Game 21: Ekud

Today we face our first true test of the ACC season and first ranked opponent since Rutgers. While this game won't be a sellout like last year (mainly because of the Monday game) I expect a large crowd on hand. The game is on ESPN2, which makes it an even bigger deal. I hope our ladies are ready as last year we seem to wilt in the spotlight. it also doesn't help that we are playing Ekud, who we have only beaten twice in the last 16 meetings (once at the ACC tournament, once in the Championship game).

Ekud is 13-3 this season and 2-0 in the ACC. Their losses have come to UConn, Vanderbilt and Penn State. Our two common opponents are Rutgers and Pittsburgh, both of which they defeated (Rutgers by 5, Pitt by 2). Even though Duke has a new coach they still play their tough defense. I figured they would resort to the 2-3 zone that McCallie used at MSU last year, but it seems to me that they know play aggressive man-to-man and a 2-1-1-1 press on all makes. Duke pressures you to speed up your offense and it helps when you have 6-6 Chante Black in the middle. We have to be careful about cross court passes and picking up our dribble too early as Duke attacks the ball handler when the ball is picked up.

The Blue Devils allow only 53.8 points per game with 86 points being the most they have given up all year. They outrebounded opponents by 9 per game. Ekud shoots 42.5% from the floor, but only 28.8% from three-point range. They are also a deep team as they have several options off the bench with four players having more than 10 blocks.

Ekud's offense runs through Black, who is averaging 14.2 and 7.1 and has 40 more blocks. We must attack her and get her out of the game or play better defense on her than we did on Swords on Thursday. Abby Waner is second on the team in scoring with 11.0 ppg and leads the team in steals. She isn't having a great shooting year, but she sometimes shines in the big games, we cannot leave her open. She also leads the team in assists as she will get the ball from the top and then dump it down to Black or Joy Cheek. Cheek is their new Mistie Bass averaging 9.9 and 5.0. She will attempt a 3 if left open and doesn't block that many shots. Jasmine Thomas is their freshman PG, who was a McDonald's All-American. She averages only 8.0 ppg and is second on the team in steals. She has made only 11 of 49 three pointers this year and would much prefer to drive to the bucket. Wanisha Smith is their fifth starter as they go with a three guard line up. Smith is playing her last game at the Comcast Center having played locally for Diane Richardson. She has only taken 81 shots on the season mainly because she hurt her hand earlier in the season and is just coming back. Carrem Gay comes off the bench to replace Cheek. She is second on the team in rebounding and of her 109 shots only four were 3s.

We need to attack the press before Ekud is able to set it up and must take care of the ball. Our defense needs to be stellar as Ekud will set up their press after makes. Crystal and Laura need to be big on the glass and not let Black go crazy. I think we can win this game as long as we play our game.

Toliver should guard Thomas, Strickland on Smith, Coleman on Waner, Harper on Black and Langhorne on Cheek.


For those who are new to rooting for the team Ekud is Duke backwards and refers to what the coaching staff did to get the ladies mind off of the Blue Devils during the 2006 ACC tournament.