Duke, Georgia square off after passing first test
Duke and Georgia should already feel tournament tested when they meet in an NCAA second-round game on Monday night.
The teams were forced to play nationally ranked opponents in the first round, so they had to exert themselves before setting up this matchup at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.
This will be the final home game for Georgia senior Mackenzie Engram, who noted the excitement generated from the partisan crowd for the Bulldogs' first tournament game.
"That's kind of been our message this week: Enjoy where we are, enjoy what we've done," Engram said. "I just kind of took a look around and knew this is it. This is my last run."
The second-round game, which is part of the Albany Regional, will provide the winner a Sweet 16 matchup with undefeated Connecticut or Quinnipiac.
Fifth-seeded Duke (23-8) fended off Belmont 72-58 on Saturday, breaking away from a tight tussle with a strong third quarter. It was the type of encounter that might have helped Duke, which is one victory from its 17th appearance in the Sweet 16.
"We got better (in that game) and we're looking forward to getting a little better on Monday night," Blue Devils coach Joanne P. McCallie said.
Fourth-seeded Georgia (26-6) withstood a challenge from Mercer for a 68-63 first-round victory, providing third-year coach Joni Taylor with her first NCAA Tournament win with the Bulldogs.
"I was proud of our girls for how they answered that challenge," Taylor said. "I'm happy for our players and the opportunity to survive and advance. That's what March is about."
The Bulldogs are home for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.
Duke last played on an opposing team's home court in the NCAAs in 2012, winning at Vanderbilt in the second round that year. Georgia is 15-3 this season at home.
Duke sophomore forward Leaonna Odom provided a career-high 25 points in the first round Saturday.
"She doesn't like the spotlight," McCallie said. "She's not interested in the individual stuff, but I think she's beginning to understand more so that it's not about that, it's about how it affects everybody. Defensively, you saw that block she had. It was incredible. Offensively, her attack mode (was great)."
Odom's role could be crucial as attention generally falls on Duke seniors Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell.
"I think wanting to advance and give our seniors another game," Odom said. "I think that makes me want to take the pressure off of them, so I have to do what I need to do in order for us to advance."
For Brown, it's not only a game in her home state, but against a home-state team. She attended youth camps at Georgia.
All of Georgia's losses this season came to Top 25 opponents. Duke was No. 20 entering the postseason.
Duke leads Georgia 3-0 in the all-time series, with each victory in NCAA Tournament play. Those came in 1999, 2003 and 2005.
Duke is 6-3 in NCAA Tournament second-round games under McCallie. Last year, the Blue Devils dropped out in this round with a home loss to Oregon.
