Oregon Ducks

Duke regroups for Oregon without key player (Mar 19, 2017)

Published Mar. 19, 2017 12:09 a.m. ET

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AP

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke must adjust on the fly for its second-round game in the NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils meet Oregon on Monday without sophomore guard Kyra Lambert, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first-round game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

"Kyra is out for a long time," Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "I don't think you can step up. You have to evolve."

Duke, which is the region's second-seeded team and the site host, manhandled Hampton 94-31 in the opening round. During the second half, the Blue Devils worked on lineups without Lambert, who has started all 33 games this season.

"Our team was just terrific," McCallie said. "We did all sorts of things in the second half to prepare us for the future. I've never experienced an injury like this in the NCAA Tournament.

"We can evolve with other players. That's our journey and we're on it."

Duke won 21 of its last 22 NCAA Tournament home games.

"I'll probably have to take more of the point guard responsibilities," guard Lexie Brown said. "It gives us a little extra motivation playing for a teammate who's down."

Tenth-seeded Oregon (21-13), which hadn't appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2005, never advanced beyond the second round.

The Ducks rallied from behind to win each of their postseason games, twice in the Pac-12 tournament and again with Saturday night's dramatics.

"This group shows a lot of toughness and grit," Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. "I love this basketball team and the fight they continue to show."

The Ducks, who are 3-4 across the past month, use a starting lineup with three freshmen who combined for 52 points in the first round.

Freshman forward Ruthy Hebard made the winning basket in the 71-70 victory over seventh-seeded Temple.

"That's stuff dreams are made of," Graves said.

Oregon's growth this season comes in part because it has been well-tested, with a 4-9 record against Top 25 teams. Duke is another opponent fitting into that category with a No. 9 ranking entering the tournament.

"I don't think we consider ourselves freshmen anymore," Ducks freshman guard Sabrina Ionescu said. "We have to step up to the level of competition."

Oregon is the country's second-best 3-point shooting team (39.6 percent), though it made only 4 of 16 against Temple.

"It will take a total defensive effort to defend them inside and out," McCallie said. "Just what you would expect, a very challenging game."

Duke looks to maintain a balanced attack.

"We're at our best when we get everybody going," Brown said.

This will be the first meeting between Oregon and Duke.

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