Louisville women’s basketball team defeats No. 11 Duke on the road.

By Josie Simpson.

Louisville scored a huge win over No. 11 Duke, signalling a significant turnaround in the season.

Thursday’s triumph marks the Cards’ fourth-ranked victory of the season, and their third in the previous four games.

Three points, a cloud of dust.

Scoring was difficult to come by in the early going, with Duke quietly building an 0-4 lead throughout the first several minutes. Olivia Cochran ultimately put Louisville on the board with a jump shot on the next possession.

Both sides experienced an almost four-minute scoring drought in the middle of the first quarter. Jayda Curry would be the one to finally end the drought with a backdoor cut and layup.

The first half would culminate with a scoring outburst, highlighted by a buzzer-beating shot from Ja’Leah Williams.

The Cardinals finished the first down 13-14.

If it was even conceivable, Louisville increased its defensive pressure in the second quarter, forcing turnovers and capitalising on Duke’s mistakes.

After the Blue Devils started the first with a layup, Louisville kept them scoreless for over three minutes. During that time, Curry hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 16.

After allowing another basket, Louisville went on a 12-2 run to establish an eight-point lead.

Duke’s offence regrouped, but Curry nailed a three-pointer just before halftime.

Louisville did give up a basket at the buzzer, but by halftime, they lead 35-29.

Louisville maintained their advantage throughout the third half.

Despite this, the Blue Devils managed to fight their way back into the game by forcing mistakes and hitting the paint.

Louisville was held scoreless during the last 2:50 of the third quarter, and Duke entered the fourth quarter with the game knotted 45-45.

Whereas the first three quarters were slugfests, the fourth quarter was a shootout.

Who better to lead the charge than Curry?

She made important shots from deep, including a three to put the Cards ahead by five.

Duke fought back, drawing the game at 58-58, but Louisville’s defence and late-game poise proved decisive.

Jeff Walz replaced Merissah Russell, and the fifth-year senior demonstrated leadership by example. After a back-and-forth battle with ties, Russell banked in a floater as the shot clock ran out, giving the Cards a 64-60 edge.

After missing a shot on their next possession, Duke was forced to foul Curry with only a minute remaining. Curry hit both of her free throws, and the Cards defence ensured that the procedure was repeated.

Curry scored six of her 11 points in the fourth quarter on free throws. Louisville scored 16 points from the line in the fourth quarter, shooting 16 for 17.

Louisville won convincingly on the road, 70-62.

Form was reached.
This win is a huge boost to Louisville’s tournament credentials and may easily move them up a seed line.

Curry dominated, ending with 24 points, three assists, and five steals.

Williams also contributed on both ends, collecting 13 points, three assists, and two steals. Tajianna Roberts rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.

Louisville’s defence limited Duke to 15.4% from three, maintaining the team’s previous perimeter domination. The Cardinals also outrebounded Duke 42-36, limiting second-chance points and controlling the tempo of play.

The Cardinals have recovered from a difficult start to the season. They improved to 19-7 on the season and 12-3 in the ACC, remaining tied for third place in the league.

Photo courtesy of Mallory Peak, Louisville Athletics

The top uncommitted basketball prospect has switched his commitment to Duke

This choice is a blow to the other schools that had been vying for the recruit’s commitment, but it cements Duke’s position as one of college basketball’s elite teams.

With a mix of experienced veterans and exciting freshmen, Duke is once again prepared to challenge for the national championship the next season. In a turn of events, one of the country’s top uncommitted basketball prospects has opted to reverse their vow and sign with Duke University. This decision This choice is a blow for the other schools that had been competing for the recruit’s commitment, but it cements Duke’s position as one of college basketball’s elite teams.

With a mix of experienced veterans and exciting freshmen, Duke is once again prepared to challenge for the national championship the next season. It is a blow for the other schools that had been vying for the recruit’s pledge, but it cements Duke’s position as one of college basketball’s elite teams. With a mix of experienced veterans and exciting freshmen, Duke is once again prepared to challenge for the national championship the next season. versity, sending shockwaves through the collegiate basketball recruiting landscape. The athlete, who had previously committed to another big college, announced his decision in a public statement, citing Duke’s strong history, excellent coaching staff, and the potential to thrive at one of the nation’s most prestigious basketball programs.

This transition is a big triumph for Duke, which has long been a collegiate basketball powerhouse, producing NBA-caliber players and competing for national championships. Under head coach Jon Scheyer, Duke has continued to establish itself as a formidable recruiting and on-court force, and this latest vow improves the program’s image even more.

The recruit, who was highly sought after by universities all across the country, is known for his extraordinary talent, athleticism, and basketball IQ. Over the previous several years, they’ve emerged as one of the most sought-after prospects in their class, attracting the attention of both scouts and coaches with their performances in high school tournaments and grassroots basketball events.

