This season has not gone how Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie envisioned after replacing the Texas-bound Gail Goestenkors in April.
Injuries have decimated the No. 12 Blue Devils (13-3, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), as guards Wanisha Smith (broken hand) and Abby Waner (sprained ankle) along with center Krystal Thomas (knee) have missed a combined 14 games, causing the team to shuffle its starting lineup nine times.
But it appears Duke has found the right mix at the right time. The Blue Devils have started the same five players in each of the past six games, and will find out how good they are tonight at 7 when they face fourth-ranked Maryland (19-1, 3-0) at Comcast Center.
“We?ve already experienced a lot that?s outside our control,” said McCallie, who spent the previous seven seasons at Michigan State. “It wasn?t the perfect situation, but it allowed us to build some depth and for me to learn about every player on the roster and what I can expect from them.”
Duke (13-3, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which finally is completely healthy, has won its past eight games following a 70-38 victory over Florida State on Friday. The Blue Devils have won 19 of its past 22 games against Maryland (19-1, 3-0), including twice last season. The Terrapins have lost nine straight to Duke in College Park dating to 1998. Maryland extended its winning streak to nine games with an 88-61 victory at Boston College on Thursday.
Through all of the injuries, Duke remains in the national title picture thanks in part to the play of 6-foot-5 senior center Chante Black, who is averaging a team-high 14.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Black redshirted last year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in a preseason practice.
“It?s remarkable what Chante has been able to do after not playing basketball for so long,” McCallie said. “There?s no doubt she will continue to play better as the season goes on.”
Maryland, which defeated Duke in the 2006 NCAA championship game, also has dealt with injuries, including guard Sa?de Wiley-Gatewood who will miss the rest of the season with severe tendentious in her knees.
But Maryland forward Crystal Langhorne, who missed five games with a sprained ankle, is ready to go after she passed Len Elmore to become the school?s career rebounding record (1,064) by grabbing 18 rebounds against Boston College. She needs 21 points to break Maryland?s all-time women?s basketball career scoring mark of 1,928, set by Vicky Bullett from 1986-89.
“Duke is definitely a tremendous rival for us,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “It was already intense because of the games between the two school on the men?s side and has only grown for the women since we won the championship.”
