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Devils Clamp Down On Bulls

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2007

Updated: 11/16/2007 12:44 am

TAMPA - If No. 10-ranked Duke can play all season like it did Thursday night in an 89-52 blowout of the University of South Florida, the Blue Devils could be returning to downtown Tampa in April for the Women's Final Four.

"I told our team to breathe really heavy and sort of suck up the air in the place as something familiar to take home and want to come back to," Duke coach Joanne McCallie said.

Even without Abby Waner, a preseason national player of the year candidate who sat out with a sprained ankle, the Blue Devils had no problem against the Bulls, who were seeking their first victory against a Top 10 team.

"It's great to come down here and start in Tampa," Duke junior Chante Black said. "Hopefully, we'll be finishing here as well."

Any USF upset hopes were finished late in the first half.

With 11:29 remaining, Daiane Packer's 3-pointer cut USF's deficit to 19-11. However, the Bulls missed their final 10 field-goal attempts of the half and committed nine turnovers as Duke built a 38-15 halftime lead.

"Duke really opened it up," USF coach Jose Fernandez said. "Against good teams, we talked about it, that the free-throw line, offensive rebounding and turnovers ... if Duke won that battle, it would be a game like this.

"Duke came out, we had to match their intensity, especially on the defensive end. With Duke's energy and enthusiasm, a lot of our kids folded under pressure."

Sophomore Shantia Grace led USF (1-1) with 12 points, but was only 4-for-18 from the field. She also added six rebounds and four assists, while senior ChiChi Okpaleke had nine points and six rebounds.

USF junior center Jessica Lawson had only two points and two rebounds before fouling out three minutes into the second half.

With the 6-foot-3 Lawson plagued by foul trouble, the Blue Devils took advantage inside with the 6-5 Black.

"We knew they had a size advantage," Okpaleke said. "They pounded it in. They knew what they had to do."

Black finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Joy Creek added 15 points for Duke (2-0) and Krystal Thomas had 10 points and blocked six shots.

While the Blue Devils hope for a return to the Forum on April 6-8 for the Final Four, Fernandez said the Bulls will continue working to make the NCAA Tournament field.

"I told our team this game, whether we won or lost, wouldn't define our season," Fernandez said. "The most important part of the season is conference play. A loss like this doesn't hurt us RPI-wise, strength of schedule-wise.

"We need to get better. We will get better and we will get better by every practice and every game."

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