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7 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
Thursday, February 2
Durham, N.C.
6 p.m.
Duke University
vs
Pitt
Photo by: Duke Athletics
No. 16 Duke Welcomes Pitt to Cameron for Midweek ACC Contest
2/1/2023 4:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP
SHARING THE WEALTH
DISRUPTING THE PEACE – ELITE BLUE DEVIL DEFENSE
UPTICK IN EFFICIENCY
BALOGUN TABBED TO CHERYL MILLER SMALL FORWARD OF THE YEAR MID-SEASON TOP-10 LIST
DUKE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
IN ELITE COMPANY
HEATING UP FROM DISTANCE
A QUICK LOOK AT THE PANTHERS
UP NEXT
Duke is back on the road for its next two games, starting with a trip to South Bend, Ind., where the Blue Devils square off against No. 9/8 Notre Dame Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m., live on RSN.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
#GoDuke
- Looking to bounce back from Sunday's setback at Florida State, Duke returns to Durham for a brief pit stop, tipping off the month of February with a midweek contest against Pittsburgh Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m., live on ACC Network.
- Pam Ward and Stephanie White will call the action on ACC Network while Chris Edwards calls the game on the radio on the Blue Devil Sports Network from Learfield.
- Duke is having one of the best seasons in recent history – boasting an 18-3 overall record and an 8-2 mark in ACC play. The Blue Devils' 18 wins in 21 games and 8-2 record in league play mark program bests dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
- Elizabeth Balogun was tabbed as one of 10 players selected to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Mid-Season Top-10 list.
- Duke checks in at No. 16 in the Week 13 Associated Press (AP) and No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches Polls.
- In the latest NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, Duke is slotted eighth (as of Jan. 31).
- Defense has been the calling card for the Blue Devils this season as the team has won each of its games by an average of 21.2 points and held each of its opponents below their season scoring average, including 11 of the 21 to 50 points or less.
- Duke has held its foes to 52.0 points per game on 35.0 percent shooting from the floor, marks that currently rank fourth and 13th in the NCAA, respectively, as well as first and second in the ACC (as of Jan. 31).
- Duke has found its stroke from distance lately, knocking down its treys at a 40.7-percent clip in ACC play.
- The Blue Devils have received a huge lift from their reserves, averaging 25.0 points off the bench.
- Duke and Pitt will meet for the 15th time all-time with Duke winning all 14 of the previous matchups.
- The Blue Devils won both matchups last season, posting a 54-39 road win in the regular season (2.3.22) before rallying from a late deficit to defeat the Panthers, 55-52, in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
SHARING THE WEALTH
- Duke's starting five of senior Elizabeth Balogun, junior Kennedy Brown, sophomores Shayeann Day-Wilson and Reigan Richardson and senior Celeste Taylor have provided a steady hand for the Blue Devils this season, combining for 67.5 percent (45.9 points) of the team's 68.0 points per game.
- Taylor has reached double digits in 14 of the 21 games this season followed by Balogun and Day-Wilson with 11. Richardson and Brown have each tallied seven double-digit scoring efforts.
- Taylor leads the offensive charge for Duke, averaging 11.8 points per game with Balogun (10.3) and Day-Wilson (9.3) right behind in second and third. Brown and Richardson round out the group with 7.3 and 7.0 points a contest, respectively.
- Duke's depth has been on full display as the Blue Devils have featured seven different leading scorers through 20 games this season, with Taylor (6), Balogun (5), Day-Wilson (5) and Vanessa de Jesus (2) finishing with the team-high on multiple occasions.
- The squad features 10 players averaging at least 13 minutes per game with four of them averaging 20-plus minutes a contest -- Taylor (28.0), Brown (24.2), Day-Wilson (23.6) and Balogun (22.3).
- As a team, Duke ranks seventh in the ACC in field goal percentage (.431) and has assisted on 312 of its 532 made field goals (.586) for an average of 14.9 dimes per game -- sixth in the ACC.
- The Blue Devils also rank second in turnover margin (+3.76), fourth in scoring margin (+16.00), free throw percentage (.758) and three-point field goal percentage (.334) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (0.97).
DISRUPTING THE PEACE – ELITE BLUE DEVIL DEFENSE
- Disruptive defense has been the calling card for the Blue Devils early in the season as the team ranks among the nation's elite, having held its opponents to 52.0 points per game on a 35.0 percent clip from the field.
- Those marks check in at fourth and 13th in the NCAA, respectively, while ranking first and second in the ACC (as of Jan. 31).
- Duke is also eighth in Defensive Rating, allowing its opponents just 0.671 points per possession.
- The Blue Devils have won each of their games by an average of 21.2 points and held each of their opponents below their season scoring average, including 11 of the 21 to 50 points or less.
- In addition to leading the league in scoring defense and ranking second in field goal percentage defense, the Blue Devils are also first in the ACC in rebounding defense (31.14), second in three-point defense (.272), third in rebound margin (+7.29) and blocks (5.05), fourth in defensive rebounding percentage (.735) and fifth in steals (9.43).
