Smith, Cheek Lead Duke Past Maryland And Into ACC Final

Saturday, March 8

Greensboro, N.C.

3:30 p.m.

Duke University

Maryland

Top 15 Moments Of 2008 For Duke Women's Basketball

Smith, Cheek Lead Duke Past Maryland And Into ACC Final

3/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Duke Sports Information

GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Wanisha Smith scored 22 points and hit 4-of-6 from behind the arc while Joy Cheek scored 16 points and had eight rebounds and five steals to lead the 12th-ranked and third-seeded Duke past fifth-ranked and second-seeded Maryland here in the semifinals of the 2008 ACC Tournament.

Duke improves to 23-8 and will now face second-ranked and top-seeded North Carolina in the championship game Sunday at 1 p.m. on FSN.

Smith scored 13 of her 22 points in the first half when she connected on all three of her long range attempts. She finished shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line, as well. Cheek also hit 7-of-12 from the field for her 16 points and she also had five steals and hit the game's biggest three-pointer down the stretch.

Abby Waner and Jasmine Thomas both scored nine and both had clutch lay-ups breaking down the Maryland defense in the game's final surge.

After Kristi Tolliver brought Maryland within four at 58-54 when Cheek hit her three from the corner to push the lead back to seven. Tolliver than responded with her own three and after Carrem Gay got a long defensive rebound and went the length of the floor, Maryland hit two free throws to keep it a four point game at 63-59.

Duke then ended the game on an 11-4 run that was started with two Smith free throws and when Waner took the ball from 10 feet outside the three-point line in front of the basket and broke down the defense to hit a running jumper plus the free throw for the three-point play, Duke's lead was 68-59. Duke then hit 6-of-10 of their free throws in the final two minutes to secure the 74-63 victory.

The Blue Devils will square off at 1 p.m. for their third meeting of the season and Duke will look to reverse the fortunes of the previous two meetings, the last of which was Duke's worst loss in the series in15 years.