March 6, 2009

Off and Running: Duke took control of the game from the opening minutes. In the first seven and half minutes of play, the Blue Devils outscored the Cavaliers 20-4. A full team effort, the run saw contributions by Bridgette Mitchell with five points and Chante Black with six.

Sweet Sixteen: The 76-53 win over Virginia marks Duke's 16th consecutive over the Cavaliers. Virginia last beat Duke 61-49 on Jan. 30, 2000.

Superb Shooting: The Blue Devils combined to shoot a season-best 56 percent from the field. The Devils' previous high was a 50.8-percent performance against the Cavs.

Breaking the Bench: Duke's bench contributed significantly to the win over Virginia, compiling 32 points from the non-starters. In comparison, the Cavalier bench added 16 points to the team's effort.

Cannot Buy a Three: Virginia went 0-for-6 from the 3-point line. The Cavs were 0-for-8 against Wake Forest earlier this season and 0-for-10 against Texas in November of 2007. Curiously, they won both of those games.

Tenacious D: Duke's suffocating defense held the Virginia offense to 36.4-percent shooting. The Blue Devils managed to force 19 Virginia turnovers, compiling seven steals and blocking five shots. The Cavaliers 53 points was their lowest scoring output on the season. The steal total was actually low for Duke, which holds the national lead at 14 a game.

Lopsided Scores: The loss was Virginia's most lopsided in the tournament since an 89-66 defeat to Maryland in the 1989 semifinals.

Stellar Senior: Duke senior Abby Waner had one of the best games of her season, scoring 16 points, adding two rebounds and grabbing two steals. The performance was Waner's second best scoring effort on the season, only bested by her 24 point outburst against Southern on November 22.

Rocking the Ranked: The Blue Devils continue to knock off the nation's top teams. They're now 10-3 against the RPI's Top 50.