BC Sets Its Sights on No. 9/11 Duke

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Boston College women's basketball team welcomes No. 9/X Duke on Thursday for a 7 p.m. showdown in Conte Forum.

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About the Eagles
Last Time Out
The Eagles couldn't overcome a slow start in a 79-72 loss to Syracuse on Sunday. BC scored just 30 points in the first half (42 in the second half) and trailed at one point by 22 in the third period before slicing the deficit to single digits. Maria Gakdeng scored a season-high 20 points with 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. She also added five blocks. Taina Mair was the second Eagle with a double-double, registering 16 points and a team-high 10 assists for her fifth double-double of the season. T'Yana Todd turned in 17 points, with 12 coming in the second half.

A Win Would
- Give the Eagles a 15-12 mark and 5-9 record in ACC play.
- Improve their record to 7-16 against Duke.
- Give the Eagles a third straight win in the series.
- Give BC a second win over a top-10 AP opponent.
- Give the Eagles two wins over a top-10 AP opponent for the first time since the 2010 season.

By the Numbers
1 - Gakdeng is the only player in the ACC and one of seven in the nation to register at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and shoot 65 percent from the floor.
8 - Mair is the one of eight freshmen in the country with at least five double-doubles.
32 - BC has the 32nd toughest schedule in the country, where it's opponents have a combined .620 win percentage.
38.3 - The Eagles' rebound rate of 38.3 percent is 20th in the country.
90 - BC is 11-1 when its offensive rating is higher than 90.
183 - Mair is now fourth all-time in program history in a single season with 183 assists.

What to Watch for
- See if the Eagles can get to the line against a Duke team that allowed 23.6 free throw attempts in its three losses.
- Watch if BC can get off to a better start after scoring just 30 points in the first half. Duke has been outscored by 18 points in the first two quarters in three of its losses.
- BC's offense shot a solid 47.6 percent despite the setback with 21 assists on 30 assists on Sunday. The 97.3 offensive rating was the highest in a loss this season. See if the offense can produce against one of the top defensive teams in the country.
- T'Yana Todd has upped her scoring since returning from injury. The freshman is averaging 13.0 points per game, highlighted by 43.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 91.7 percent from the line. See if she continues her scoring ways.
- See if the Eagles can win the battle in the paint, as Duke is averaging 15 points in the paint in its two conference losses (30.3 overall).

Scouting Duke (20-3, 10-2 ACC)
- Duke is coming off back-to-back wins in ACC play last week, highlighted by a 57-52 win over Notre Dame.
- Celeste Taylor was the lone Blue Devil in double figures with 14 points, while she was one of five players with at least eight points.
- Duke held one of the top scoring offenses to just 52 points on 40.4 percent shooting.
- Taylor (12.0 ppg) and Elizabeth Balogun (10.2 ppg) lead the way in scoring, while Balogun is averaging a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game.
- Duke has been one of the top defenses in the country, where it is first in the ACC and third in the nation in scoring defense (51.7 ppg).
- Duke is also second in allowing opponents to shoot 35 percent from the field, also good for 13th in the country.

Series History
The Eagles are 6-16 in the all-time series against the Blue Devils but have won three of the past four meetings, including the last two. BC defeated Duke on its home floor last season for its first win in Cameron Indoor Stadium as an ACC member.

What's Next
BC hits the road to face No. 14/16 North Carolina on Sunday in Chapel Hill at Noon.

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Players Mentioned

Maria Gakdeng

Taina Mair

T'yana Todd