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7 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
Sunday, January 21
Raleigh, N.C.
12 p.m.
Duke University
at
NC State
Photo by: Nat LeDonne / Duke Athletics
Blue Devils Primed for Sunday Afternoon Test at No. 4 NC State
1/20/2024 9:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP
BLOCK PARTY – EVERYONE'S INVITED
A BATTLE TESTED BUNCH – STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
SUPERLATIVE SPOTLIGHT
HITTIN' FROM DISTANCE
UP NEXT
Duke makes a pit stop back at Cameron for a midweek ACC tilt, playing host to No. 15 Florida State on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m., live on ACCN.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
#GoDuke
- The Blue Devils head up the road to Raleigh for an in-state matchup at No. 4 NC State on Sunday, Jan. 21. Tipoff is slated for 12 p.m., with Pam Ward and Stephanie White calling the action live on ACCN.
- The 88th all-time matchup between Duke and NC State as varsity programs will take place on Sunday, with NC State holding a 48-39 advantage through the first 87.
- Duke is seeking its third consecutive victory against the Wolfpack having swept the season series last season.
- Duke has been on a tear over the last month and is currently playing some of its best basketball of the season. The Blue Devils have won three straight games and seven of their last eight.
- Over this stretch, Duke has averaged nearly 70 points per contest while shooting at a 47-percent clip, holding its foes to just 53.3 points and 34.2 percent shooting from the floor.
- Duke has taken on one of the nation's toughest schedules this season as the Blue Devils' SOS currently ranks eighth nationally and second among ACC teams. The Blue Devils are also slotted 23rd in the NET rankings (as of Jan. 18).
- The Blue Devils are amidst another challenging slate as they are set to face three consecutive ranked opponents -- No. 14 Virginia Tech, at No. 4 NC State and No. 15 Florida State. Duke opened the three-game stretch with a convincing, 63-46, win over the Hokies.
- Duke ranks second nationally in blocks per game with an average of 7.1 rejections -- first in the ACC (NCAA rankings as of Jan. 18).
- Rookie Jadyn Donovan and graduate student Camilla Emsbo have each denied 29 shots (1.71 bpg) -- tied for fourth in the ACC.
- Four Blue Devils average double figures in scoring -- Reigan Richardson (11.8), Oluchi Okananwa (11.1), Taina Mair (10.5), Ashlon Jackson (10.0).
- Duke has assists on more than 50 percent of its field goals (.527) with 245 dimes on 465 made buckets. Mair leads the team with 3.65 dimes per contest.
- 16 of Duke's 17 opponents have been held below their respective season scoring averages. Virginia Tech's 46 points were 34.1 fewer than its average of 80.1.
- In the NCAA rankings, NC State ranks among the top 10 in four categories -- defensive rebounds per game (2nd), field goal percentage defense (7th), fewest fouls per game (8th) and total rebounds per game (9th).
BLOCK PARTY – EVERYONE'S INVITED
- The Blue Devils' length has proven to be a factor on the defensive end this season as the squad averages 7.1 blocks per game -- No. 2 in the NCAA and tops in the ACC (NCAA rankings as of Jan. 18).
- Duke has registered five or more blocks in 15 games this season, including a pair of ball games with double-digit swats -- Coastal Carolina (12) and NC Central (11) -- as well as a quintet of contests with eight or more rejections -- at Stanford, vs. South Carolina, vs. Florida Gulf Coast, vs. Boston College, at Virginia.
- Rookie Jadyn Donovan and graduate student Camilla Emsbo have each denied 29 shots (1.71 bpg) -- tied for fourth in the ACC. They are joined in double digits by senior Kennedy Brown (20) and freshman Delaney Thomas with 10.
- The Blue Devils' blocks per game average (7.1) is the highest by a Duke squad since the 2004-05 season and would check in at No. 3 all-time in the Duke Team Single Season Records for highest blocked shot average if the 2023-24 slate ended today.
A BATTLE TESTED BUNCH – STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- The Blue Devils have embarked on one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA this season.
- Duke's strength of schedule ranks among the top 10, checking in at No. 8 nationally -- second in the ACC (NCAA rankings as of Jan. 18). Duke is also in the top 25 of the NCAA NET, ranking No. 23 on the list.
- The Blue Devils have faced four opponents ranked in the AP Top-25 thus far this season (1-3), with the potential to play up to eight more games against ranked foes.
- Two of the teams the Blue Devils have played so far this season also boast a top-30 SOS -- Stanford (2nd), Georgia (18th).
- The Blue Devils' schedule has gotten progressively more challenging each year under Coach Lawson. Duke finished the 2022-23 season having played the 10th toughest schedule in the NCAA.
SUPERLATIVE SPOTLIGHT
- Duke's reserves are providing a spark for the Blue Devils, boasting an average of 25.3 points per game. The Blue Devils have scored more bench points than their foes in 14 games, totaling 405 points while opponents have put up just 198.
- In seven of the games, the Blue Devils have finished with a substantial margin in bench production -- 34-15 (Richmond), 24-6 (Coastal Carolina), 28-5 (at Stanford), 33-11 (NC Central, 22-12 (South Carolina), 28-4 (FGCU), 42-8 (Coppin State), 40-12 (Georgia Tech).
- Duke has had strong production on the offensive glass this season, tallying 12.9 offensive rebounds per game. The Blue Devils have parlayed those extra possessions into 192 second-chance points. Duke has held the advantage in eight games, including sizeable margins against Richmond (18-5) and Coastal Carolina (20-2).
- On the fastbreak, the Blue Devils hold a 196-98 edge and have limited 12 opponents to fewer than eight points in transition.
- Duke has commanded the inside this season, outscoring its foes 546-404.
- The Blue Devils are plus nine in the paint compared to their opponents, 34.1 to 25.3, and have finished with double-digit margins in 10 contests.
HITTIN' FROM DISTANCE
- Duke has knocked down 105 threes this season – an average of 6.2 per game. The Blue Devils are cashing in their triples at a .350 percent clip and have knocked down at least five threes in 10 games, including eight contests with seven or more.
- Five Blue Devils have cashed in double-digit trifectas -- Ashlon Jackson (26), Taina Mair (18), Oluchi Okananwa (18), Emma Koabel (17) and Reigan Richardson (16).
- Earlier this season Duke set a single-game record for most threes in a game, knocking down 14 against Coastal Carolina.
- Duke shot a season-best 59.1 percent from distance in the victory over Georgia Tech (1.14.24) draining 13 of 22 attempts. It marked the first time since Jan. 15, 2005, against Boston College Duke knocked down 13 or more triples in an ACC game.
- If the 2023-24 campaign ended today, Duke's 6.17 triples per game would rank third on the Duke single season charts for average three-pointers made. Duke averaged 7.25 in 2020-21, but only played four games.
UP NEXT
Duke makes a pit stop back at Cameron for a midweek ACC tilt, playing host to No. 15 Florida State on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m., live on ACCN.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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