Sometimes, you have to walk before you can run.
With so many new, uncertain elements-a new coach, a new system, new go-to players-Duke had many obstacles in its path to a Final Four berth. All year long, the Blue Devils had difficulty clearing the biggest hurdles, including the last one Sunday night against Texas A&M.
"We are a growing team," head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "[Texas A&M] is a seasoned team. We are a growing team trying to win championships. First-year coaches, changes, one senior, all those things [are factors]."
There were plenty of bumps along the road. The 10 losses Duke endured were its most since 1997. The Blue Devils' 2-8 clip against opponents ranked in the nation's top eight was a strong indicator that this year's team was not quite up to par with the best in the country. Despite all this, Duke managed to advance just as far in postseason play as last year's top-ranked squad. After Sunday's bitter loss, though, that achievement offered little consolation.
"Regardless of the kind of year we've had or the adversity we've faced, any year that ends in a loss, especially a loss before the Final Four, is not acceptable to Duke," junior Abby Waner said. "That's the good thing about this program. This hurts. And we expect more. That says a lot about the goals we set for ourselves."
For Waner, a natural shooter, this year was especially tough. After averaging 14.1 points per game and earning second-team All-ACC accolades as a sophomore in 2006-2007, she saw her scoring average drop to 10.3 this season and received third-team All-ACC recognition.
An even bigger change was in her success behind the arc. She shot an accurate 36.2 percent from downtown last year, but struggled all season to find her touch, finding the bottom of the net just 26.1 percent of the time this year.
"You are never happy when your shot doesn't fall," Waner said after the final game Sunday night. "So yeah, it gets frustrating."
Despite her shooting woes, Waner was able to help the team in other ways. She led the Blue Devils with 117 assists, and provided intangibles such as leadership and poise that went a long way toward Duke's run to the Sweet 16.
While Waner struggled to find her shooting stroke, Chante Black emerged as the new go-to scorer for the Blue Devils. After redshirting last year due to a knee injury, Black exploded onto the national scene by leading Duke in scoring at 14.1 points per game. As the season wore on, Black drew double and triple teams--and comparisons to the best centers in the country.
"Chante Black is a load," Texas A&M's head coach Gary Blair said after his team's victory over the Blue Devils in the Sweet 16. "We had as much trouble with her as we did with Courtney Paris [the Big 12 Player of the Year]."
Black's rise to the nation's elite was the product of a change in offense instituted by McCallie and her staff. Instead of running at mach-speed and putting up jump shots from the perimeter, Duke slowed down the tempo and pounded the ball inside to Black as often as it could. As more teams started taking notice of her dominance, the Blue Devils started passing the ball back out to the guards to generate offense.
One of the guards who received the feeds from Black was Wanisha Smith, the lone senior on this year's team. Smith battled back from early-season injuries to contribute 9.4 points per contest. Her real contribution, however, is not found on a stat sheet.
"We are going to miss an awful lot from Wanisha," McCallie said. "She is the energizer. 'Nish is the kid who is playing hard and aggressive and demanding intensity. She is just such a tough competitor.... You never replace people, and we will never replace 'Nish. You have to evolve as a new team."
Duke will evolve, and next year's team will be different from this year's team, just as this one differed from the year before. And next year's squad will have plenty of motivation to come out of the gate sprinting. With another year's worth of seasoning, the Blue Devils might be ready to take the next step toward their perennial goal of a national championship.
"I have a great belief in this team," McCallie said. "[The loss in the Sweet 16] leaves you very sad, but it also leaves you very motivated for the lessons we can take from this experience."
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