Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Countdown to Craziness on October 3, 2025 at 7 p.m.
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7 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
Sunday, March 3
Chapel Hill, N.C.
4 p.m.
Duke University
at
North Carolina
Photo by: Nat LeDonne / Duke Athletics
Duke Wraps Regular Season Sunday at North Carolina
3/2/2024 5:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP
YOUTH MOVEMENT IN DURHAM – RACKIN' UP THE MINUTES
LAST TIME OUT
BLOCK PARTY – EVERYONE'S INVITED
DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY – BROWN ANCHORING THE DEFENSIVE SHIP
A BATTLE TESTED BUNCH – STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
UP NEXT
Duke turns its attention to the post season, beginning with the ACC Tournament set for March 6-10 in Greensboro, N.C. The tournament bracket is set to be released on Sunday evening.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu.
#GoDuke
- Duke closes out the 2023-24 regular season on Sunday, March 3 with a showdown against rival North Carolina. Action is set for a 4 p.m., tip live on ESPN with Angel Gray and Brooke Weisbrod on the call.
- Duke and North Carolina's rivalry has featured 107 matchups all-time, the Tar Heels holding a slim, 54-53 advantage.
- The Blue Devils have won two straight against North Carolina including a thrilling, come-from-behind 68-60 overtime victory in the first matchup of the season (2.11.24) at a sold-out Cameron Indoor Stadium.
- The Blue Devils are amid another daunting stretch of games to close out the regular season slate, with four of the final six games against Top-25 teams -- Virginia Tech (#12), Notre Dame (#16), Syracuse (#17) and NC State (#6). Duke has gone 3-2 so far during this stretch with double-digit dubs over Syracuse, NC State and Virginia.
- Duke leads the ACC in average total team freshmen minutes played this season, with the Blue Devils' quintet averaging 62.8 minutes per contest (of a possible 200 minutes).
- The Blue Devils have taken on one of the nation's toughest slates this season as their SOS checks in at No. 4 nationally (NCAA rankings as of March 1). The Blue Devils are also No. 20 in the NCAA NET.
- The Blue Devils rank third nationally in blocks with an average of 6.0 rejections -- first in the ACC (NCAA rankings as of March 1). Graduate student Camilla Emsbo, senior Kennedy Brown and rookie Jadyn Donovan have posted 30-plus blocks each, leading the way with 40, 39 and 33 rejections, respectively.
- In addition to leading the league in blocks, the Blue Devils are top five in 10 other categories:
- On defense, Duke sits atop the ACC in rebounding defense (30.9), field goal percentage defense (.359) and scoring defense (57.5).
- The squad also ranks second in defensive points per possession (0.728) and rebounding margin (+6.2) and fourth in defensive rebounding percentage (.709) and scoring margin (+8.5).
- Offensively, the Blue Devils are No. 3 in the ACC in field goal percentage (.451), fourth in offensive rebounding percentage (.353) and fifth in assists (14.5).
- Two Blue Devils average double figures in scoring -- Reigan Richardson (12.2), Taina Mair (10.6).
- Duke has assists on more than 50 percent of their field goals (.558) with 412 dimes on 739 buckets. Mair leads the team with 3.7 per contest.
- 27 of Duke's 28 opponents have been held below their respective season scoring averages on the year. Virginia's 54 points were 19 below its average of 73. 9..
YOUTH MOVEMENT IN DURHAM – RACKIN' UP THE MINUTES
- Duke features one of the nation's youngest rosters in women's college basketball in 2023-24 with the Blue Devils returning just 28.3 percent of their scoring from a season ago.
- Eight of the Blue Devils' 11 players this season are underclassmen with three sophomores -- Ashlon Jackson, Emma Koabel and Taina Mair and five freshmen -- Louann Battiston, Jadyn Donovan, Oluchi Okananwa, Delaney Thomas and Jordan Wood.
- Duke leads the ACC in average total team freshmen minutes played this season, with the Blue Devils' quintet averaging 62.8 minutes per contest (of a possible 200 minutes).
- When looking at the average total number of minutes logged between freshman and sophomores combined compared to the rest of the league, Duke checks in at No. 2 in that metric with an average of 132.8 minutes, trailing only Georgia Tech (136.4 minutes).
- Duke also ranks second in the league in both percentage of scoring by freshmen (31.7 %), as well as percentage of scoring by freshmen and sophomores combined (63.7 %).
