After a major scare in the first matchup at North Carolina and a loss to Connecticut, No. 2 Duke (24-1, ACC 12-0) has been on a tear and hopes to carry its outstanding play into tonight's rematch against No. 6 North Carolina (23-2, 12-1).
When the two teams square off tonight at 7 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the building is expected to be near capacity and the crazies should be as loud as they were during the Connecticut contest.
Head coach Gail Goestenkors said that, in the previous five ACC games, her team has been playing their best basketball of the season. She added that they have proven the loss to Connecticut was not a downer, but a great learning experience for the squad.
"I feel like we're really starting to hit our stride since the Connecticut game," Goestenkors said. "I know we're going to have to play our best basketball this Thursday against Carolina."
In each of these ACC contests, the Blue Devil defense has been stifling. The addition of Lindsay Harding to the starting lineup since the Carolina game has added quickness and improved the team's overall defense.
Holding its opponents under 50 points in each contest, Duke has forced an average of 22.4 turnovers in the last
Goestenkors believes that a lack of good team defense, especially defensive rotations, contributed to the Blue Devils' struggle in the Connecticut game.
"I think we've really made a concerted effort to help each other more and as a result our rotations have been much cleaner and crisper than they were prior to the Connecticut game," Goestenkors said.
While Duke has been cruising to easy victories, Carolina is coming off a scare against a Clemson team that is just 4-8 in the ACC.
Despite not playing their best, the Tarheels picked up the 70-66 victory last Sunday on 19 points by their leader Coretta Brown.
Brown will be a focal point of the Duke defense as they try to prevent Carolina from executing on offense.
The senior guard is averaging 14.3 points on the season and is hitting 40 percent of her three-point opportunities.
Besides Brown, the Tar Heels have an athletic backcourt with a lot of depth.
"I think the depth and quality of their guard play is outstanding, incredible," Goestenkors said. "They have guards that can do it all. They penetrate and can hit the three so it makes them very difficult to defend."
The Blue Devils front court players, Michele Matyasovsky, Mistie Bass and Wynter Whitley, will also have to contend with the 6-foot-6 Candace Sutton in the paint. Sutton is averaging 11 points and just under six rebounds on the season.
Bass, despite breaking her nose in practice and struggling with peripheral vision due to her protective mask, has been playing well since she started coming off the bench.
"She's an excellent low-post player, which is something we really haven't had in many years," Goestenkors said. "She's doing a tremendous job for us."
Carolina will also have to stop the Blue Devils' scoring duo of Alana Beard and Iciss Tillis.
Both players were named along with 19 other finalists for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year award.
In the overtime game against the Tar Heals in January, Tillis and Beard combined for 42 points in the second half and extra time as they led the Blue Devils to a 78-67 victory.
However, tonight's matchup promises to have Cameron on its feet as it carries over the energy from last night's dramatic men's victory over Maryland.
"I think it's going to be a tremendous atmosphere here at Cameron," Goestenkors said. "I'm just looking forward to the game."
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