where she redshirted due to a hip injury. So far in 2006-07, Mitch has provided a key spark off the bench and was recently named ACC Rookie of the Week Duke is currently 24-0 and on its best start in school history, while being ranked No. 1 nationally in both polls. The Blue Devils will next travel to second-ranked North Carolina on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
GoDuke.com: After missing all of last year, how much fun are you having this year being back on the court and playing?
Brittany Mitch: It's so much fun. Not being able to play basketball for a whole year when it's been your life, just stepping on the court again, shooting a ball, playing with the team, and being a part of the team is a lot of fun
GD: How hard was it for you to sit and watch last season?
BM: I think in the beginning it really was hard. As time went on, I kind of found out that I could learn things. I could learn from the team and the coaches, and it wasn't as hard. I wanted to be on the court, but I got to learn some things as well.
GD: What did you learn by sitting on the beach and watching?
BM: I got to learn what they like and what they didn't like, their pet peeves. I also got to learn from the girls: what their strengths, what style of basketball they like to play, and how they mesh together.
GD: When did you finally get healthy and able to really start preparing for this year?
BM: This past summer. Coming back - my hip still wasn't full strength. Physically I felt good, but it's kind of hard to get your hip back quickly. This summer when I got to start playing again with the girls and running up and down the court it felt like I was really getting it back.
GD: What did you work on over the summer to prepare for this year?
BM: I worked a lot on my shot because I wasn't able to shoot a lot because I wasn't able to jump last year. So I worked on my shot, and I worked on ball handling. You don't realize how much you can lose your ball handling skills, which I didn't know.
GD: After not playing versus Maryland and then coming off the bench to score 10 points at N.C. State. What did you do differently in the game against the Wolfpack?
BM: I talked to Coach G after the Maryland game; we had a good talk. I asked her, “What do I need to do? How can I help the team out?” She gave me a list of four things, and the top thing was to be aggressive. So I took that to the next game and decided, “I need to be aggressive out there.”
GD: How much different is high school and college basketball?
BM: It's so much different. The first thing I realized is that it's so much more physical. My first practice I thought it was like football practice. It's really physical; it's a lot faster. The passes you can make in high school, they're just not there. People are quicker; they're just all around better.
GD: With you playing at such a good high school and AAU program, how much did that help your transition to college?
BM: It helped a lot. Being able to play with Marissa [Coleman] of Maryland, who is a top player, it helped. I got to see glimpses of what college was going to be like
GD: It looks like this team is having a lot of fun out on the court this year. How much fun is this team having this year?
BM: It's a lot of fun. The team, we all get along great, which carries over onto the floor. We all play great together. Our transition game makes it a lot of fun. The way we get to run, and just everyone's enjoying it, everyone's sharing the ball and passing.
GD: Who is the comedian on the team?
BM: I think [Chan]te [Black]. You have to listen for her humor; she puts sneaky comments in there. I think she's the funniest.
GD: What do you like best about Coach G's style of coaching?
BM: She likes to run, most coaches do, but she lets us play in the transition court. She doesn't try and slow us down and set things up; she lets us kind of flow in transition.
GD: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
BM: I listen to a song. We won nationals when we were 10 years old and it was on our highlight film. So I listen to that before every game.
GD: Not many people know how good of a soccer player you were growing up. What made you choose basketball?
BM: I really wasn't a good soccer player. People don't really realize that, but it's basketball on a field with kicking. It was fun because no one really cared how good I was because I was a basketball player. I could just got out there and mess up if I wanted to, but basketball is what I liked to play.
GD: What convinced you that Duke was the best place for you?
BM: I came here for camp when I was nine for soccer camp. I feel in love with the school itself. Just the school part. So I've loved this school since I was nine. I told my parents when I was nine I wanted to come here. Then getting to know the coaches and the team I didn't want to go anywhere else.
GD: Who is your role model and why?
BM: I would say my parents. They are both really hard workers. They taught me a lot about working hard, not giving up on what you want, and following through on your dreams.
GD: Are you hooked on any certain TV shows?
BM: Grey's [Anatomy] and now Abby has me hooked on American Idol.
GD: What is your favorite food?
BM: Chocolate chip pancakes.
GD: What do you like to do during your free time? What hobbies do you have?
BM: I like to hang out with the girls. We like to go see movies and just hangout and relax.
GD: If you could play any other sport other than basketball what would it be?
BM: Football.
GD: Do you have a favorite class you have taken at Duke?
BM: I took a really fun education class where you have to go and tutor Durham kids.
GD: What is your favorite movie and type of movie?
BM: Obviously Love and Basketball, Wedding Crashers. I like the kind of Romantic Comedies.
GD: If you could visit one place in the world, where would it be and why?
BM: Spain, so I could maybe use the Spanish that I learned here.
GD: If I turned on your iPod right now, what would be playing?
BM: Country.
GD: If you could go to any concert, which one would it be?
BM: Mariah Carey.
GD: I know you are only a Redshirt freshman, but do you have any idea what you would like to major in and do after you leave college?
BM: I'm going to major in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy. After college, I want to be a doctor, preferably a pediatrician.
Players Mentioned
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