- The only schools with better production than the Blue Devils in those respective metrics are Virginia -- 37.9 percent (freshmen only), and Georgia Tech -- 79.2 percent (freshmen + sophomores).
LAST TIME OUT
- Junior Reigan Richardson poured in 24 points, four boards and two assists while senior Kennedy Brown posted a near double-double of 13 points and eight rebounds along with three dimes to help lead the Blue Devils to a 73-54 senior night victory over Virginia.
- Ashlon Jackson also finished in double figures for the Blue Devils (19-9, 11-6 ACC) with the sophomore adding 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep and five rebounds. Overall, nine Blue Devils got in the scoring column.
- For the second consecutive game Duke never trailed as the Blue Devils jumped out to a 13-2 lead and never looked back. Richardson finished her night 10-of-14 from the field for her fifth 20-point performance this season.
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 6.0 blocks per game -- No. 3 in the NCAA and tops the ACC (NCAA rankings as of March 1).
- Duke has registered five or more blocks in 20 games this season, including a pair of games with double-digit swats -- Coastal Carolina (12) and NC Central (11) -- as well as six contests with eight or more rejections -- at Stanford, vs. South Carolina, vs. Florida Gulf Coast, vs. Boston College, at Virginia, vs. North Carolina.
- Graduate student Camilla Emsbo, senior Kennedy Brown and rookie Jadyn Donovan have posted 30-plus blocks each, leading the way with 40, 39 and 33 rejections, respectively. They are joined in double digits by freshman Delaney Thomas and junior Reigan Richardson with 12.
- In the victory over Florida State (1.25), Brown set the Duke record for most blocks in a first quarter, tallying four of her game-high five rejections during the period.
DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY – BROWN ANCHORING THE DEFENSIVE SHIP
- Senior Kennedy Brown, Duke's defensive anchor and arguably one of the best defenders in the NCAA, has been a vital part of the team's defensive uptick over the last two seasons.
- Prior to her arrival ahead of the 2022-23 season, the Blue Devils ranked 64th nationally in blocks per game, 148th in scoring defense and 156th in field goal percentage defense. The league standings saw Duke check in at No. 6, No. 8 and No. 11 in these respective metrics while also ranking 10th in defensive rebounding percentage.
- In just her first season with the Blue Devils, Brown helped Duke make a seismic leap on the defensive end as the team finished the 2022-23 campaign ranked second in the NCAA in scoring defense, tied for fourth in defensive points per possession, ninth in field goal percentage defense and 10th in blocks per game.
- The newly revamped and disruptive Duke defense also held each of its opponents below their season scoring average, including 17 of them to 50 points or less.
- Although Duke features almost an entirely different team this season, with Brown patrolling the paint, one thing has remained the same -- the Blue Devils still boast one of the top defenses in the ACC and in the country.
- Duke currently sits third nationally and first in the ACC in blocks per game while also leading the league in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense (ACC Only) for the second consecutive season -- the latter also ranked 15th in the NCAA.
A BATTLE TESTED BUNCH – STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- Duke has embarked on one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA this season.
- Duke's strength of schedule currently ranks among the top 10, checking in at No. 4 nationally (NCAA rankings as of March 1). The Blue Devils are also in the top 25 of the NCAA NET, ranking No. 20 on the list.
- The Blue Devils' schedule has gotten progressively more challenging each year under Coach Lawson. Duke finished the 2022-23 season with the 10th toughest schedule in the NCAA.
- The Blue Devils have faced 10 opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 thus far this season (4-6).
- Five of the teams Duke has played this season also boast a top-30 SOS -- Stanford (3rd), NC State (18th), Georgia (19th), North Carolina (26th), South Carolina.
- Additionally, Duke owns several notable non-conference wins over teams that currently lead or rank among the top three in their respective conferences:
- Nov. 6 – 83-53 vs. Richmond (currently 25-5, 1st in A-10 with 15-2 conference record)
- Nov. 14 – 66-62 at Columbia (currently 20-5, T-1st in Ivy League standings at 11-1)
- Dec. 10 – 82-63 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (currently 25-4, 1st place (15-0) in ASUN)
- Dec. 20 – 70-45 vs. Toledo (currently 22-4, 1st in the MAC via a 14-1 mark)
UP NEXT
Duke turns its attention to the post season, beginning with the ACC Tournament set for March 6-10 in Greensboro, N.C. The tournament bracket is set to be released on Sunday evening.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB."
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu.
#GoDuke
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