Triangle Sports Roundup: Women’s NCAA golf, USA Basketball updates

Chris Baird, Triangle Sports Network

Duke women’s golf leads NCAA South Bend Regional heading into final round

SOUTH BEND, IND. – The sixth-ranked and defending NCAA-champion Duke women’s golf team holds the team and individual lead heading into the final round of play on Saturday at the 2015 NCAA South Bend Regional being played at the 6,301-yard, par 72 Warren Golf Course.

The Blue Devils posted rounds of 288 and 289 and lead by five strokes over Purdue (582) with a 36-hole ledger of 577.

The rest of the top 10 included Wake Forest (585), Arizona (586), UC Davis (589), Tulane (593), Oklahoma State (594), Harvard (594), Notre Dame (595) and Kent State (598).

Following Saturday’s final round, the top six teams will advance to the NCAA Championship May 22-27 in Bradenton, Fla.

“We had another good day,” Duke head coach Dan Brooks said.

“This thing really stretched out due to the rain delay.  We are pretty happy with what we have done these two days.”

Inclement weather suspended play during mid-afternoon on Friday, with three Blue Devils still on holes 17 and 18.

After a three-hour delay, play resumed and finished just after 6:00 p.m.

“We are trying to do two things,” Brooks continued.

“We are trying to get to nationals, but we are also trying to prepare for nationals. We are trying to get as tough as we can.  So I would like to widen the gap if we can and at least come away with the win here.  (Hope we can) put one more day of solid preparation in before nationals.”

On the individual leaderboard, Duke junior Celine Boutier continued to hold the top slot as she carded an even-par, 72, in the second round and leads with a five-under, 139.

Blue Devils freshman Leona Maguire carded an individual-best 4-under par 68 on Friday and moved into second place and one shot off the lead with a four-under, 140, just ahead of Arizona’s Lindsey Weaver is who sits at three-under (141) overall.

“Well, they have a very, very respectful and kind of amicable relationship as far as rivalry so it is nice to see that,” commented Brooks on having Boutier and Maguire atop the leaderboard.

“They will make each other better and are going to be doing that for a while so it is great.”

Notes: Duke has won the NCAA Regional eight times with the last title coming in 2013…Maguire and Boutier’s eight birdies over the two days rank tied first…Maguire’s 2.75 scoring average on par threes over the 36 holes rank tied first.

Duke WBB players Stevens, Greenwell prepping for international play

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – USA Basketball announced Wednesday a total of 34 of the top 19-and-under student-athletes, including Duke Blue Devils rising sophomore Azurá Stevens, will participate in the 2015 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials from May 14-17 at the United States Olympic Training Center.

Stevens averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals as a rookie with the Blue Devils.

The six-foot-five-inch wing received Second Team All-ACC Honors and All-ACC Freshman team accolades this past season.

Stevens set Duke freshman records for field goals made (194), rebounds (271), offensive rebounds (120), double-figure scoring games (28), double-doubles (10) and double-figure rebound games (12).

Stevens will also be considered for the 2015 USA Pan American Games and USA World University Games teams.

The USA squad, which is on a quest to capture a sixth-consecutive gold medal at the U19 Worlds, will compete in the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, July 18-26 in Chekhov, Russia.

USA Basketball Women’s Under-19 Trials Roster

Blue Devils redshirt sophomore guard Rebecca Greenwell was also announced as one of 54 student-athletes selected to attend the 2015 USA Basketball Women’s Pan American Games and World University Games Team Trials from May 14-17 at the United States Olympic Training Center.

Trials will be used to determine the rosters for the 2015 U.S. Pan American Women’s Basketball Team and the 2015 USA Women’s World University Games Team.

The 12 members of each squad will be announced on May 17.

Greenwell, a three-time medalist with USA Basketball, is coming off an impressive season as a redshirt freshman for Duke.

The six-foot-one-inch guard made an immediate impact with the Blue Devils as a starter in the team’s 34 games, averaging 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.9 steals.

She posted a freshman record 72 three-pointers and attempted a school-record 202 treys.

Greenwell hit a team-best 78.9 percent from the free throw line as well and was named to the All-ACC Academic Team as a rookie.

A two-time USA Basketball gold medalist, she led the 2012 U17 World Championship Team and the 2011 U16 National Team to gold medals in back-to-back summers.

She was also a part of the 2011 3X3 Youth World Championship Team.

USA Basketball Women’s Pan American Games Trials Roster

Notes: The Pan American Games and World University Games team trials will take place on the same days as the 2015 USA Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials, although at different times. Several U19 participants, because they have played a year of college basketball, are eligible for the Pan American and World University Games competitions. The selected U.S. Pan American Women’s Basketball Team players and coaches will return to Colorado on July 3 for the start of training camp and will depart for the competition in Toronto, Canada, on July 8. The 2015 Pan American Games women’s basketball competition will take place July 16-20. The selected USA players and coaches for the 2015 USA World University Games Team will return to Colorado Springs for training camp on June 18-July 2, before departing for the event. The 2015 World University Games women’s basketball competition will be held July 4-13 in Gwangju, South Korea.