Duke Loses A Tough One To Florida State In Cameron

Rome wasn’t built in a day and it took three years before Mike Krzyzewski began to turn the men’s program around into what would eventually become Duke Basketball (capital letters required).

So we probably shouldn’t be overly surprised when, in what is functionally her first season, Kara Lawson’s women’s team drops a few they should win. She’s still getting a foundation in place.

Florida State did beat Duke Thursday, 59-56, but it took a huge effort and even at the very end Duke nearly struck back: Shayeann Day-Wilson hit a three as time was running out, but her foot was out of bounds.

As much as we’d like Duke to be an elite team now, it takes time. The good news is that Lawson is a highly gifted and charismatic coach. We have no doubt she’ll get the job done. A record of 15-8 isn't earth shakingly good but it’s better than, say, poor Virginia which is at the bottom of the ACC at 3-18 and 0-12 in conference play.

Duke’s on the right path. But it takes time, and some failures, to get where they want to ultimately wants to go.

• WBB: Blue Devils Drop Heartbreaker to Florida State
• BOX SCORE (PDF)
• POSTGAME NOTES (PDF)
• PLAYER QUOTES (PDF)
• FSU QUOTES (PDF)
• Duke women’s basketball drops close contest against Florida State
• Tomahawk Nation
• FSU women’s basketball upsets Duke Blue Devils Florida State Seminoles
• Florida State climbs back to .500, secures 59-56 road win at Duke in women’s basketball