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ACC spotlight: A look inside Duke women’s basketball

By Arielle Chambers

DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 15: Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie talks to her team during a timeout. The Duke University Blue Devils hosted the Longwood University Lancers at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina in a 2016-17 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball game on November 15, 2016. Duke won the game 105-48. (Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 15: Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie talks to her team during a timeout. The Duke University Blue Devils hosted the Longwood University Lancers at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina in a 2016-17 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball game on November 15, 2016. Duke won the game 105-48. (Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Duke University has long been a dominating force in the Atlantic Coast Conference; this year is no different. In both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Top 25 preseason polls, the Blue Devils ranked 12th in the nation.  Within the conference, they ranked third in predicted order of finish from the Head Coaches and Blue Ribbon Panel.

Redshirt seniors Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell largely contribute to their program’s success.  The backcourt duo combines to average 35 PPG, good for the highest scoring ACC pair.  Brown and Greenwell’s veteran presence and offensive efficiency makes the two essential in a victorious conference (and post-season) run.

Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie often credits her veteran players when asked about they keys to winning, but their effort is nationally recognized as well.

National and All-ACC preseason accolades go as follows:

Lexie Brown 

Blue Ribbon Panel preseason ACC Player of the Year

Preseason All-ACC team

2018 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list: one of 20 candidates recognized for being the top point guard in NCAA Division I college basketball

Rebecca Greenwell

Preseason All-ACC team

2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list: one of 20 candidates recognized for being the top shooting guard in NCAA Division I women’s college basketball

Leaonna Odom

2018 Katrina McClain Award watch list: one of 20 candidates recognized for being the top power forward in NCAA Division I women’s college basketball

Erin Mathias

2018 Lisa Leslie Award watch list: one of 20 candidates recognized for being the top center in NCAA Division I women’s college basketball.

The Summitt got to talk with Brown and Coach McCallie, discussing the tough match ups, goals for the season and steps to set themselves up for post-season longevity.

Duke debuts on Sunday, November 12, taking on Grand Canyon at 4 pm ET.  Key pre-ACC games include Ohio State and the University of South Carolina, on November 30 and December 3, respectively.

Click the links below to hear what Brown and Coach McCallie had to say about this year:

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