updated 2:08 a.m. ET March 22, 2006

NORFOLK, Va. - Consider Duke’s confidence restored.

Coming into the NCAA tournament with what coach Gail Goestenkors said was damaged confidence after losing two of their last three games, the Blue Devils are feeling fine again after two dominating blowouts in the first two rounds.

“Losing to Carolina and then to Maryland was tough for us, but it came at the right time,” Mistie Williams said after an 85-51 victory over Southern California on Tuesday night.

“It just gave this team a lot of motivation. We learned from it, we were positive with one another and it’s showing.”

So, apparently, did the notion of running every time anyone didn’t box out in the two weeks of practice leading up to the tournament, which helps explain why the top-seeded Blue Devils (28-3) outrebounded Southern and USC 119-58 in the first two rounds.

“It’s something that we certainly have been focusing on,” Goestenkors said. “What we’ve done in practice is showing up in the games. We’ve done a pretty good job.”

Alison Bales scored a career-high 22 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots for Duke. She shot 8-for-9, and even made a couple of 18-footers.

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After one, she flashed a wide grin at Goestenkors, who broke up laughing.

“Coach G has always encouraged me to shoot from the high post,” Bales said. “A lot of times my confidence isn’t what it should be, but tonight I was just on, I guess.”

At 6-foot-7, Bales can be a force at both ends when her confidence is there. She had it at both ends Tuesday, but said defense usually fuels her production.

“For me, it’s always defense,” she said. “I always get so excited about blocking a shot, and my teammates encourage me. If I get a block, I’ve got a chest-bump coming.”

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Monique Currie added 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Duke, and fellow senior Williams had nine points and eight rebounds. Both rested plenty.

Eshaya Murphy led Southern Cal (19-12) with 16 points and Chloe Kerr had 13. The Women of Troy shot just 30 percent and missed 17 of their 20 3-point attempts.

The Blue Devils, who held Southern to a record-low for points in a 96-27 opening-round rout, play Michigan State in the Bridgeport Regional semifinals Sunday.

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