By Josie Simpson
For the second time in two weeks, Louisville will clash with the Duke Blue Devils. This time, with even more at stake—the ACC Tournament.
Louisville secured a 70-62 win in their last meeting with Duke, but the Cards face a much steeper challenge this time, with the potential absence of key players in Jayda Curry and Merissah Russell.
These absences could be a game-changer, as both played major roles in the first meeting.
Back with a vengeance
Duke has been dominant in their few games since playing Louisville, going 3-0 by an average margin of victory of 20 points.
During this stretch Toby Fournier has played out of her mind, averaging 23 points which is above her 14.1 season average and the six points she put up against the Cards.
Duke’s shooting from behind the arc has been up and down, but they have dominated the paint. They’ve out-rebounded all three opponents, including grabbing 16 more boards than Florida State.
Outside of their recent tear, the Blue Devils are the same team. They want to slow the game down and beat opponents with defense.
A big part of why Louisville was able to beat Duke in Feb. was because they were able to speed them up thanks to Curry. The senior guard had 24 points including, 3-of-7 from three-point range, and grabbed 10 rebounds.
In their game against Clemson Thursday, Louisville’s efficiency took a hit. The team shot just 42.1% from the field and only 12.5% from beyond the arc (1-of-8).
The replacement of Curry will have to be a team effort.
Against Clemson Imari Berry got the start in Curry’s place, but struggled. Ja’Leah Williams ended up taking up the mantle, scoring a team-high 16 points with 12 rebounds.
Against Duke, Williams will not only need to pick up the slack if Curry is out or less than 100%, but Berry and others will need to provide solid minutes as well.
A win over the Blue Devils would put Louisville in the ACC semifinals on Saturday, and would be a big boost to their tournament resume.
Tip-off is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C.
Photo Courtesy // Taris Smith, Louisville Athletics
