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Blue Devil Game Notes: Kentucky, Dec. 20, 7 PM, SEC
12/18/2015 2:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Watch Live on SEC Network l Live Stats l Live Audio l Twitter
Game 12#13/11 Duke (9-2) at #8/8 Kentucky (9-0)
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 • 7:00 p.m.
Lexington, Ky. • Rupp Arena
Radio: Blue Devil IMG Sports Network
Steve Barnes (PXP), Morgan Patrick (Color)
TV: SEC Network
Paul Sunderland (PxP), Carolyn Peck (Color), Steffi Sorensen (Sideline)
Setting the Scene...
Playing in its final contest prior to the Christmas holiday, 13th-ranked Duke (9-2) will travel to Lexington, Ky., to face eighth-ranked Kentucky (9-0) Sunday, Dec. 20 at 7:00 p.m. The contest will be played in Rupp Arena.
Sunday's tilt will be aired live on the SEC Network with Paul Sunderland (PXP) and Carolyn Peck (Color) calling the action. It will also be on the Blue Devil IMG Sports Network on WDNC 620 AM, 99.3 FM, 96.5 FM and www.GoDuke.com with Steve Barnes (PXP) and Morgan Patrick (Color) on the air beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The contest will be the homecoming for Duke redshirt sophomore Rebecca Greenwell, who is from Owensboro, Ky., which is about two and a half hours away from Lexington.
It will close a span of three games in seven days for the Blue Devils.
What is Next?...
Duke will head back to Durham, N.C., following the Kentucky game before heading home for the Christmas holiday. The Blue Devils will then reconvene back in Cameron Indoor Stadium Dec. 29 to face Western Carolina University at 7 p.m.
Storylines/Other Blue Devil Notes...
• The last time Duke knocked off a top-five ranked opponent on the road was fifth-ranked Kentucky Dec. 22, 2013.
• Duke owns a 6-0 record all-time in games played on Dec. 22, including a win in 2013 at Kentucky.
• Both Duke and Kentucky currently rank in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage defense with 32.6 averages, which is tied eighth.
• Two of the top rebounders in the nation will battle on the block with Azurá Stevens (9.6 rebounds) and Evelyn Akhator (10.6). They rank 42nd and 20th nationally.
• Azurá Stevens has pulled down an ACC-best 45 offensive rebounds on the year. Her 32 points (tied), 16 rebounds and eight blocks are ACC bests on the season.
• In the nine games won by the Blue Devils, the squad has averaged 45.7 rebounds and a 13.9 rebounding margin. In the two losses, Duke has averaged 40.0 rebounds and a -6.0 margin.
• Azurá Stevens currently ranks seventh nationally in double-doubles (6), 30th in blocks (2.5), 47th in field goal percentage (55.3), 42nd in rebounds (9.6) and 50th in points per game (18.7). Her 84 field goals made ranks sixth nationally.
• Rebecca Greenwell had a 16-game streak with at least one three-pointer made come to an end at South Carolina as she went 0-of-2. She leads the team with 25 treys made.
• Freshman Angela Salvadores currently ranks tied sixth in the ACC averaging 4.1 assists per game. It is the highest among rookies in the league.
• After opening the season with three straight games with 20 or more turnovers, Duke has gone five consecutive contests with 16 or fewer giveaways.
• Azurá Stevens has blocked 27 shots in 11 games this year. Last season she swatted 30 shots in 33 games.
• Duke has limited opponents to only 31.7 percent shooting from the field the last seven games.
• Azurá Stevens has registered four games with 20 or more points and one 30-point outburst so far this season. She owns nine 20-point games over her career.
• Blue Devil sophomore Azurá Stevens has nine double-doubles over her last 17 collegiate games.
• Rookie point guard Kyra Lambert owns a 26/15 assist/turnover ratio so far on the season (1.7 per game).
• Azurá Stevens owns a 25-game double-figure scoring streak.
• Duke's 24 turnovers at Penn was the most by a Coach P team in a season opener since arriving in Durham nine years ago. It was the most in a Duke season opener since 2003-04 against Texas.
• Duke owns 55 wins in ACC action over the last four years, which leads the league -- Duke (55), UNC (43), Miami (41), Florida State (38) and Georgia Tech (35).
• The Blue Devils returned only 96 career starts entering 2015-16 -- Rebecca Greenwell (33), Azurá Stevens (26), Amber Henson (22), Kendall Cooper (7), Oderah Chidom (6) and Mercedes Riggs (2).
• The Blue Devils feature 14 players from 11 different states/countries on the 2015-16 roster.
• Follow @Duke_WBB and @CoachPDuke on Twitter to get the latest updates on Duke women's basketball. Also, "Like" Duke Women's Basketball on Facebook to get the latest videos, pictures and more. DWB is on Instagram at dukewbb. Join all three now as they are free!
Heading Home...
Sunday's contest will mark a special homecoming for Duke redshirt sophomore Rebecca Greenwell as she will play her first collegiate game in her home state of Kentucky.
Greenwell, who is a native of Owensboro, Ky., went to Owensboro Catholic and lives about two and a half hours away from Lexington.
She once hit 17 three-pointers in a high school game and was a McDonald's and WBCA All-
America.
In the last meeting at Kentucky on Dec. 22, 2013, Greenwell was not able to play as she was redshirting due to a knee injury. She sat on the bench and watched Duke take down Kentucky, 69-61.
