ATLANTA — Jessica Foley is a big fan of Georgia Tech.
Her three-point shot is, at least.
The junior guard hit 5-of-7 from beyond the arc and led her team in total offense with 19 points in No. 3 Duke’s 73-55 rout of the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta Sunday.
But Foley’s accuracy from three-point land is old news to Georgia Tech. In the Blue Devils’ Jan. 17 come-from-behind victory, Foley torched the Yellow Jacket defense by sinking seven three-pointers. The junior has not recorded more than four three-point field goals in any game since the first meeting.
“I don’t know what it is, but I think we bring out the best in [Foley],” Georgia Tech head coach MaChelle Joseph said.
Duke (25-2, 11-1 in the ACC) gained the lead in the first five minutes of the game and never relinquished it. Though the Yellow Jackets (13-11, 4-8) narrowed the margin to as little as four within the first two minutes of the second half, the Blue Devils went on a 17-3 run, swelling the difference to 18.
By the time Foley sank her final three-pointer, Georgia Tech seemed finished.
With 6:46 remaining in the game, point guard Wanisha Smith grabbed the rebound off a missed Mistie Williams free throw and dished the ball to Foley outside the perimeter. Foley squared her shoulders and calmly sunk a clean trifecta to increase Duke’s lead to 59-39.
Georgia Tech would not climb within 18 points of the Blue Devils for the remainder of the game.
Duke’s accurate shooting proved the deciding factor in the game. The Blue Devils hit 51 percent of their field goals overall and 62 percent from three-point range, while the Yellow Jackets shot a paltry 28 percent from the field and 18 percent from outside the perimeter.
Georgia Tech used a triangle-and-two defense on forward Monique Currie and Foley in an attempt to contain two of Duke’s most dangerous scoring threats. Joseph said this strategy resulted in other Blue Devils getting open looks.
“I really thought that we did a good job on Currie, shutting her down,” Joseph said.
Currie was held to fewer than 10 points for the first time this season, snapping a 30-game streak. The junior National Player of the Year candidate is currently battling two stress fractures in her left foot and is playing with an oversized shoe, orthotics and a protective shell. She had been averaging 17.7 points on the season, but her average has dropped to 12.7 since her Feb. 3 injury.
“I just think she’s not become comfortable yet,” head coach Gail Goestenkors said of Currie. “She’s only had a couple of practices with us, and I think it’s just going to take time for her to become comfortable playing and shooting with the orthotic and the shell in her shoe.”
With the team’s top scorer injured, Duke’s bench players stepped up to make significant contributions. Senior Wynter Whitley and freshman Chante Black each contributed 11 points off the bench. Black, named ACC Rookie of the Week after the Blue Devils’ Feb. 13 win over Maryland, also posted a team-high nine rebounds.
Georgia Tech out-rebounded Duke, however, snagging 40 boards, 24 off the offensive glass. Duke recorded only 31 total and 10 offensive rebounds despite a marked size advantage in the paint. Sunday’s game was only the sixth time the Blue Devils have been beaten on the glass this season.
“Obviously, they did a tremendous job on the boards,” Goestenkors said. “I thought they really, in many instances, out-worked us and out-hustled us. They’re a very scrappy team.”
While Duke’s height did not translate into success in rebounding, the Blue Devils outscored the Yellow Jackets in the paint 28-16. Goestenkors switched to a triple-post offense to utilize the size of 6-foot-7 center Alison Bales, 6-foot-5 center Black, 6-foot-3 forward Williams and 6-foot-2 forward Whitley.
“We had such a size advantage on them, and we weren’t taking advantage of that,” Goestenkors said. “Early on, they were jamming up the middle. We were taking so many jump shots, and we really needed to get the ball inside, as well.”
“It made it look like the land of giants out there,” Joseph said.
Notes:
The win was the Blue Devils’ 25th consecutive against Georgia Tech and extended their current overall win streak to seven games.... Foley’s five three-pointers moved her into seventh place on Duke’s all-time three-pointers made list with 125.... Bales moved into fourth place on Duke’s all-time block list with 132.
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