After a Thanksgiving Day of relaxing on the beach in the Bahamas, the No. 10 women’s basketball team won the 2004 Junkanoo Jam held in Freeport.
After blasting overmatched Stephen F. Austin 84-29 Friday, Duke topped No. 16 Kansas State in the championship game the following day. Heading into the game 1-1 against top-25 teams, the Blue Devils improved their record with a convincing 63-51 win at St. Georges High School Gym.
“This was a great team effort,” head coach Gail Goestenkors said. “We had the same great intensity and focus in both games.”
Duke (5-1) opened with a 12-0 run and controlled the first half against the Wildcats, but Kansas State (3-1) pulled to within eight points in the second. Then Wynter Whitley, finally healthy after a preseason ankle injury, drew two consecutive charges on the Wildcats, killing their late rally and allowing the Blue Devils to coast to victory.
In the championship game Monique Currie netted 25 points, along with four steals and two blocks.
“Mo did a fantastic job this weekend,” said Goestenkors of the Tournament MVP, who scored a total of 47 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. “She set the tone for the rest of the team with her effort, intensity, determination and aggressiveness to the basket.”
With co-captain Lindsey Harding still suspended, freshman Wanisha Smith continued to start at the point and played more than 30 minutes in each contest. While struggling to score points, Smith held Kansas State’s three-point specialist Kendra Wecker to 1-of-5 shooting from behind the arc and just 15 points after the forward netted 41 in the tournament’s opening round.
“’Nish did excellent considering the competition,” Goestenkors said. “She did a great job setting up our offenses and playing terrific defense on the other side of the court.”
The freshman has now started all but one game, and although turnovers continue to plague her—she had seven in the Bahamas—Smith has steadily increased her assist totals and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team.
Duke received a needed boost on the boards as freshman center Chante Black returned from an ankle injury she suffered during the team’s second contest. Junior Alison Bales had been given the bulk of the rebounding duty, and with Black’s return, Bales exploded for 24 points, 27 rebounds and 11 blocks at the Junkanoo Jam. Black notched 15 rebounds and combined with Bales to give Duke the post threat it expected to have with a pair of players standing over 6-foot-5 in the paint.
“Ali is really coming into her own,” Goestenkors said. “When Chante went down she knew she had to step it up, and she’s been working really hard in practice. I was thrilled to see her work pay off and get two consecutive double-doubles.”
After a six-day break, the Blue Devils opened the tournament scoring 13 points before the Ladyjacks could score their first point, which came on a free throw. Duke did not relent and kept Stephen F. Austin without a field goal until 4:49 was left in the first half.
Trailing 30-4, sharpshooter Jennifer Simpson drained a three to end the Ladyjacks field-goal drought, but it was far too late especially because Currie, Bales and Black each tallied double-doubles. All nine of Duke’s active players saw at least 10 minutes of action and notched at least one field goal.
After returning from the beaches in the Bahamas, the Blue Devils will have a few days to regroup before traveling to the much less appealing climate in Knoxville, Tenn., where they will face off against the No. 1 Lady Vols Thursday. Although widely regarded as the nation’s best team, the Lady Vols will likely lose their top ranking after losing to No. 4 Texas earlier in the week.
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