The NCAA Sweet 16 is milk for some and bitter sweet for others. Having defeated Marquette Tuesday, Duke (29-3) advanced to the next round of tournament play to faceoff with Louisiana Tech (29-2) Sunday in Norfolk, Va.
"I think our expectations with both [the men's and women's teams] are very lofty," Blue Devil head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "We expect to win the ACC Championship. We want to win, and plan for being in the Final Four and winning a national championship. So when your expectations are as lofty as they are, you work towards that all year long and I think you're prepared to play in the tournament."
The Blue Devils have faced the Lady Techsters just one time before. In December 2002, Duke dominated Louisiana Tech, forcing 18 turnovers and holding the team to a 39.3 percent shooting average from the field in a 76-64 victory. But this time around, the Blue Devils will have to face a much transformed team. Ranked seventh, the Techsters earned themselves a No. 5 seed in the tournament by winning their ninth straight Western Athletic Conference title. Their most recent victory, an 81-64 upset of fourth-seeded Texas Tech in the second round capped off their 21-game winning streak.
Louisiana Tech is indisputably the toughest team Duke has had to face in the tournament thus far. In addition to the momentum provided by their growing streak, the Techsters have four players currently averaging double figures in scoring. A senior duo of Amisha Carter and Trina Frierson lead those four with 17.2 and 16.0 points per game, respectively, and together become a threatening inside presence.
"I have watched some tape on [Louisiana Tech]. They are very athletic," Goestenkors said. "They have two dynamic post players. They run, they trap, they are very aggressive. It is going to be a great game. We are going to have to play the best post defense of the year. Usually you can handle one great post, but Louisiana Tech has two great posts. They are the two leading scorers."
Fortunately, the Blue Devils have both size and experience on their side. Carter and Frierson both stand tall at 6-foot-2, but with Brittany Hunter and Mistie Bass at 6-foot-3, Iciss Tillis at 6-foot-5 and Alison Bales at 6-foot-7, Duke easily trumps the Techsters in height. In addition, the taller Blue Devils are currently having everything their way on the court so far in the tournament. Hunter, who is fighting through pain to play while recovering from a recurring knee injury, came off the bench in the second half against Marquette to score 12 points and grab six rebounds.
"Brittany [Hunter]'s always ready to play," boasted three-time All-American and tri-captain Alana Beard. "She came in and the first thing she did was get an offensive rebound. She brings a spark. I don't know how someone can sit out a week and come in and just go 6-for-8. That's pretty impressive. That speaks well about how good she is and how talented she is."
"Having her play was huge," Goestenkors confirmed. "We wanted her to get in and get her feet wet and she made a big splash."
Duke is also much better acquainted with the intensity both teams will face Sunday. While their records are almost identical, the Blue Devils have already faced two of the nation's top-ranked teams, Tennessee and Connecticut, with a 1-1 ledger. Louisiana Tech has only had to face three ranked teams this year. Duke is also undefeated all-time against WAC teams.
In addition, this is Duke's seventh consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, with a 4-2 record in regional semifinal action--not to mention having qualified for three Final Fours since 1999. So while Louisiana Tech may be considered a traditional power in the NCAA Tournament--they won three national titles and have played eight National Championship games--Duke would clearly qualify as a current power.
Driven by hunger and guided by experience and overall performance in the tournament thus far, an Elite Eight appearance by the Blue Devils wouldn't appear to be so far away. The biggest problem for Duke is that its emerging vulnerability is one of the Techsters' specialties. Against Marquette, the Blue Devils marked their season-high turnover tally with 26.
"I'm very disappointed with the poise on the offensive end," Goestenkors said after the matchup against Marquette. "When we did take care of the ball, I thought we got good looks. We shot almost 52 percent from the floor. It was almost like we either turned the ball over or we scored. We will have to really improve in that area over the next couple of days."
Louisiana Tech plays a tough player-to-player defense, both on the ball and in passing lanes. This has resulted in an impressive defensive record of 24 turnovers per game and 14 steals per game. Against the top-seeded team in the Mideast, the Techsters should also be expected to utilize their extremely successful full-court press which has contributed to the latter statistic. "It will take 40 minutes [to beat Duke]," Louisiana Tech's head coach Kurt Budke said. "Our team can put up a perfect 40 minutes together because our team is playing good basketball. We are a balanced team and that is one way to get it done. You have to defend and take their easy baskets away to give yourself a chance."
Still, Duke has had to overcome larger obstacles and offers a tough defense as well. In this season's matchup against UConn, the Blue Devils' full-court press did not allow the Huskies across half court more than twice in the final four minutes of the game as Duke went on an 18-3 run led by Beard, who contributed 11, to win the game on a last-second shot. In the end, the Blue Devils are both dominant, confident and still determined and driven in their quest for the championship, which will make them very difficult to defeat.
"I don't really think I need to speak up," Beard said. "We need to know what we need to do. We've been to two Final Fours in a row, and if that doesn't make us hungry, I don't know what will."
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