Duke women’s basketball will conclude its regular season Sunday hoping for revenge against rival North Carolina. As the Blue Devils look to clinch a share of the ACC regular-season title, the Blue Zone highlights a key player from each side:
Duke: Kennedy Brown
The one clear advantage that Duke will have over its rival this weekend is size. The tallest player on North Carolina’s typical starting lineup is junior forward Anya Poole, who is listed at 6-foot-2. Therefore, with Blue Devil junior center Kennedy Brown having a four-inch height advantage, it will be essential that she capitalizes on this. The Oregon State transfer has been an anchor for Duke this year, starting in all 28 games at the center position. Brown does not need to score 15 points to have a positive impact on the game because she adds so much value outside of scoring. She is crucial in controlling the paint on both ends of the floor and she has the ability to alter shots with her presence, even when she doesn’t record the block. In Duke’s most recent victory against N.C. State, the Derby, Kan., native had a plus-minus of plus-26, tied with sophomore guard Reigan Richardson for the team’s high.
In North Carolina’s 61-56 victory against Duke Jan. 19, the Tar Heels outscored the Blue Devils 30-16 in the paint, a large contributor to their victory. Brown struggled mightily from the field, going 0-for-7 while only scoring two points off foul shots. Nevertheless, she had six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Brown has become an excellent facilitator as well, and Duke’s offense often relies on her to make passes to cutters or open shooters. If she can continue her all-around performance while scoring around her average of 6.7 points per game, the Blue Devils have a real shot at knocking off the Tar Heels and claiming a share of the ACC regular-season title.
North Carolina: Alyssa Ustby
Like Duke, the Tar Heels boast a balanced scoring attack and have multiple players that can produce at a high level offensively. Junior wing Alyssa Ustby, the third-leading scorer on the team, is the Tar Heels’ swiss army knife. She can do a little bit of everything for the 22nd-ranked team, and at 6-foot-1, is a difficult matchup due to her size and efficiency. The Rochester, Minn., native shoots 51.8% from the field, the second-highest mark on her team. While Ustby is a capable shooter from deep, much of her production comes from inside the arc, and she often makes tough finishes in the paint. In addition, she leads her team in rebounding, averaging 8.8 boards per game this season. The former McDonald's All-American nominee contributes heavily on the defensive end as well, leading the team in both steals and blocks.
Ustby returned from a five-game absence due to a lower body injury Thursday in North Carolina’s heartbreaking 61-59 loss to Virginia Tech. She is essential for her team’s success, as the Tar Heels had an eight-game ACC winning streak prior to her injury, and went just 2-3 in her absence. If Duke wants to claim revenge against North Carolina, it will need to not only limit Ustby’s offensive production, but keep her off the boards and take care of the ball when she is around.
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Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.