Duke Blue Devils
Overall Rank: #30
Conference Rank: #7 ACC
After a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2018, Duke took a big step back last year. They finished just 15-15 overall and won just six ACC games, their lowest total since Coach Joanne P. McCallie took over the program in 2007. All five starters are back, but the Blue Devils also hope Kyra Lambert and Mikayla Boykin return. Lambert, a 5-9 point guard, was a starter back in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. However, she tore her ACL in the NCAA Tournament and missed the 2017-2018 campaign and then tore an ACL again prior to last season. Boykin also missed much of the last two seasons with ACL injuries. In limited action over the last two years, Boykin was a regular starter though. If Lambert and Boykin can stay healthy, Duke has a couple very dangerous ball handlers and proven scorers.
2018-19 Record: 15-15, 6-10
2018-19 Postseason: None
Coach: Joanne P. McCallie
Coach Record: 312-95 at Duke, 628-243 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Faith Suggs, Guard/Forward, 3.1 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Haley Gorecki, Senior, Guard, 17.2 ppg
Leaonna Odom, Senior, Forward, 13.1 ppg
Miela Goodchild, Sophomore, Guard, 10.9 ppg
Jade Williams, Junior, Forward/Center, 8.4 ppg
Onome Akinbode-James, Sophomore, Forward/Center, 4.0 ppg
Mikayla Boykin, Sophomore, Guard, 9.4 ppg
Jayda Adams, Junior, Guard, 3.1 ppg
Kyra Lambert, Senior, Guard, DNP last season
Key New Players
Azana Bazines, Freshman, Guard
Jada Claude, Freshman, Guard/Forward
Jennifer Ezeh, Freshman, Forward
Jaida Patrick, Freshman, Guard/Forward
Projection:
Haley Gorecki and Miela Goodchild will have some new competition on the perimeter, but both are proven scorers. Gorecki led the team with 17.2 points per game last season and also grabbed 7.1 rebounds and dished out 3.9 assists per game. Goodchild is an amazing three-point shooter. She hit 44.5 percent of her attempts from long range as a freshman and is ready to for an even better sophomore season. With the injuries on the perimeter, Duke often had a very big lineup on the floor. Leaonna Odom, a 6-2 senior, averaged 13.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season. At 6-5 and 6-3, respectively, Jade Williams and Onome Akinbode-James are enforcers in the paint. Williams was the more effective scorer last season, but Akinbode-James led the team in blocks as a freshman and is brimming with potential. Duke also adds some size with three top 100 recruits. Azana Baines is a big 6-1 guard, while Jaida Patrick is a tough 5-10 wing. And 6-3 forward Jennifer Ezeh will add even more frontcourt options. Duke survived last season without having much depth. Some younger players were forced into large roles right away. It did not lead to much success in 2018-2019, but now this is a very experienced group that should have little trouble returning to the NCAA Tournament.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 63.6 (196th in nation, 12th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.0 (114, 4)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.7 (67, 7)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.5 (93, 6)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.7 (186, 9)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.0 (51, 6)
Free-Throw Percentage: 64.9 (295, 14)
Rebound Margin: 0.3 (173, 12)
Assists Per Game: 12.6 (195, 12)
Turnovers Per Game: 18.2 (295, 13)
Madness 2020 WNBA Draft Rankings:
#20 Kyra Lambert
Madness 2019 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#45 Azana Baines
#48 Jaida Patrick
#99 Jennifer Ezeh
