Opponent breakdown: 7-seed Duke

UConn women’s basketball will face 7-seed Duke in the Sweet Sixteen on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils are 22-11 on the season and upset 2-seed Ohio State in Columbus in the second round to advance to the regional semifinals.

Duke’s success starts on the defensive end, where its ranks fourth nationally in Her Hoop Stats’ defensive rating. The Blue Devils have held their opponents to an average of fewer than 60 points per game this season, and their defense is particularly strong in the lane where opponents have shot just 38.7 percent on twos this season. They’re also amongst the best shot blocking teams in the country, averaging 5.7 rejections per game.

In the win over Ohio State in the second round, Duke’s dominance down low was particularly critical in getting the win by out-rebounding the Buckeyes 38-20 in the game. The Blue Devils’ offense, while usually not much to talk about, was also the story in the upset. Duke shot 51.1 percent from the floor, its sixth highest mark of the season.

For UConn to advance the Elite Eight, it’ll need to find ways to create offense despite the intensity of Duke’s defense. If they can limit the Blue Devil’s offense as well, they’ll put less pressure on themselves to score.

Names to know

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