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Top-seeded Duke rolls on
Updated: Saturday March 17, 2001 5:30 PM
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Duke coach Gail Goestenkors says opponents don't realize how good Alana Beard is on defense until they see her in person. Wisconsin-Milwaukee found out quickly in its first NCAA tournament game. Beard had 22 points and seven steals -- three during a 16-0 run in the first half -- as Duke beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee 96-63 in the first round of the West Regional on Saturday. "I've never faced someone with arms probably as tall as I am," said Panthers point guard Teri Stoltenberg, who had her pocket picked by Beard on three straight possessions in the first half. "I kept coming to the bench and saying 'I don't know where she's coming from.' Unless you put broomsticks on Nene's [assistant coach Arneda Yarbrough] hands, you can't simulate anything like that." Duke (29-3) improved to 9-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament and won its seventh straight as the host team. The top-seeded Blue Devils can set the school record for victories in a season by beating Arkansas in the second round Monday. Duke trailed by one two minutes in, but scored the next 16 points to take a 20-5 lead with 14:02 left. Rometra Craig, who had a career-high 20 points, capped the spurt with a jumper. "We wanted to come out and attack right away," said Beard, who also had four rebounds and four assists. "Coach Goestenkors came up to us before the game and told us to put pressure on the ball and fill the passing lanes. I think we did pretty good with that." Wisconsin-Milwaukee (19-11) was 10-for-33 in the first half and shot 31 percent overall. Jessica Wilhite led the Panthers with 24 points and six steals. She hit four 3-pointers. "I think earlier they were caught up in the moment and there were some glassy eyes out there, but then they adjusted," Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Sandy Botham said. "For their first game, on the road and at Duke, I thought they adjusted well." Craig, who entered the game shooting 36 percent, hit eight of nine shots - including all three of her 3-point attempts. Duke shot a season-high 64 percent overall.
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