PORTLAND, Ore.— At this level within the season, three basketball packages have groups remaining in each the lads’s and girls’s NCAA tournaments. On Saturday night within the Moda Middle, two of these squads met: No. 3-seed UConn and No. 7-seed Duke, two perennial basketball powerhouses, every heading out west hoping to maintain on their journey via March Insanity.
In the end, it was the Huskies who will proceed dancing, barely preventing off a late comeback try to flee with a 53-45 win in a defensive battle that may give UConn the chance to tackle No. 1-seed Southern California within the Elite Eight.
“We have been out of kinds and out of rhythm on the offensive finish and simply weren’t in a position to till late, get sufficient factors on the board,” stated head coach Kara Lawson after the loss.
The resolve of Duke visibly started to wane because the third quarter went on and the first-half deficit didn’t shrink. Senior heart Kennedy Brown picked up her third foul with greater than 4 minutes left within the interval, and the offense as soon as once more seemed misplaced. The units have been gradual and it appeared like the one photographs have been contested jumpers with the shot clock winding down. At the same time as UConn heart Aaliyah Edwards picked up her fourth foul simply over midway via the interval and checked out, Paige Bueckers continued to dominate. She went 4-for-5 from the sphere within the third quarter, scoring seemingly at will from anyplace previous halfcourt.
There was somewhat extra life from the Blue Devils on the finish of the interval, stringing collectively just a few buckets to chop the deficit to fifteen, however morale was visibly low as frustrations rose. Taina Mair missed a straightforward go to open the ultimate quarter and put her head in her palms. Even with a push within the closing 5 minutes to shut the result in as little as 5 factors, it simply was not sufficient.
“I believe we did a poor job,” Lawson stated. “Whether or not it was changing in transition, we acquired plenty of one-on-ones and three-on-ones that we fumbled and didn’t end, and people are those which can be helpful to transform.”
It was, unsurprisingly, Bueckers who acquired the scoring going, dropping one in from midrange. From there, nonetheless, it was protection that set the tone early. The Blue Devils, regardless of being unable to seek out a lot of the rim, additionally managed to maintain UConn off the scoreboard. After greater than 4 minutes of play, the 2 groups had mixed for simply three complete buckets.
Lastly, it was the Huskies who managed to open the sport up early. A fast run put them up 10-4, as Edwards brought about issues each down low and within the midrange for the Duke protection. Edwards and Bueckers had eight of UConn’s first 10 factors. The Huskies, identified for enjoying their starters practically your entire sport, would require extra big-time minutes from their star duo. On the finish of the primary quarter, Duke’s defense-heavy method to the sport had prevailed because the Blue Devils trailed 10-6.
Whereas the protection was as robust as ever, the Duke offense floundered. The Blue Devils turned the ball over 13 occasions within the first half of play, as sloppy performs and violations abounded.
“Defensively, we performed nicely sufficient to win,” Lawson stated.
Shot-making was additionally uninspiring at finest. Duke went 5-for-24 from the sphere within the first half, scoring simply 13 factors. Whereas the protection was retaining the squad from Durham within the sport, the scoring must enhance to tug the Blue Devils again to inside true putting distance.
Lastly, greater than midway via the second interval, Duke scored its first bucket of the quarter off a bounce shot from freshman guard Oluchi Okananwa. The one different made subject aim of the interval got here from sophomore guard Ashlon Jackson. Enjoying what can solely be described as among the most morbidly fascinating basketball that has been seen so far within the match, Duke trailed 23-13 on the half. Edwards led each groups in scoring with 10 factors at a powerful 5-for-6 clip from the sphere.
Regardless of the tough first half, Duke got here out of the gate within the second with somewhat bit extra struggle. Junior guard Reigan Richardson continued what has been a robust match thus far with a midrange bucket, and Brown took benefit of Edwards’ three fouls to assault the glass. On the opposite finish, Bueckers acquired sizzling early. She sunk a pair of photographs from past the arc, and the Huskies shortly expanded their result in 14.
With simply two gamers — Brown and graduate heart Camilla Emsbo — on the finish of their eligibility, practically your entire staff could have the chance to return. Till the brand new marketing campaign comes, nonetheless, it is going to be time to regroup and get better.
“These previous few years have been actually particular for me. Clearly the folks probably the most,” stated Brown on what she would miss as her faculty profession involves an finish. “Getting to return in day-after-day and work to get higher, to show and study has been actually particular for me this 12 months. I believe particularly this group is a extremely particular group and I am excited for the longer term to look at them develop and proceed to be their number-one followers.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly publication. Cancel at any time.