It's a lot easier to score in the paint against the Lady Volunteers when Candace Parker isn't clogging up the lane.
A year after losing to Tennessee on a game-winner from Parker, the Blue Devils exploited their own advantage inside en route to a 62-54 victory.
The Lady Vols graduated all of their frontcourt starters from a year ago, and the inexperience showed as the Blue Devils held an edge in points inside and dominated the battle of the boards, 49-36. On a night when only Jasmine Thomas shot the ball well from the field, Duke needed a strong offensive performance from its post players.
"Duke was a lot more physical than us," Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt said. "In particular, tonight, their post game stepped up."
The Blue Devils' dominant performance on the glass and in the paint keyed a 16-0 run beginning with 16:32 remaining in the second half that broke the game open.
Duke began attacking the glass on the first possession of that spurt, pulling down four offensive rebounds. The result was an empty trip, but the Blue Devils had set the tone for the remainder of the stretch.
The frontcourt continued to attack Tennessee as center Chante Black led the team with eight points during the surge. She had an incredibly efficient game, converting 8-of-11 field goals, and the only flaw in her stat line was a 2-of-5 clip from the free throw line.
"Chante Black really gives us a savvy presence on both ends of the court, and we need to get her the ball more," Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie said.
Forwards Keturah Jackson and Bridgette Mitchell scored the remainder of the points on Duke's run. Six of their eight points came off of layups or free throws, demonstrating the Blue Devils' aggressive mindset as they relentlessly attacked the painted area.
And while the offense thrived on a steady diet of points in the paint, the Duke defense effectively denied the Lady Vols any such looks. Tennessee was forced into taking 10 consecutive jumpers during their eight-minute scoreless stretch before it finally scored a layup at the 8:42 mark, as Duke denied entries into the lane.
"We need to get the ball inside a lot more, especially when we are not hitting shots from the outside," Tennessee guard Angie Bjorklund said. "They did a good job defending us."
When the Lady Vols started to mount a comeback, the Blue Devils once again looked inside to take control of the game. After the lead dwindled to seven points, Joy Cheek drove in for a layup and drew a foul on the ensuing possession.
In the final minute of the game, with Tennessee fouling to stay within striking distance and Duke missing the majority of its free throws, the Blue Devils kept their lead by attacking the glass. Cheek and Krystal Thomas each pulled down offensive rebounds off of missed foul shots and grabbed defensive boards so that the Lady Vols had quick, one-shot possessions.
It is this type of physical performance that is becoming commonplace for McCallie's team. The head coach has preached Big Ten-style rebounding and toughness since her arrival in 2007 as the key ingredient to long and successful postseason runs.
Even Summitt noticed that Duke's grit resembled that of McCallie's Michigan State squad that upset Tennessee in the 2005 Final Four.
"That team was good, and this team is very good," Summitt said. "This team is more physical. They're more athletic across the board.... They'll go deep in the tournament."
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