Duke women's basketball opponent preview: No. 18 Georgia Tech
No. 14 Duke women’s basketball will take on No. 18 Georgia Tech in a tough road matchup. The Blue Zone is here with an overview of the Yellow Jackets and three keys to a Blue Devil victory:
17-16, 7-11 in the ACC
17-3, 5-3 in the ACC
Nell Fortner
Duke leads 65-11
70-58 Duke, March 7, 2024
Georgia Tech started its season strong, going undefeated until a Jan. 9 matchup again Virginia Tech. Since losing that game, and star freshman guard Dani Carnegie to a hamstring injury, the No.18-ranked Yellow Jackets have faltered, going 2-3 in ACC. In its two games without Carnegie, Georgia Tech dropped one to a Notre Dame team that did not have star Hannah Hidalgo and dominated Clemson. In their most recent matchup that saw the return of Carnegie, the Yellow Jackets routed Virginia 75-64, with 29 of those points coming from a season-best performance by Carnegie.
Duke is coming off three decisive wins against ACC newcomers Cal, Stanford and SMU. The Blue Devils’ stifling defense was able to limit the Golden Bears and Cardinal to their lowest offensive performances of the season, and Duke is looking to do it again in Atlanta. Led by freshman forward Toby Fournier, who put up 24 points in an 81-46 win against the Mustangs, Duke’s offense is also looking to continue its momentum into Sunday’s matchup.
The Blue Devils are known for their defensive prowess, ranking second in the ACC in scoring defense. A stifling defense is important in any game, but especially important against the third-best scoring team in the conference. Head coach Kara Lawson’s squad has held opponents to only an average of 58.6 points per game, which includes limiting Cal to a remarkable 38 points. The Blue Devils must be relentless on defense as they take on a fully healthy Georgia Tech squad.
That being said, Duke also needs to prioritize not fouling. In the Yellow Jackets’ recent win against Virginia, 10 of Carnegie’s 29 points came from free throws. In Duke’s loss to North Carolina, four of the five starters had committed three or more fouls by the game’s conclusion. By limiting fouls, especially against Carnegie and fellow freshman guard Chazadi Wright, who average 82.9% and 89.3% from the line respectively, Duke can limit the Yellow Jackets’ scoring output.
Fournier is the leading scorer for the Blue Devils, averaging 13 points per game. While her recent 24-point showing against SMU was an indication of her finding her rhythm, Fournier’s offensive output is still far from consistent. In Duke’s sole loss thus far in conference play, she was held to only two points by North Carolina.. While Georgia Tech’s defense is not quite on the same level as the Tar Heels’, it will likely be focused on stopping Fournier from getting to the rim. The Canadian sensation must give another strong performance for the Blue Devils to prevail in enemy territory.
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| Photography Editor
Karen Xu is a Trinity senior and a photography editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
