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ACC team-by-team previews: Notre Dame, Duke battle for the top

By Arielle Chambers

TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Duke

Projected finish: 3rd   

Last year’s record: 28-6, 13-3 ACC

Key Returners (last season’s stats)

G- Lexie Brown, 5’9, (Suwanee, GA), R-SR– 18.3 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.7 RPG, 33.9 MPG; AP Third Team All-America, All-ACC Defensive Team, Kay Yow Award Winner.

G- Rebecca Greenwell, 6’1, (Owensboro, KY), R-SR- 16.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, 33.6 MPG; All-ACC First Team.

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)

F- Oderah Chidom, 6’4, (Oakland, CA)- 8.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 22.2 MPG.

F/C- Kendall Cooper, 6’4, (Carson, CA)- 6.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 19.5 MPG.

DURHAM, NC – NOVEMBER 15: Duke’s Lexie Brown
DURHAM, NC – NOVEMBER 15: Duke’s Lexie Brown /

Newcomers

C- Bego Faz Davalos, 6’3, (San Luis Potos, MEX), R-SR-  transfer from Fresno State, NCAA active leader in rebounds (896), blocks (346) and double-doubles (37).

F- Madison Treece, 6’4, (St. Peters, MO), FR- espnW HoopGurlz 83rd ranked recruit, 22nd in All Star Girls Report, 71st in Blue Star Report.

G- MIkayla Boykin, 5’9, (Clinton, NC), FR- fifth-ranked recruit on All Star Girls Report, espnW HoopGurlz 20th ranked recruit, 18th ranked on Blue Star Report, 40th on Prospects Nation.

G- Jayda Adams, 6’0, (Irvine, CA), FR- ranked 36th on Prospects Nation, 41st on All Star Girls Report, and 88th on Blue Star Report.

F/C- Jade Williams, 6’5, (The Colony, TX), FR- espnW HoopGurlz 13th ranked recruit, ranked 15th on Prospects Nation, 13th on Blue Star Report, 21st on All Star Girls Report.

Head Coach

Joanne P. McCallie, 11th season

Last year, “the victories made us hungry to be even closer, stronger, better together,” Coach McCallie said at Media Day. “It was part of the process getting to this point.”

TALLAHASSEE, FL – JANUARY 08: Joanne McCallie women’s head coach Duke University Blue Devils
TALLAHASSEE, FL – JANUARY 08: Joanne McCallie women’s head coach Duke University Blue Devils /

Key non-conference games

Nov. 30-Ohio State

Dec. 3- @South Carolina

Outlook

Duke’s biggest strength is the killer backcourt combination of Rebecca Greenwell and Lexie Brown.  Combined, the two average about 35 PPG, the highest-scoring ACC duo.  They attempted 156 shots from three-point range.  

Coach McCallie sees the impact of their veteran leadership as well in the mantra of “preparation daily.” She said, “You’ve got to transcend that. [Greenwell and Brown] can do that.”

They hope they’ll be complemented by transfer center Bego Faz Davalos. The new Duke addition in the post is a defensive powerhouse, leading the NCAA in rebounds (896), blocks (346), blocks per game (3.46) and double doubles. This makes for a solid, well-balanced rotation.

This Duke team is no stranger to ACC domination and NCAA tournament runs.  They might just have the pieces this year to go all the way.

Best case scenario:

Duke’s talent takes them all the way to the Final Four.

Worst case scenario:

The Blue Devils get a bit ahead of themselves and make careless mental mistakes in tournament play. 

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