GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Now that Duke has the Atlantic Coast Conference title wrapped
up, the fifth-ranked Blue Devils can set their sights on a bigger
prize: the NCAA Tournament and a No. 1 seed.
|  | | Duke freshman Alana Beard (20) shoots over North Carolina State's Carisse Moody as the Blue Devils soared to the ACC title.
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Duke won its second consecutive ACC tournament title with a
57-45 victory over No. 18 North Carolina State on Monday night.
Afterward, coach Gail Goestenkors said she thought the victory was
enough to ensure the Blue Devils (28-3) a top seed in the NCAA
tournament.
"I have to believe we are a one (seed)," said Goestenkors, who
did a chin-up on the rim after she cut down the net.
"With the ACC being as tough as it is, with our run through
this tournament, plus we stepped up and won the big
out-of-conference games. I have to believe we've earned it."
Alana Beard, a freshman, led the Blue Devils with 18 points.
Michele Matyasovsky, another freshman, tied her career high with 14
points and sophomore Sheana Mosch scored 10.
It was important for the trio to have big games, Goestenkors
said, because they had underperformed in the first two of the
tournament.
"It was nice to see our young players step up because they were
very nervous in the first two games," she said. "That left it up
to the seniors to carry us through, but I think they finally hit
their comfort zone and played a nice game for us."
The game was a matchup of the ACC's top offense in Duke and the
top defense in N.C. State.
Despite the final score, the Wolfpack (20-10) actually played up
to its normal level of defense and made Duke the 18th team this
season to fail to score at least 60 points against them.
"I thought if we could hold Duke to 60 points, a team that
averages 75, we'd have an awesome chance," North Carolina State
coach Kay Yow said.
The Wolfpack particularly did a good job on Duke senior guard
Georgia Schweitzer, the Blue Devils' offensive spark.
Schweitzer, who scored a combined 52 points in the first two
games of the tournament, was held to nine against the Wolfpack. Her
shots were limited -- she attempted only 10 -- and the Wolfpack never
let her find any sort of rhythm. She was still named the tournament
most valuable player.
Schweitzer, who said she simply had an off shooting night, might have sensed the Wolfpack would make it difficult for her. Before
the game, she said she approached Beard and Mosch and told them
they'd have to score.
"I pulled them aside and told them they would have to step
up," Schweitzer said. "They're both really good shooters and I
knew they could do it."
Despite their defensive effort, North Carolina State couldn't
find an offense to match. The Wolfpack shot a season-low 25 percent
and were held to their lowest point total of the season.
N.C. State also scored only two field goals in the first 10
minutes of the second half -- when Duke built a 19-point lead.
"I don't know if it's our poorest shooting night of the year,
but it's one of them," Yow said. "I feel badly that we didn't
give the crowd a better championship game -- that's my first thought -- because we could have done better."
The Wolfpack, who played in the championship game for the first
time since 1991, couldn't overcome a disappointing game from center
Carisse Moody.
Moody, who averages 15 points and seven rebounds, was held to
just nine points while shooting 4-for-15. She had eight rebounds,
but Duke won in that category 43-40.
Talisha Scates led N.C. State with 11 points.
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