The recruit’s decision to withdraw from their earlier commitment to Duke occurred after a lengthy and comprehensive consideration of all options. While they had previously committed to another prestigious university, the allure of playing for Duke, with its historic history and the opportunity to play under one of the best coaching staffs in the country, was too much to resist.

Coach Jon Scheyer, who took over the squad after the retirement of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, has quickly established himself in recruiting. This move is seen as a testament to his ability to maintain Duke’s recruiting success and carry on the tremendous tradition that Coach K has developed over the years. Scheyer’s recruiting pitch emphasises the development of both on-court skills and off-court character, making Duke a desirable destination for elite players looking to progress their careers.

Duke’s recruitment of this athlete also indicates the program’s long-term capacity to attract elite talent, especially in the changing college basketball landscape, where the transfer portal and NIL deals have transformed recruiting dynamics. Duke has added a critical component to an already strong recruiting class by signing this talent. The addition of this athlete is expected to make an immediate impact on the team, with many anticipating that they will be one of the standouts in their first season.

This choice is a blow for the other schools that had been competing for the recruit’s commitment, but it cements Duke’s position as one of college basketball’s elite teams. With a mix of experienced veterans and exciting freshmen, Duke is once again prepared to challenge for the national championship the next season.

Finally, this reversal underscores the great appeal of Duke’s tradition, the program’s ongoing success, and the opportunity it gives for players to go to the next level. Both the recruit and the program have a bright future.

Ex-Duke basketball player shouts at the Crimson Tide.

Mark Mitchell, a former two-year Duke basketball player, guided Missouri to a decisive home victory.

Mark Mitchell, a member of Jon Scheyer’s first recruiting class as Duke basketball coach, scored a career-high 31 points to lead the No. 15 Missouri Tigers (20-6, 9-4 SEC) to a 110-98 home win over the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-5, 10-3 SEC).

In 32 minutes against the Crimson Tide, the 6-foot-8 junior forward from Kansas shot 11-for-15 from the field, 1-for-3 from beyond the arc, and 8-for-12 from the foul line. He had three rebounds and three assists.

Mitchell’s effort came one week after he had 25 points in an 82-58 home win over the Oklahoma Sooners.

Mitchell, a former five-star prep, is averaging 13.6 points in 26 games as a full-time starter in his debut year with the Tigers, two points more than his Duke basketball sophomore season last year, while also grabbing 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals.

He is one of seven 2023-24 Blue Devils that departed Durham last season.

This season’s Duke basketball backcourt is the one the program has always needed to win a national championship.

The Blue Devils’ guard play has been outstanding this season, and it is talented enough to lead Duke to a national championship.

Duke basketball (23-3, 15-1 ACC) is 9-1 in its last ten games, with its only defeat coming at Clemson a few Saturdays ago by a score of 77-71, the Blue Devils’ first road and ACC loss of the season.

Over the previous 10 games, the Blue Devils have scored more than 82 points per game. This season, the program has also assisted on 59% of its made shots, placing them in the top 40 nationally, according to KenPom.

But what has propelled the Blue Devils throughout that run has been excellent backcourt play, and Tyrese Proctor and Sion James are developing into one of the best backcourts in the country, with the potential to be a national championship-caliber guard pair.

After a massive collapse in late January, when Proctor averaged only 6.6 points per game on 27.5% shooting from the field in Duke’s final five games of the month, he has been regarded as the best guard in the country in February.

In Duke’s six February games, Proctor has averaged 17.3 points per game on 52.7% shooting from the field and 47.5% from three. He has scored at least 20 points in two of those games.

His confidence has risen, and he’s taking advantage of every opportunity the defence presents.

James doesn’t look for his own scoring until it’s there, but his ability to drive to the hoop at 6’6″ and 220 pounds makes him an excellent drive-and-kick passer, and he also dominates the pick-and-roll game.

In Duke’s past ten games, the Tulane transfer guard had 40 assists and only seven turnovers, for an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.7 to one.

James and Proctor have worked really well together, and since James was added to the starting lineup earlier this season, the two have established one of the most experienced and smartest backcourts in the country.

“You talk about the ‘dog mentality’, I think those guys (Proctor and James) have just been competitive and tough, and the rest comes from there,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after Duke’s 106-70 home win against Stanford last week. “They’ve been really unselfish, but they pick when to be aggressive. I feel we are developing continuity as our guys understand how to play together.

Duke’s guard play has been among the finest in the NCAA this season, and James and Proctor’s mix of talent, intellect, and experience suggests a backcourt capable of leading a youthful team like this year’s Blue Devils to a national title in early April.