A Look at Kentucky...
Kentucky owns a 9-0 mark, including 6-0 at home, to start the season under head coach Matthew Mitchell. The Wildcats are currently boasting a 28.9 scoring margin on the year.
Leading Kentucky on the season so far has been Makayla Epps (17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds), Janee Thompson (13.8 points, 18 treys), Alexis Jennings (11.1 points), Evelyn Akhator (11.1 points, 10.7 rebounds) and Maci Morris (10.0 points, 18 treys).
The Series with Kentucky...
The Blue Devils hold a 5-1 lead in the all-time series with Kentucky, including a 1-1 mark in Lexington.
This year marks the fifth consecutive season in which the Blue Devils and Wildcats face off. Duke has won three of the four contests since 2011 and two in a row, including last season's 89-68 victory over the No. 8 Wildcats in Durham.
Duke Against the SEC...
Duke owns a 37-20 record all-time against teams from the SEC -- Alabama (2-1), Arkansas (2-1), Auburn (5-0), Florida (2-1), Georgia (3-0), Kentucky (5-1), LSU (3-2), Mississippi State (2-0), South Carolina (1-3), Tennessee (6-5), Texas A&M (1-4) and Vanderbilt (5-2).
Coach P has totaled a 19-19 record against teams from the SEC -- Alabama (4-2), Auburn (2-0), Georgia (1-2), Kentucky (4-1), LSU (1-3), Mississippi (0-2), Mississippi State (1-0), South Carolina (0-2), Tennessee (2-2), Texas A&M (1-4) and Vanderbilt (3-1).
So far this season, Duke is 0-2 against SEC teams with losses against Texas A&M and South Carolina.
Against the Home State Team...
Duke redshirt sophomore Rebecca Greenwell will go up against a home state team from Kentucky for the third time in her career Sunday.
In two games last season against Louisville and Kentucky, Greenwell averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals. She hit 5-of-11 treys and hit 52.9 percent of her field goals. She scored 13 points in both games.
Greenwell went to Kentucky's elite camp the summer before her sophomore season of high school.
She played with Kentucky junior Makayla Epps on a Kentucky junior All-Star team.
Blue Devils on the Road...
Duke has played only two true road contests this season at Penn and South Carolina, going 1-1 in those games.
The Blue Devils have averaged only 56.0 points and hit only 37.0 percent from the field in road games. Freshman Kyra Lambert owns a team-best 14.0 points and 2.0 assist average on the road, while Azurá Stevens (13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds) is second on the squad in scoring.
Oderah Chidom owns a team-high 8.5 rebounds per game average.
Large Crowds at Kentucky...
The Blue Devils are expecting to play in front of another large crowd on Sunday at Kentucky. It could be one of the largest road crowds Duke has ever played in front of, but the Blue Devils have had recent success playing in front of large fan bases.
The previous top attendances were --
23,706 at Kentucky, 12-22-13 (W, 69-61)
21,118 at Tennessee, 1-22-07 (W, 74-70)
17,950 at Maryland, 2-18-07 (W, 69-57)
17,243 at Maryland, 2-13-05 (W, 60-49)
16,990 at Tennessee, 2-16-09 (W, 62-54)
16,429 at South Carolina, 12-6-15 (L, 55-66)
16,344 at Maryland, 2-22-09 (L, 77-59)
16,294 at Connecticut, 1-3-04 (W, 68-67)
16,097 at Maryland, 1-8-06 (W, 86-68)
15,853 at Maryland, 2-24-13 (W, 75-59)
15,531 at Maryland, 1-14-08 (L, 85-70)
15,150 at Maryland, 2-19-12 (L, 63-61)
14,508 at Kentucky, 12-8-11 (L, 72-65)
Greenwell Goes Off Against Liberty...
Redshirt sophomore Rebecca Greenwell exploded for a career-high 26 points against Liberty as she drained a career-high nine field goals on 18 attempts. In 30 minutes, Greenwell hit 4-of-8 treys, while also matching a season high with eight rebounds.
It marked the second 20+ point game of the season and ninth of her career.
Salvadores Comes Back Strong...
After suffering an injury against UMass and being limited to only 12 minutes, rookie Angela Salvadores came off the bench to score a career-high 12 points and dish eight assists against Liberty.
Salvadores currently ranks sixth in the ACC with a 4.1 assist average. She has dished eight assists in three out of the last five games.
The Spain native leads Duke with 45 assists.
Youthful Starters...
Blue Devil head coach Joanne P. McCallie continues to show Duke has eight or more players that can start a game. McCallie used her seventh different starting lineup against Liberty in the last game.
A total of 11 of the 13 players on the team have started at least one game this season. Azurá Stevens, Rebecca Greenwell and Kyra Lambert have started all games.
It's not about who starts the game, but who finishes according to McCallie.
Belton Makes Impact...
In her first collegiate start versus UMass, Lyneé Belton came up big matching a career high with 10 points along with pulling down a season-high six rebounds in 24 minutes.
Belton has started back-to-back games and has averaged 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals. She hit 7-of-10 field goals in those games.
She made her season debut against Army Nov. 22 as she saw action in 10 minutes, while collecting four points and one rebound. She hit 2-of-3 field goals.
Belton had been recovering from a torn ACL suffered Dec. 17, 2014 versus Oklahoma.
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