The Blue Devils were not about to fall victim to two big upsets in one week, but they did not perform to their expectations last night against Georgia Southern.
No. 11 Duke (2-1) defeated the Eagles 69-42 Thursday in Cameron Indoor Stadium behind a dominant first half. The second half, though, was disappointing, especially considering Duke’s lofty national ranking.
The Blue Devils only trailed the Eagles (1-1) once during the entire game, after Georgia Southern’s Jamie Navarro sank a 3-pointer to make the score 5-4 in the opening minutes. Then Duke went on a 16-0 run, led by a tremendous effort by senior Joy Cheek.
Cheek scored 10 of Duke’s first 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including one basket beyond the arc. She also contributed five rebounds. In addition, fifth-year senior Keturah Jackson put up 11 points, one shy of her career high.
“I wanted to step up and be a leader,” Jackson said. “I just owe it to the team to be aggressive, no matter what part of the court I am on. It’s all things that I know that I can do, so in the game, it’s natural.”
The Blue Devils had their defense working. After a disappointing loss to Texas A&M, in which they allowed 95 points, Duke stepped it up against the Eagles. They brought the full-court press frequently and efficiently, often frustrating Georgia Southern’s offense. The Blue Devils forced 24 turnovers, including 10 steals.
Indeed, the Blue Devils were hardly challenged early Thursday. All five of Duke’s starters scored in double digits, and the Blue Devils were a more physical, talented team.
However, Duke’s offense was sloppy later in the game. Cheek, after being so effective in the first half, was ineffective in the eight minutes she played during the second period. She did not score any points or pull down any rebounds, nor did she force any turnovers.
In addition, Georgia Southern played 40 minutes of zone defense, which caught the Blue Devils off-guard and forced them to take contested shots. Duke shot poorly from the perimeter, but held on to its double-digit lead the whole way.
The Blue Devils were 4-of-21 from 3-point range, including a 1-of-6 performance from sophomore Kathleen Sheer. Jasmine Thomas, who was recently named a Naismith Player of the Year candidate, was held to 1-of-5 shooting from three-point range.
“There’s no doubt that their zone slowed us down,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “Just because somebody plays a zone doesn’t mean you have to fire.”
Another problem plaguing the Blue Devils this early in the season was its performance from the free-throw line line. Duke shot 61.1 percent from the line last night.
In the coming games, the Blue Devils will have to pick up the pace on offense. Last night’s contest was a learning experience for Duke, and the Blue Devils expect a sharper performance the next time out.
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