Duke women claim seventh ACC tournament title

Duke's Jasmine Thomas, left, Krystal Thomas (34), Karima Christmas (13) and Tricia Liston (32) celebrate. Below, Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie cuts down the net. Photos by CHUCK LIDDY - cliddy@newsobserver.com

Check out our photo gallery from the game

updated 6:52 p.m.

GREENSBORO -- Duke and North Carolina went shot-for-shot in the final of the ACC women’s basketball tournament on Sunday at Greensboro Coliseum.

The top-seeded Blue Devils emerged from the slugfest with their seventh conference title, staving off a fierce challenge by the No. 6 Tar Heels and pouring on the offense over the final 10 minutes to earn an 81-66 victory before an announced crowd of 9,890.

In the end, the confetti and balloons rained down on the court in celebration of Duke’s second consecutive tournament title. Carrying on in the winner’s tradition, players pulled T-shirts over their jerseys and turned their caps backward, reveling in the culmination of a successful ACC and regular season.

The Devils are 29-3 overall and finished 12-2 in conference play, claiming a share of the regular-season title.

“We definitely enjoyed it,” said Duke senior Jasmine Thomas, who scored a team-high 21 points on Sunday and was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

As freshmen, Thomas, senior center Krystal Thomas and senior forward Karima Christmas watched the Heels celebrate their fourth consecutive title after an 86-73 victory over Duke. And as sophomores they watched Maryland cut down the nets after a 92-89 overtime victory.

This week, just as last year, the Devils go on spring break with a piece of championship twine.

“Each year we go to spring break, and I go home to Florida, and ... driving that nine-hour drive without the trophy and the balloons is really sad,” Krystal Thomas. “So I was just like, ‘Oh, I’m not driving home without the trophy tonight. Let’s go get the win.’”

Meeting for the eighth time in the championship game, the Devils and Heels traded baskets and leads – the game changed hands nine times – until about the nine-minute mark of the second half with UNC ahead 54-53. Over the next seven minutes, the Devils seized control with a backbreaking 20-2 run that put them out of reach.

That stretch included a span where the Devils scored 15 unanswered points and ran their lead to 72-56 after scoring five points on one play with 2:35 remaining. On that possession, senior Jasmine Thomas drilled a 3-pointer and freshman Haley Peters was fouled as she set a screen. Peters dropped both free throws.

That run exemplified the Devils’ dominance in this tournament, where their 2-3 match-up zone and offensive tenacity combined to blanket their opponents.

“I think ... we took charge,” Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “I know that at that time we limited them to one shot. They were not getting second shots of any sorts. And then on the offensive end there was great patience and execution. I just remember the team patiently working the ball and finding all sorts of openings, using more shot clock and just kind of attacking in all different ways.”

It was effective.

“We missed some shots that we normally would make, even a lot of them right around the basket,” UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “And rebounding was big. We actually shot a better shooting percentage than Duke did, but the rebounding was really big in the second half.”

The Heels were outrebounded 38-27 and denied a 10th overall tournament title, though they left feeling good about the 180 degree turn they made over four days. They regrouped in the tournament after closing the regular season with four consecutive losses.

The Heels (25-8) cleared a path to the tournament final with victories over No. 11 Clemson, No. 3 Florida State and No. 2 Miami. Along the way, senior Jessica Breland re-emerged as a spectacular player and the Heels found their stride.

Breland finished Sunday with a game-high 27 points and seven rebounds. She finished the tournament with 78 points, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds against Miami on Saturday.

Just eight days go she finished scoreless against the Devils.

“I was just determined,” Breland said. “I wanted this more than anything. Not just for myself, but for my teammates. The young kids, I heard them in the hotel talking about about how they wanted to cut down the nets. ... I had that experience when Erlana [Larkins] was here, and they got me. I wanted to do the same thing.”

Looking forward, the Heels take confidence into the NCAA tournament, which starts on March 19. “We definitely got our swagger back,” UNC center Italee Lucas said.

Duke defeated UNC for the second time this season, following a 66-58 home victory over the Heels on Feb. 27 in the team’s regular season finale. UNC won the first game between the rivals on Feb. 7.

The Devils have knocked off seven ranked opponents – averaging 70.5 points and allowing 54.6 – and relied on the leadership of Thomas.

Their program is seeking its first national championship.

“So now we move on,” McCallie said. “I think it’s important to come back really hungry. A lot of people think these types of things get teams complacent. I think totally opposite. I think, when teams like this start cutting down nets and having fun and seeing balloons and enjoying their teammates, they want it more and more.”