Duke Takes On Miami Semifinal Saturday
Duke is coming off a 68 -46 win in the quarterfinal on Friday at the women's ACC tournament over Syracuse and has advanced to semifinal Saturday.
How did they get to this point?
Lexy Brown led the way for Duke with 22 points as Duke defeated Syracuse 68-46. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Kendell Cooper had a great outing as she finished with 12 points and eight rebounds while Kyra Lambert finished with nine rebounds.
Oderah Chidom also contributed to Duke's scoring effort as she had 11 points. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Tight defense and effective rebounding from both sides kept either team from garnering any momentum in the early going, as the contest would proceed to the second frame with the Blue Devils up 15-14 following a Lexie Brown buzzer-beating three. She would lead the team at the end of the first with eight points. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Syracuse regained the lead at 16-15 on a hard layup. Cooper would answer with her third and fourth points of the game, only to be followed by a Syracuse three. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
The Orange got things started in the second frame, re-taking the lead with a hard-earned layup to go up 16-15. Cooper would answer with her third and fourth points of the game, only to be followed by a Syracuse three. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
After minutes of scoreless play, senior Oderah Chidom would break it up with a tough basket inside the paint that would be followed by a Greenwell jumper that extended the Blue Devils’ lead to three. That lead would be short-lived, as a Syracuse trey would knot it back up at 22-22. Duke made sure not to allow Syracuse to regain the lead, however, as Chidom would find the basket right as the shot clock expired, making it 24-22. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
With just seconds before half, sophomore Kyra Lambert joined the likes of teammate Brown, hitting a deep bucket from beyond the arc as time expired, sending the Blue Devils into the locker room at the half up 29-26. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Despite not scoring in the second quarter, Brown would still lead the team at the half with eight points. Chidom followed just behind with seven. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
The score would reflect 29-26 for the first 2:04 of the second half until Kendell Cooper bucket from near the top of the key extended the lead to five. The physicality of play increased noticeably as the third quarter continued, highlighted by a hard fall from Greenwell on an attempted shot from the paint. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Lexie Brown showed her toughness as well, earning a trip to the charity stripe after a Syracuse foul sent her well beyond the baseline into the group of nearby photographers. Brown’s added point made it 47-39, and the Blue Devils began to pick up steam, improving their defensive play on the other end as well. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Kendall Cooper put an exclamation mark on the third quarter by stuffing an attempted three from Syracuse and sending it into the crowd.
There would be nothing doing for the first 2:25 of the final frame, until two foul shots from Syracuse made it 51-41. Lexie Brown responded with her third three of the game, giving her 20 points with over half a quarter to play. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Duke would not look back, taking their lead all the way to the final buzzer. Syracuse showed late life in the closing minutes, but the Blue Devils couldn’t seem to miss, essentially nullifying the efforts from the Orange. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211513952&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Miami meanwhile who is coached by former Duke player Katie Meyer is coming off a nailbiter on Friday as they edged Florida State 56-54.
The Hurricanes, who forced four turnovers in the first two minutes and 20 seconds, raced out to an 8-0 lead, including making three shots before Florida State (25-5, 13-3 ACC) even attempted one. Miami would go on to take an 18-13 lead at the end of a first period that was capped with a buzzer-beating jump shot by senior guard Adrienne Motley. "according to
Miami used a 13-4 run, including a personal 7-2 stretch by redshirt senior forward Keyona Hays, to build an 11-point lead, 33-22, with 1:49 left on the second-period clock. The Seminoles scored the final three points of the half and the Hurricanes led, 33-25, entering the locker room. "according to http://www.hurricanesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28700&ATCLID=211510044
The Hurricanes shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the opening 20 minutes and outscored Florida State by a 22-14 margin in the paint. The Seminoles pulled as close as four in the third frame, but Miami stretched its advantage back to eight, 48-40, entering the final session. Sophomore guard Laura Cornelius scored the Hurricanes’ last six points of the quarter in a span of one minute and 12 seconds, capping the session with an acrobatic, contested layup in the closing seconds. "according to http://www.hurricanesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28700&ATCLID=211510044
Will Duke advance to championship Sunday or will Miami advance?
Tip-off is set for 2:30 pm. The game will be televised on ESPNU. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22760&SPID=1846&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211513952