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.
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.”
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. 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.