Nov. 20, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – Don’t ask Stephanie White to assess just how good her Vanderbilt women’s basketball roster can be. It’s far too early in the first-year coach’s tenure on West End – four games, to be exact — to draw any drastic conclusions on the future. But at Memorial Gym on Sunday, at least one assessment was indisputable:
Vanderbilt 77, Duke 73
Talk about a marquee win, right, Coach White?
“I don’t know,” White said. “It’s November. It’s hard to think about it as a marquee win. But it’s a good win for us, no doubt about it.”
That’s somewhat of an understatement from White, who is working to construct Vanderbilt (3-1, 0-0 SEC) into an SEC power. And the program the Commodores beat on Sunday is a prime example of what sustained success looks like. Vanderbilt isn’t there yet, but a win over a women’s basketball blueblood is something White can hang her hat on. It might even serve as an indicator of what’s to come in White’s regime.
“It’s always important to get wins against programs that have had great success,” White said. “You certainly look at Duke and what they’ve been able to accomplish and sustain for a long time, and absolutely, you want to be like that.”
Indeed, Duke (4-1, 0-0 ACC) has been a near-perennial contender in women’s college basketball under longtime coach Joanne P. McCallie. The coach has led the Blue Devils to eight NCAA tournament appearances, including a streak of four straight Elite Eight berths from 2010-13. Yet the Commodores looked every bit like they belonged on Sunday, when they stood toe-to-toe with Duke at Memorial Gym.
Vanderbilt led at 35-32 at halftime, and that lead ballooned to as many as 10 points in the third quarter. But as any great program does, Duke rallied. It knotted the game, 64-64, on two Lexie Brown free throws with 5:12 to play.
But even as Duke staged its run, Vanderbilt maintained its poise. The two squads traded free throws until Rachel Bell missed her second of two fouls shots leading 76-73 with 12 seconds remaining. The Blue Devils streaked downcourt eyeing a three-pointer, but Bell redeemed her missed free throw with a steal from Duke’s Rebecca Greenwell. Bell then knocked down one more free throw to seal the 77-73 win.
In the end Vanderbilt outrebounded Duke, 43-34, and snagged 18 offensive boards to the Blue Devils’ 10. Never mind that Duke boasts seven players taller than Marqu’es Webb, the Commodores’ biggest post presence inside at 6-foot-1. Vanderbilt proved that height wasn’t the determining factor on Sunday – toughness was. Webb finished with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
“They outplayed us. They outfought us,” McCallie said. “They got the ball a lot more times than we did.”
Perhaps White won’t define Sunday’s win as “marquee,” but her players weren’t afraid to recognize the significance of beating Duke. Veterans like Webb and guard Rebekah Dahlman have been around the block, and they understand that the Blue Devils represent consistency in women’s basketball. Thus, there was no need for the ‘Dores to mask their pride on Sunday.
“They’re a great team and a great program,” Webb said. “I can’t even put it into words what it means to me to beat them, especially on our home court.”
A win over Duke won’t turn Vanderbilt into a Final Four contender overnight, of course. The Commodores will face other tests in White’s first season, and their growth will continue. But for now, White and company should embrace a win over a program Vanderbilt hopes to emulate. For one day, at least, the Commoodres were the bluebloods.
“We have to use this win,” White said, “to build confidence in this team.”