UPTICK IN EFFICIENCY
- Duke's trio of Elizabeth Balogun, Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor have seen an uptick in their efficiency, particularly on the offensive end.
- The team's leading scorer this season, Taylor is averaging 12.5 points on 40.7 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from distance since the start of ACC play.
- She has scored double figures in seven of 10 games, including a season-high 23 points to help the Blue Devils knock off then-No. 6 NC State, 72-58.
- In non-conference play, Taylor put up 11.2 points on 44.0 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from three.
- Day-Wilson has raised her play since the schedule transitioned over to conference action, improving her scoring average by almost four points while also raising her shooting percentage.
- After putting up 8.8 ppg on 38.1 percent and 35.7 percent shooting splits in non-conference play, the sophomore has averaged 12.4 points on 47.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from deep.
- She has scored double figures in four straight games and five of her last six outings.
- In 10 league games, Balogun is scoring 10.0 points per game and improved her rebounding (6.1) averages, while maintaining around the same efficiency shooting from the field and beyond the arc.
- Balogun shot 53.2 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three in non-conference play, while ACC play has seen her shoot 49.4 percent and 37.5 percent, respectively.
- During this stretch, Balogun has scored in double digits in five games, including back-to-back double-doubles in wins over Louisville (20 pts, 10 rebs) and at Wake Forest (12 pts, 10 rebs).
BALOGUN TABBED TO CHERYL MILLER SMALL FORWARD OF THE YEAR MID-SEASON TOP-10 LIST
- Duke women's basketball senior Elizabeth Balogun has been tabbed as one of 10 players selected to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Mid-Season Top-10 list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
- Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award, in its sixth year, recognizes the top small forwards in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
- Balogun has appeared in all 21 games for the Blue Devils, making 15 consecutive starts after coming off the bench in the first six contests. Shooting at a 51.2-percent clip from the field and 41.4 percent from distance, Balogun is second on the team in scoring (10.3 ppg) while leading the rebounding efforts with 5.6 boards per game.
- The Lagos, Nigeria product has scored in double figures 11 times this season, including back-to-back double-doubles in wins over Louisville (20 pts, 10 rebs) and at Wake Forest (12 pts, 10 rebs).
- In March, five finalists will be presented to Miller and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Cheryl Miller Award is comprised of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
DUKE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
- Duke checks in at No. 16 in the Week 13 Associated Press (AP) and No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches Polls.
- The Blue Devils are also ranked 13th in the ESPN Women's Basketball Power Rankings.
- The latest NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings has the Blue Devils slotted eighth nationally (as of Jan. 31), second in the ACC, with an undefeated record at home (10-0), a 7-2 mark in true road contests and are 1-1 in neutral site games.
- With an average opponent NET ranking of eight, the Blue Devils are 4-3 this season against teams ranked in the top 50 of the NET Rankings and 11-3 against the top 100, including wins over NC State (No. 12), Virginia Tech (No. 22), Louisville (No. 35), Virginia (No. 48), FGCU (No. 52) and Oregon State (No. 53). Duke's three losses have come against UConn, Florida State and North Carolina, who check in at No. 2, No. 15 and No. 18, respectively, in the NET.
IN ELITE COMPANY
- The Blue Devils are the only women's basketball team so far this season to shoot 100 percent from the charity stripe and 64 percent or higher from beyond the arc in the same game, according to HerHoopStats.
- Duke cashed in nine of its 14 three-point attempts and went 15-of-15 from the foul line in the win over the Wolfpack.
- After tallying 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals against Syracuse, Celeste Taylor joined Chelsea Gray (3X), Haley Gorecki (4X), and Lexie Brown (4X) as the only Duke women's basketball players since 2009-2010 to post multiple career games of 15+ Points, 5+ Rebounds, 4+ Assists, and 4+ Steals, according to HerHoopStats.
HEATING UP FROM DISTANCE
- After a slow start from downtown to open the season, the Blue Devils have settled in and begun to find their stroke from three-point land.
- Since the start of conference play, Duke has knocked down its treys at a 40.7-percent clip compared to just 34.3 percent in non-conference action.
- The Blue Devils have shot over 40 percent in five of the 10 ACC games while seven Duke players have combined for the 59 three-point makes.
- Celeste Taylor has led the charge with 18 treys, followed by Shayeann Day-Wilson with 16 triples.
- Vanessa de Jesus has cashed in eight, while Elizabeth Balogun and Ashlon Jackson have each drained six.
- Reigan Richardson and Taya Corosdale round out the group with three and two triples, respectively.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE PANTHERS
- Pitt (7-14, 0-10 ACC) enters Thursday's game following a 74-60 setback at Boston College on Sunday.
- Amber Brown and Liatu King pace the Panthers in the scoring column with 10.6 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
- King also leads the on-glass efforts with an average of 7.9 boards per game while Marley Washenitz dishes out a team-best 2.0 assists.
UP NEXT
Duke is back on the road for its next two games, starting with a trip to South Bend, Ind., where the Blue Devils square off against No. 9/8 Notre Dame Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m., live on RSN.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
#GoDuke
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