By: Ben McCormick
December 28, 2022
The Duke women's basketball team makes the short trip to Raleigh to play the No. 6 NC State Wolfpack on Thursday Dec. 29, at 8 p.m. ET. Duke is coming off of its sixth consecutive win, including most recently a win over previously undefeated Virginia. The Blue Devils' lone loss of the season was to now No. 8 (then No. 3) UConn at the Phil Knight Invitational at Portland, Ore. Outside of a nearly 30-point loss against the Huskies, Duke has claimed each of its eleven wins by double-digit margin.
Despite not being ranked at any point this season, Duke is ranked No. 11 in the NCAAW Net Rankings. The team's trip to NC State could prove to be a huge statement win for the Blue Devils if they could pull off the upset.
The Blue Devils' key to success will be through their defense and depth. Duke has the second best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 49.2 PPG; only No. 1 South Carolina allows less points per game from its opponents. Coach Kara Lawson is known for playing a deep bench, usually 11 deep, sometimes as many as 13. Only one Blue Devil averages over 10 PPG: Celeste Taylor averages 11.3 PPG.
This game appears to be between two teams in two different realms based on rank. However, this game will be between two teams that are both 11-1 overall, both 1-0 in conference, both with a 20+ point loss to UConn, and both win by an average of 23 points over their opponents. This game could reveal a lot about this Duke team, even if they lose. Keeping it close could show the rest of the ACC that they are not to be taken lightly.
@Duke_Wisdom
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