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Message: [QUOTE="CamrnCrz1974, post: 2079851, member: 1052"] [USER=5823]@CocoHusky[/USER]: I was high on this team's potential, mainly because of the presence of Lexie Brown. Having a guard who can create her own shot and facilitate has been crucial. This freed up Greenwell to be more of a scorer and rebounder while giving Kyra Lambert a secondary ballhandler to take pressure off of her. My issue/concern with Duke is that so many of the high quality wins came at home - South Carolina, Kentucky, Miami, Syracuse, Louisville (though the team did not knock off Miami and Syracuse a second time each on a neutral court). While Duke played ND very tough at home (62-58), on a neutral court, the results are quite different. [USER=5823]@CocoHusky[/USER], I think is what you might mean by being maddeningly sporadic, as this team was blown out by FSU on the road and lost to Vanderbilt on the road as well. As you noted, the interactions are definitely better. First, you have the addition of a full-time strength and fitness trainer (full-time, in that she only works with DWB) in Ashleigh Beaver, who has clearly increased the fitness level...which may have reduced the numerous injuries that have plagued Duke in recent years. Second, Al Brown is back, after, as what Rob Clough notes, battling illness and a shaky status within the program. Brown's voice in Xs and Os is critical. And while the matchup zone still gives up open shots, the shooters are getting a little less time to get the ball away, thanks to the "help and recover." Elite teams have the ability to beat the zone at times due to great shooters (e.g., Notre Dame), but Duke has done a much better job this year on defending the hot shooters and forcing other players to try and hit shots. This has led to an increase in winning, which, frankly, certainly helps the mood of the program. But the key to all of this has been Lexie Brown. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

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