Coatney's Call: Duke Preview

#12 Nebraska vs. #9 Duke
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m. (central)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Mary Murphy)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
107.3 FM, Lincoln; 93.3 FM, Omaha; 93.9 FM, McCook; 1400 AM, Ainsworth; 94.1 FM, Scottsbluff; 1230 AM, Hastings
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com

No. 12 Huskers Host No. 9 Duke in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
It’s almost as if the 12th-ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team has been playing a schedule like an NBA team. The Huskers made two trips to the West Coast in one week, played four games in four different arenas in 12 days and played back-to-back road and home games in less than 48 hours.

 

Through all that, Nebraska is undefeated through six games, with an impressive 3-0 record against Pac-12 Conference teams. NU rallied from trailing by 16 points to knock off UCLA 71-66 on Black Friday in Los Angeles. Two days later, the Huskers returned to Pinnacle Bank Arena to knock off previously-unbeaten Northern Colorado, 63-56.

 

All-American Rachel Theriot scored a game-high 25 points, including eight of Nebraska’s final nine points in the last five minutes. The 6-0 point guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, added six rebounds and four assists for the game. Senior forward Emily Cady contributed her second double-double of the season with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds to help the Huskers outlast the Bears.

 

Next up for Nebraska is the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Huskers host the ninth-ranked Duke Blue Devils in a 6:30 p.m. (central) matchup Wednesday night in a game that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Duke lost four starters from a team that started 2013-14 with a 21-1 record but faded to a 7-6 record in February and March. The Blue Devils gained a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament but were upset in the second round by DePaul.

However, the lone returning starter from that team is one of the best players in the nation. Elizabeth Williams, a 6-3 senior center, is a three-time AP All-American, three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year, three-time first-team All-ACC, the 2012 National Freshman of the Year, and has won three gold medals as a member of USA Basketball. Williams blocked a shot in her first 91 games - an ACC record - and needs just eight more blocks to rank among the top 25 players in NCAA history in career blocks. She is on pace to finish her career with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Already named to the Wade and Wooden Award Watch lists, Williams is one of five AP Preseason All-Americans. However, she suffered a sprained ankle in Friday’s win over Stony Brook and did not play in Duke’s 63-59 loss at current No. 5 Texas A&M Sunday. It was the first time Williams has missed a game in her career, a span of 109 straight games and 72 consecutive starts.

Williams’ status for Wednesday night’s game at Nebraska is unknown. She is second on the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) and leads the team in rebounds (9.8 rpg) and blocked shots (16).

While Duke lost four starters to graduation, they bring in the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class, trailing only the No. 1 class that Nebraska face Friday at UCLA. This Duke group is also the tallest roster in Blue Devils history, as they have seven players 6-3 or taller. Duke's extreme height has helped the Blue Devils to a nation-leading plus-24 rebounding margin through six games.

The Blue Devils are in the midst of playing five games in an 11-day stretch and also are playing three teams ranked in the Top 12 (at No. 5 Texas A&M, at No. 12 Nebraska, vs. No. 1 South Carolina) in eight days.

Duke is 5-1 this season with wins over Alabama, Old Dominion, Marquette, Buffalo and Stony Brook prior to Sunday afternoon’s loss at Texas A&M.

Rebecca Greenwell, a 6-1 redshirt freshman guard, eads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg) and has started each of the first six games. She spent all of the 2013-14 season recovering from a knee injury suffered in high school. A superb three-point shooter, Greenwell set a national high school record with 17 three-pointers in one game for Owensboro (Ky.) Catholic High and was a McDonald’s High School and WBCA All-American.

Sierra Calhoun, a 6-0 freshman, broke the Duke record for most consecutive free throws to open a season (14). Her older brother Omar started 11 games last year for the defending national champion UConn Huskies. Sierra Calhoun is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and played prep ball for Christ The King High School, which lists such notable women’s basketball stars as Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles as famous alumni. Calhoun averages 9.5 points through six games.

Amber Henson has also started all six games this season. You have to appreciate the perseverance of the 6-4 senior forward who has undergone six knee surgeries since arriving at Duke. Now healthy, Henson is averaging 6.8 points per game and is a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line this season.

Ka’lia Johnson notched just the seventh triple-double in Duke program history with an 18-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound game in a win over Old Dominion on Nov. 20. The 5-10 senior guard has started every game and leads the team in assists and adds 6.3 points.

Oderah Chidom, a 6-4 sophomore, replaced Williams in the starting lineup against Texas A&M. She adds 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in an average of 20 minutes per game this season.

Duke Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie is famous for her effective matchup zone defense. Now in her eighth year at Duke, McCallie was named the 2005 National Coach of the Year when she led Michigan State to the Final Four. In addition to her seven years with the Spartans, she led Maine for eight seasons.

There has only been one previous meeting between Duke and Nebraska. Just over 18 months ago in an NCAA Sweet 16 matchup in Norfolk, Va., the Blue Devils prevailed, 53-45. Freshman Elizabeth Williams had 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots for Duke while Lindsey Moore led Nebraska with 11 points. Ka’lia Johnson played four minutes and is the only current member of the Blue Devils other than Williams to play in the game.

Nebraska’s entire expected starting lineup for Wednesday night’s game all played at least 10 minutes in the Sweet 16 meeting with Duke in 2013.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women’s basketball on the Husker Sports Network. Our radio broadcast Wednesday evening begins with the pre-game show at 6:15 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network including KBBK (B107.3) in Lincoln, KFFF 93.3 in Omaha, KSWN 93.9 in McCook, KBRB 1400 in Ainsworth, KNEB 94.1 in Scottsbluff, KHAS 1230 in Hastings and many others. All Husker Women’s Basketball broadcasts are also available for free worldwide on the internet at www.huskers.com. I hope you can join us.

There are a number of ways to get enhanced information about our broadcast and Husker Women’s Basketball via social media. You can learn more about the team on the Nebraska Women’s Basketball Facebook page or follow the team on their official Twitter page @huskerswbb. I also invite you to friend me on Facebook (Matt Coatney) or follow me on Twitter @coatman1.

Go Big Red!

Matt