Setting the Scene...
Winners of four out of the last five contests, the Duke women's basketball team (13-10, 7-5 ACC) will close a two-game road swing at Pitt (4-19, 1-11) Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m., at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
The game will be aired live on the ACC Network with Brett Dolan (PXP) and LaChina Robinson (Color) calling the action. It will also be carried on the Duke Sports Network via WDNC AM 620, TuneIn app and www.GoDuke.com with Chris Edwards (PXP) on the air beginning at 5:45 p.m. (ET).
What is Next?...
Duke will return home for its final two contests in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the regular season as the Blue Devils host Florida State Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m., and Virginia Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. The FSU contest will be Duke's annual Play 4 Kay game.
Three Keys...
1) Duke has won four out of the last five games and during that stretch the Blue Devils have averaged 70.2 points, while holding opponents to only 56.6 points per game. Duke has hit 46.3 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from downtown. The Blue Devil opponents have hit 34.9 percent from the field and 27.0 percent from three-point land.
2)
Haley Gorecki is the only player nationally to average over 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
3) Duke has lost five ACC games by a combined 19 points. All five of the losses have been within five points.
Strength of Schedule...
The Blue Devils feature the seventh-toughest schedule nationally -- Oklahoma (1), Virginia (2), Missouri (3), Maryland (4), Ohio State (5), Oregon (6) and Duke (7) round out the top seven.
Duke's five non-conference losses in 2019-20 came against teams that have collected a combined 100-18 record.
The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 37 in the latest RPI.
Storylines/Other Blue Devil Notes...
• Duke has won six out of the last eight and four out of the last five contests.
• In two games last year against Pitt,
Miela Goodchild averaged 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists. She hit 11-of-17 three-pointers.
• The Blue Devils dished a season-high 21 assists on the road at Miami.
• Duke has notched back-to-back games with 70 or more points for the first time in 2019-20 in ACC action. The Blue Devils have averaged 72.5 points and hit 48.7 percent from the field.
•
Haley Gorecki has collected back-to-back games with double-doubles for the first time this season. Last year, she notched four straight contests with double-doubles. Gorecki has averaged 19.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots.
• Over the last two games,
Jade Williams has averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals. She has hit 12-of-19 field goals for a 63.2 percentage. Williams had a season-high 16 points at Miami as she hit 7-of-10 field goals.
• Senior
Leaonna Odom has notched double-figure scoring in seven straight contests, while averaging 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.4 assists. She has hit 57.1 percent from the field during those games.
•
Miela Goodchild has scored only 14 points over the last five games, including only two in the last three contests. She has taken only five shots the last three games and played a season-low four minutes against UNC.
• Over the last six games,
Jade Williams has hit 22-of-36 field goals for a 61.1 percentage.
• In ACC games,
Haley Gorecki and
Leaonna Odom have combined to average 32.7 points, 13.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Gorecki ranks second the ACC in scoring at 19.42 points per contest, just behind Virginia's Jocelyn Willoughby (19.46).
• In the ACC stats, Duke leads the league with 10.4 steals per game and ranks 32nd nationally.
• In the 12 Duke wins, the Blue Devils have averaged 75.4 points and hit 46.6 percent from the field. In the 10 losses, the Blue Devils have averaged 57.5 points and hit 37.3 percent from the field.
•
Haley Gorecki averaged 36.1 minutes a contest last season and is averaging 36.4 minutes in 2019-20. She would become the first Blue Devil to average 35.0 minutes or more in back-to-back seasons.
• Duke trailed, 40-33, heading into the fourth quarter against Notre Dame and rallied for a 50-47 victory. It was the Blue Devils' largest comeback in the fourth quarter since the NCAA moved to the quarter system in 2015-16.
•
Haley Gorecki currently ranks tied for second in the ACC with 121 made free throws and third with 142 attempts, while ranking third with an 85.2 free throw percentage. Her 121 free throws made ranks tied for ninth nationally.
• For the sixth time this season, Duke had five players hit at least one three-pointer at Miami. Duke had not featured five different players hitting a trey since the 2014-15 campaign when it did it twice.
•
Leaonna Odom ranks fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage, at 53.7 percent per game.
•
Haley Gorecki (3rd) and
Leaonna Odom (6th) rank in the top six in the ACC in steals per game – Gorecki at 2.22 spg and Odom at 1.95 spg.
• Duke features the fourth-tallest squad in school history standing with an average height of 73.21. The three tallest teams were in 2016-17 (73.38), 2011-12 and 2014-15 (73.25).
• Follow @DukeWBB 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.
The Series with Pitt..
Duke and Pitt will meet for the 12th time in school history with the Blue Devils leading the series, 11-0. In games played in Pittsburgh, Pa., Duke has collected a 3-0 mark.
Coach P owns a 10-0 record versus the Panthers.
On the Opposing Sideline..
When the Blue Devils take the court Thursday at Pitt, Duke will face a member of its own as 2010 Blue Devil graduate Bridgette Mitchell is an assistant coach with the Panthers.
She competed in 131 games, including 43 starts, and led the 2010 ACC Champion Blue Devils to an Elite Eight appearance in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. She was named to the ACC All-Academic Team as a senior and garnered ACC Honor Roll status three times.
Baines, Patrick Head Close to Home...
The Duke freshmen duo of
Jaida Patrick and
Azana Baines will head close to home this week when the Blue Devils travel to Pittsburgh, Pa.
Patrick, from West Haverstraw, N.Y., and Baines, out of Blackwood, N.J., are from neighboring states to Pennsylvania.
Moving Up Points List...
Leaonna Odom is currently in 22nd place on Duke's all-time scoring list with 1,276 points and is seven points from matching Sheana Mosch (1,283) for 21st.
