No. 16 Duke women’s basketball will host No. 8 North Carolina Thursday for their second meeting this season. The Blue Zone is here with an overview of the Tar Heels and the game, along with three keys for the Blue Devils:
Overview
2023-24 record: 20-13, 11-7 in the ACC
2024-25 record: 25-4, 13-3 in the ACC
Head coach: Courtney Banghart
History: North Carolina leads 56-53
Last meeting: 53-46 North Carolina, Jan. 9, 2025
The Tobacco Road rivalry will again reveal its intensity as Duke takes on North Carolina following a dominant win against Syracuse Sunday. The victory snapped the Blue Devils’ two-game loss streak that included a 70-62 loss against unranked Louisville. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels scraped by with a 79-75 win against the Cardinals Sunday in an exciting comeback. Following this win, North Carolina moved to 9-0 in away games and justified its standing as the nation’s last undefeated women’s team on the road. The Tar Heels are an exception to the usual trend of home-court advantage losses, so Duke must be prepared for the visitors from Chapel Hill and their unwavering performance.
The Blue Devils will aim to add a win to their own record and break North Carolina’s win streak of seven ahead of the upcoming ACC Tournament and March Madness. The game will feature two top-20 teams, indicating a tumultuous battle in Cameron Indoor Stadium. With a possible double-bye into the ACC Tournament quarterfinals at stake, the pressure is on for both teams. Because Duke’s in-state rivals came away victorious the last time the teams met Jan. 9, combined with North Carolina’s higher rankings in polls, the Blue Devils will aim to make a statement with a victory.
Senior Maria Gakdeng leads the Tar Heels with an average of 11.2 points per game, followed closely by guard Alyssa Ustby with 10.7 points per game. While their offense is strong in home and away situations, the team’s defense is what truly stands out; North Carolina ranks first in the ACC in points allowed at just 56.4 points per game. Duke follows in second by limiting its opponents to an average of 58.7 points per game. The meeting will surely be a clash of excellent defensive capabilities.
As the finale of the Blue Devil home games this season, the game serves as the Senior Game to honor the two Duke seniors. Guard Vanessa de Jesus has been a staple playmaker with the Blue Devils since the 2020-21 season, despite sitting out the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury. Reigan Richardson, a Duke guard since 2022-2023 after transferring from Georgia, is a consistent starter and scorer for the Blue Devils. The Charlotte native holds a career-high of 35 points from the Blue Devils’ visit to Oklahoma Nov. 27. Richardson and De Jesus will play critical roles in Duke’s showing against North Carolina as they attempt to tie a bow on their college careers with a rivalry win at home.
Three keys
Defensive resilience: North Carolina does not shy away from close games, so Duke will need to maintain defensive composure regardless of time or score differential. The Tar Heels excel in competitive environments, demonstrated by their comeback win against Louisville after only leading for less than a minute all game. Similarly, their tenacity enabled them to withstand the Blue Devil’s attempted comeback in the last 12 minutes of the Jan. 9 meeting. A collective effort to aggressively defend the arc and paint is crucial for a Duke victory, especially since North Carolina does not waver during deficits or scoring droughts. Each player must contribute to the team’s man-to-man defense and prevent scoring opportunities from each Tar Heel.
Reduce turnovers: The Blue Devils must once again limit their turnovers against North Carolina. The Tar Heels cause an average of 17.5 opponent turnovers a game, largely caused by North Carolina’s average of 8.3 steals a game. Junior Indya Nivar leads her team’s steal count with an average of 2.0 steals a game. The Tar Heels only turn the ball over an average of 12.8 times a game. In their last meeting Jan. 9, North Carolina forced 21 Duke turnovers. Turnovers increase transition opportunities and quicken the pace of the game, creating an environment in which the Tar Heels would thrive. The Blue Devils must control the game’s pace by maintaining composure and reducing fast breaks against them. Additionally, smarter passes and greater field vision will prevent mistakes and improve offensive results. Turnovers will make or break a Duke victory against the Chapel Hill foes.
Capitalizing on offensive opportunities: Duke must focus on its shooting efficiency which it lacked in the last rivalry meeting. The Blue Devils went 16-of-68 from the field, yielding a 23.5% shooting percentage against the Tar Heels earlier this season. However, there has since been an improvement in their shooting — in the two most recent games against Louisville and Syracuse, Duke converted 50.0% and 43.5% of its field goal attempts, respectively. The Blue Devils must utilize this momentum of improved offensive efficiency in the match-up Thursday. This effort will require the team to look for forwards including Toby Fournier in the paint for close shots. Duke guards should look to capitalize on 3-pointer opportunities, especially starter Ashlon Jackson who has converted 40.4% of her attempts over the season. Additionally, driving to the basket to draw fouls will increase prowess in the paint and provide additional points through free throws. The Blue Devils must aim to have successful shooting and adjust their tactics if their offense gets stuck in the mud of unfinished shots.
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Ariella Maroni is a Trinity first-year and a staff reporter for the news department.