The third yr of the ACC-SEC Problem in girls’s school basketball goes to be headlined with a matchup between two groups who superior to the Elite Eight, however haven’t met on the court docket in 15 years.
Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers will go to Kara Lawson’s Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday, Dec. 4, in line with a number of sources aware of the schedule. The total schedule was later launched shortly after this story was initially revealed.
Instances and TV designations are nonetheless but to be finalized, however the conflict between Duke and LSU appears like one that might be a high candidate for the primetime slot on ESPN.
Duke is 3-2 all-time in opposition to LSU, however the two sides haven’t performed because the 2010 NCAA Event when the Blue Devils beat the Tigers 60-52 in Cameron to advance to the Candy 16. Essentially the most noteworthy recreation between LSU and Duke got here within the 2006 Remaining 4, the place the Blue Devils’ protection swarmed Nationwide Participant of the Yr Seimone Augustus — holding her to zero first-half factors for the primary time in her profession — and occurring to win 64-45 to advance to the nationwide title recreation. Within the earlier season, LSU beat Duke within the Elite Eight in Chattanooga behind 24 factors from Augustus and a double-double from Sylvia Fowles.
Augustus can be a part of this recreation too, as she’s now an assistant coach for the Tigers.
Each Duke and LSU are coming off nice seasons that noticed every group win no less than 29 video games.
The Blue Devils captured the ACC Tournament title and superior to the Elite Eight for the primary time since 2013. Duke’s sturdy protection held South Carolina to its lowest scoring complete of the season, 54 factors, however the Blue Devils ultimately fell to the Gamecocks in Birmingham, Alabama, with a visit to the Remaining 4 on the road. Duke returns ACC Rookie of the Year Toby Fournier and All-ACC defender Jadyn Donovan whereas including ESPN’s fourth-ranked recruit, Utah level guard Emilee Skinner.
LSU superior to no less than the Elite Eight for the third straight season earlier than falling to UCLA. The Tigers introduced again star guards Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, but in addition added several high-profile reinforcements via the switch portal, together with Notre Dame middle Kate Koval, East Carolina wing Amiya Joyner, and dynamic South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. Mulkey’s incoming recruiting class additionally consists of 4 high 35 recruits.
Throughout Mulkey’s four-year tenure in Baton Rouge, LSU is 9-0 in opposition to ACC opponents. The Blue Devils are 4-4 in opposition to SEC groups below Lawson, with three of these losses coming in opposition to South Carolina.
After tying within the first yr of the problem, the SEC received 10 of 16 video games in opposition to the ACC final season.
Duke and LSU haven’t met within the common season since 2000, once they performed a impartial web site recreation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Different highlights of the ACC-SEC Problem schedule embrace N.C. State visiting Oklahoma on Dec. 3, after which North Carolina at Texas, Notre Dame at Ole Miss, and South Carolina at Louisville on Dec. 4.