Haley Gorecki (1,246) needs 10 points to move into a tie for 24th along with Duke current assistant coach
Wanisha Smith (1,256) for 24th.
Gorecki Nearing Top 10 List...
Graduate
Haley Gorecki has made 289 career free throws and is only six shy of moving into a tie for 10th along with Mistie Bass, Rebecca Greenwell and Lindsey Harding at 295.
On the 2019-20 season, Gorecki has made 121 free throws, which ranks 12th on Duke's single season charts. She is set to pass Monique Currie (127) and Lexie Brown (129) in the next games to move into the top 10.
Lambert Scoring More...
Over the last three games, graduate
Kyra Lambert has averaged 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the Blue Devils.
She has drained six three-pointers during that stretch.
Lambert had a season-high 13 points against NC State and hit a season-high three three-pointers on nine attempts. She added nine points versus UNC and 11 points at Miami.
Gorecki Honored...
Graduate
Haley Gorecki was named one of 10 finalists for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award recognizing the top shooting guards nationally.
Gorecki was also named one of 30 midseason candidates for the Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year.
Boykin Big Last Two Games...
Mikayla Boykin has averaged 13.0 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 0.5 steals over the last two games. During that stretch, she has hit 10-of-17 field goals (58.8%) and 5-of-8 treys (62.5%).
At Miami, Boykin had eight points and five assists in 10 first half minutes and then went on to match a career high with 15 points, have six assists and four rebounds.
Boykin came off the bench to play a season-high 31 minutes against North Carolina, while collecting 11 points, a season-high six rebounds, a season-high five assists and one steal to help lead Duke to the victory.
She had been limited to under 20 minutes in January but her minute restriction was lifted in February.
Boykin has scored double-digits six games this season in 11 games.
Tight League Games...
Duke was so close in ACC play but struggled to close out five of the games.
Seven of Duke's 12 ACC games have been decided by six points or less, which tied a Duke record (1995-96 and 1988-89).
The 1988-89 season all occurred during the regular season, but all other seasons included games played in the ACC Tournament.
Duke has lost five ACC games by a combined 19 points. All five of the losses have been within five points.
On the Road in 2019-20...
Duke has collected a 3-7 record on the road in 2019-20, but is coming off two straight wins at Syracuse and Miami.
The Blue Devils have averaged 63.4 points, while giving up 67.5 points. Duke has averaged 19.9 turnovers a game.
In those contests,
Haley Gorecki has averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals.
Gorecki Nears 20.0-Point Mark...
Only three Blue Devils have averaged over 20.0 points during a season in ACC action in Duke history. Graduate
Haley Gorecki is looking to become the fourth --
22.1 Chris Moreland (1985-86)
21.6 Alana Beard (2002-03)
21.1 Alana Beard (2003-04)
20.4 Azura Stevens (2015-16)
20.3 Alana Beard (2001-02)
19.4
Haley Gorecki (2019-20)
Odom Named National Player of the Week...
Senior
Leaonna Odom earned ACC Player of the Week and USBWA National Player of the Week for the first time in her four-year career for her efforts against Clemson and Syracuse. She averaged 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals on the week. She hit 76.0 percent of her field goals in the two contests.
Tough Defense...
In ACC contests, Duke's defense has been among the best in the conference in a number of key categories.
In 12 league games, Duke's defense ranks in the top five in scoring defense (4th, 59.83), field goal percentage defense (3rd, 36.9), steals (1st, 10.83) and three-point field goal percentage defense (2nd, 26.8).
Double-Doubles/20-Point Games...
Haley Gorecki owns six double-doubles on the season, which ranks tied for seventh in the ACC. She also ranks fourth with eight games with 20 or more points.
Over the last two years, Gorecki has notched 19 games with 20 or more points, which is the most in the ACC.
20+ Point Games Last Two Seasons
19
Haley Gorecki, Duke
17 Jocelyn Willoughby, Virginia
17 Kiah Gillespie, Florida State
16 Elissa Cunane, NC State
16 Janelle Bailey, UNC
Best All-Around Player...
No Duke player has averaged at least 17.0 points, 3.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds in back-to-back seasons.
Haley Gorecki averaged 17.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 7.1 rebounds last year and is averaging 18.1 points, 4.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds this year.
Alana Beard came closest to these thresholds, averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in her sophomore year and 22.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds her junior year.
Against UNC, Gorecki collected 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. She became the first Blue Devil to register a 25-point, 10-rebound and 5-assist contest since Alana Beard on Jan. 16, 2003.
In the ACC Stats...
Haley Gorecki continues to showcase she is one of the best all-around players in the nation as she currently ranks in the top 20 of the following ACC stat categories --
Scoring (3rd, 18.1)
Assists (7th, 4.4)
Rebounds (19th, 6.74)
Field Goal Percentage (13th, 41.0)
Free Throw Percentage (3rd, 85.2)
Steals (3rd, 2.2)
Three-Point Field Goals Made (T11th, 1.96)
Minutes Played (3rd, 36.2)
One of Only Three in ACC...
Haley Gorecki, along with Dana Evans (Louisville) and Kiara Lewis (Syracuse), are the only players in the ACC who rank in the top five in the conference in scoring and top 10 in assists.
Haley Gorecki (18.1 ppg, 4.4 assists)
Dana Evans (18.5 ppg., 4.3 assists)
Kiara Lewis (17.5 ppg., 5.0 assists)
Impressive Against ACC...
In 12 conference contests,
Haley Gorecki ranks second in the ACC in scoring (19.4).
She ranks tied for 12th in rebounds (7.0), ninth in field goal percentage (44.3), fifth in free throw percentage (83.1), ninth in three-point field goals made (2.1), second in minutes played (38.22) and fifth in three-point percentage (35.2).
Gorecki also ranks sixth in assists (4.9) and second in steals (2.6).