“Man, can coach defense they could play it as players and they can really coach it,” said Lawson in a Jan. She was in Australia coaching with USA Basketball during those months and credits the assistants for working closely with the players. Lawson has not been shy in praising her staff for the improvement of this team, especially during the offseason. She's someone I can come to not just for basketball but for other things outside of that, so I love coach Karen,” said Richardson at the team’s preseason media day. Sophomore guard Reigan Richardson, one of the impact transfers that Lawson nabbed at the beginning of the season, coincidentally also came from Georgia and had a special relationship with Lange. The former Georgia associate head coach specializes on working with guards, and as a former point guard herself and teammate of assistant coach Tia Jackson, she brought familiarity and a veteran presence to the staff. In addition, assistant head coach Beth Cunningham moved on to a head coaching position, and Lawson filled her spot with a well-respected and experienced coach: Karen Lange. Ten players average double-digit minutes per game, and six of those are transfers or freshmen. ![]() She pointed out that this was her first fully recruited freshman class, and the three freshmen added to the talent and depth of this team. “You don't just want size, you want talent coupled with it.” “A big emphasis for us in the portal was to fortify the frontcourt and bring in size,” said Lawson. The core of the team - guards Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor and wing Elizabeth Balogun - remained intact, but the supporting pieces that Lawson brought in have made a great impact this season. To do this, she turned to the increasingly important transfer portal. With the loss of the two top frontcourt pieces, Onome Akinbode-James and Jade Williams, along with a slew of key pieces, Lawson needed to revamp the roster. No matter if the Blue Devils are up or down in the game, it is evident that they play hard and play together. They have formed a team identity by playing consistently on the defensive end of the floor. If that was the recipe for success, the Blue Devils cooked it to perfection. “The way to do that is to compete hard with one another.” ![]() ![]() “Consistency is where we need to improve: be more consistent defensively, be more consistent offensively, be more consistent on the glass,” said Lawson at ACC Tipoff Oct.
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