DURHAM, N.C. (AP) – Duke coach Gail Goestenkors says opponents
don't realize how good Alana Beard is on defense until they see her
in person.
|  | | Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Allison Klass, left, hits the floor with Duke's Alana Beard. |
Wisconsin-Milwaukee found out quickly in its first NCAA
Tournament game.
Beard had 22 points and seven steals – three during a 16-0 run
in the first half – as Duke beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee 96-63 in the
first round of the West Regional on Saturday.
"I've never faced someone with arms probably as tall as I am,"
said Panthers point guard Teri Stoltenberg, who had her pocket
picked by Beard on three straight possessions in the first half.
"I kept coming to the bench and saying, 'I don't know where
she's coming from.' Unless you put broomsticks on Nene's (assistant
coach Arneda Yarbrough) hands, you can't simulate anything like
that."
Duke (29-3) improved to 9-0 in the first round of the NCAA
tournament and won its seventh straight as the host team.
The top-seeded Blue Devils can set the school record for
victories in a season by beating Arkansas in the second round
Monday.
Duke trailed by one point two minutes in, but scored the next 16
points to take a 20-5 lead with 14:02 left. Rometra Craig, who had
a career-high 20 points, capped the spurt with a jumper.
"We wanted to come out and attack right away," said Beard, who
also had four rebounds and four assists. "Coach Goestenkors came
up to us before the game and told us to put pressure on the ball
and fill the passing lanes. I think we did pretty good with that."
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (19-11) was 10-for-33 in the first half and
shot 31 percent overall. Jessica Wilhite led the Panthers with 24
points and six steals. She hit four 3-pointers.
"I think earlier they were caught up in the moment and there
were some glassy eyes out there, but then they adjusted,"
Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Sandy Botham said. "For their first
game, on the road and at Duke, I thought they adjusted well."
Craig, who entered the game shooting 36 percent, hit eight of
nine shots – including all three of her 3-point attempts.
Duke shot a season-high 64 percent overall.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Wisconsin Milwaukee Clubhouse
Duke Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Duke's Alana Beard made five steals in 13 minutes.
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