In their last game before Thanksgiving, the Blue Devils can be thankful that Haley Gorecki was there to pour in 14 points in one quarter when the Blue Devils needed it Wednesday night.
Leaonna Odom’s versatility as a ball-handler, scorer and distributor was showcased throughout her team’s 99-85 victory.
Duke and Troy had their own war of attrition Sunday afternoon.
After a rough game against Northwestern last Sunday, the Blue Devils' leading scorer turned in perhaps the best night of her career against Idaho State.
Gorecki could not be stopped Thursday.
Duke fell hard to the Wildcats due to a sloppy second half.
Although the Blue Devils held the Wildcats to just six points in the second quarter, Northwestern’s combined 48-15 advantage in the first and third quarters allowed the Wildcats to pull away in the second half.
The mirror-image Duke and Northwestern programs will meet in Cameron Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.
Graduate student Haley Gorecki led the Blue Devils with 15 points, while senior Leonna Odom put up 13 and sophomore Miela Goodchild added 12 points of her own.
If Duke is to reach its potential in the 2019-2020 season, improving outside the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium is key.
Duke was outscored 46-28 in the second half, getting thoroughly out-rebounded and never finding an answer for star Aggie point guard Chennedy Carter.
The Aggies come into the season with high expectations, coming off a 26-10 season in which the Aggies reached the Sweet Sixteen.
Lambert's sequence at the end of the first quarter is one she'll remember for the rest of her life.
The Blue Devils used a balanced attack throughout the first half, with Leaonna Odom, Akinbode-James, and Miela Goodchild all contributing toward the last minutes of the half.
The Blue Devil offense will get a big boost with graduate student Kyra Lambert set to return to the court for the first time in two years.
Gorecki is the unequivocal leader for Duke, and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award candidate will be heavily relied upon in her final year as a Blue Devil.
Odom matches up well against every position except for center, giving head coach Joanne P. McCallie a plethora of ways to utilize her on the court.
"That was a very, very strong performance regardless of who you’re playing," - Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie.
Haley Gorecki earned a double double against the Seawolves Sunday afternoon.
In addition to her offensive production and rim protection, Duke also needs Williams to be a consistent passer with the team not utilizing a true point guard this year.
