Duke women's basketball 2020-21 player preview: Jennifer Ezeh

After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, Jennifer Ezeh is healthy and looking to make an impact in her first collegiate season.
After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, Jennifer Ezeh is healthy and looking to make an impact in her first collegiate season.

College basketball season is approaching, and with that the  Blue Zone gives you a breakdown of the 2020-2021 women's basketball  squad.  Be sure to check out the previous previews: Vanessa de Jesus, Uchenna Nwoke, Jiselle Havas, Sara Anastasieska, Jada Claude, Jaida Patrick and Onome Akinbode-James.

Jennifer Ezeh

Year: Sophomore

Height: 6-foot-3

Position: Forward

Last year's statline: N/A

Game breakdown: Much like with Jiselle Havas, tape on Ezeh is sparse. There’s film of her semifinal performance from the 2019 GEICO Nationals in her senior year of high school, but not much else, in large part due to her arriving at Duke with a torn ACL last summer.

ESPN’s prospect report on Ezeh spoke highly of her, describing the Nigeria native as a faceup post with a "quick 1st-step attack" and ability to score with defenders in her face.

Ezeh has a clear understanding of spacing and rolling, and displays very thoughtful team play in the paint. She’s also an effortless rebounder and boxes out excellently. Her ability to hit shots and be physical at the post is unique among Blue Devil bigs, but her defense could often be described as inattentive or lax. Jade Williams and Onome Akinbode-James have their defensive strengths, so for Ezeh to really break into that rotation, she’ll have to show passable defense.

Role on the team: Duke’s rotation of post players likely includes three regulars in Williams, Akinbode-James and Ezeh. If Ezeh does turn out to be a viable faceup player, she’ll give Duke a type of player that those other two aren’t, and playing capable defense on taller opposing wings and midrange bigs would be another skillset for her that Williams and Akinbode-James lack. Add the fact that she’s one of just three highly-touted underclassmen, and expect a large share of the power forward minutes to go to Ezeh.

Projected stats: 5.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 12.0 MPG

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