JohnHenry
01-30-2003, 02:04 AM
ACC is a pretty weak conference, but Duke is supposed to be for real:
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Duke coach Gail Goestenkors called her team's performance Wednesday some of the "ugliest'' basketball she'd seen in a while.
Still, it was good enough for the top-ranked Blue Devils to remain undefeated.
Alana Beard had 24 points and 11 rebounds as Duke used defense to overcome poor shooting in a 54-44 win against North Carolina State.
With the win, the Blue Devils (20-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) set the stage for a game of unbeatens. They host No. 2 Connecticut on Saturday.
The defending NCAA champion Huskies (19-0), who have won a record 58 straight games, beat (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) Villanova 58-38 on Wednesday.
"The hype (for the UConn game) has been just so incredible,'' Goestenkors said. "Everyone's wanted to talk about that game for months and we've been working really hard just to focus on every game.''
Duke tied the ACC record for most wins to start a season, set by Virginia in the 1985-86 season. The Blue Devils shot 35 percent and went 1-for-14 from 3-point range, but still won their 32nd straight league game.
The 54 points were a season low for Duke.
But the Blue Devils held the Wolfpack (9-10, 4-4) to 30 percent shooting and forced 22 turnovers. They also dominated the glass, pulling down 17 offensive boards and taking a 48-32 rebounding advantage.
Terah James scored 13 points to lead N.C. State, which missed 22 of 27 shots to start the game and finished with a season-low point total.
"We really had a slow start and sputtered offensively in the first half,'' N.C. State coach Kay Yow said. "We had so many open shots around the basket that we didn't put down. It was frustrating.''
Beard was coming off a seven-point performance in a win against Florida State, marking the first time in 41 games she didn't reach double figures. But she went 9-for-17 on Wednesday night and tallied her sixth double-double of the season.
"I've noticed that when I don't rebound well, I don't score well,'' Beard said. "That's what I really tried to focus on this game, on rebounding.''
Beard scored 12 points in the first half, outscoring the Wolfpack as Duke took a 24-11 lead at the break.
Duke pushed the lead to 46-24 when Iciss Tillis' basket with 8:27 to play capped a 9-0 run. But the Wolfpack responded with 12 straight points.
N.C. State pulled within 50-44 on a basket by James with 1:43 to play. But Beard and Lindsey Harding made two free throws each to seal the win.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Duke coach Gail Goestenkors called her team's performance Wednesday some of the "ugliest'' basketball she'd seen in a while.
Still, it was good enough for the top-ranked Blue Devils to remain undefeated.
Alana Beard had 24 points and 11 rebounds as Duke used defense to overcome poor shooting in a 54-44 win against North Carolina State.
With the win, the Blue Devils (20-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) set the stage for a game of unbeatens. They host No. 2 Connecticut on Saturday.
The defending NCAA champion Huskies (19-0), who have won a record 58 straight games, beat (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) Villanova 58-38 on Wednesday.
"The hype (for the UConn game) has been just so incredible,'' Goestenkors said. "Everyone's wanted to talk about that game for months and we've been working really hard just to focus on every game.''
Duke tied the ACC record for most wins to start a season, set by Virginia in the 1985-86 season. The Blue Devils shot 35 percent and went 1-for-14 from 3-point range, but still won their 32nd straight league game.
The 54 points were a season low for Duke.
But the Blue Devils held the Wolfpack (9-10, 4-4) to 30 percent shooting and forced 22 turnovers. They also dominated the glass, pulling down 17 offensive boards and taking a 48-32 rebounding advantage.
Terah James scored 13 points to lead N.C. State, which missed 22 of 27 shots to start the game and finished with a season-low point total.
"We really had a slow start and sputtered offensively in the first half,'' N.C. State coach Kay Yow said. "We had so many open shots around the basket that we didn't put down. It was frustrating.''
Beard was coming off a seven-point performance in a win against Florida State, marking the first time in 41 games she didn't reach double figures. But she went 9-for-17 on Wednesday night and tallied her sixth double-double of the season.
"I've noticed that when I don't rebound well, I don't score well,'' Beard said. "That's what I really tried to focus on this game, on rebounding.''
Beard scored 12 points in the first half, outscoring the Wolfpack as Duke took a 24-11 lead at the break.
Duke pushed the lead to 46-24 when Iciss Tillis' basket with 8:27 to play capped a 9-0 run. But the Wolfpack responded with 12 straight points.
N.C. State pulled within 50-44 on a basket by James with 1:43 to play. But Beard and Lindsey Harding made two free throws each to seal the win.