Duncan’s senior year is her best so far!
Kaitlyn Duncan was a rare talent in high school, playing nearly every position on the floor and being able to score from any spot. She tallied 1,000-plus points and 1,000-plus rebounds in her prep career at Banks County (c/o 2015)
Those numbers are difficult to rack up, and even tougher to duplicate it at the next level. Duncan plays NCAA Division-I basketball for Furman University, helping guide the Paladins to 10 wins so far this season.
“During my career here at Furman, I have played many positions, which has been really tough,” Duncan says. “But it has also given me the opportunity to expand my game and become even more versatile.”
In 2018-19, Duncan is the only roster player to start all 19 games to date, and is rewarding Furman with 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She leads the team in the latter. She also adds 1.4 assists per game, 0.7 steals, and an incredible 1.3 blocks (25 total). She is shooting 49-percent from the floor.
Duncan’s yearly progression has been fairly consistent and has continued to get better. Her freshman ’15-16 season saw her play in 31 games (15 starts), and average 3.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She increased that to 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds as a sophomore in ’16-17, despite playing in just 21 games (14 starts). As a junior in ’17-18, she again posted career-bests in points (4.3) and rebounds (4.9) while playing in 32 games (22 starts). Now in 2018-19, she’s taken her game to the 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds level, and the 49-percent shooting is nine points better than her previous best as a freshman, and 11 points better than last season’s 38-percent.
While the statistical value has been great, Duncan found much more than just glory on the court at Furman.
“Furman has been a home for me the past four years,” states Duncan. “I have really met some amazing people here, and I have been blessed to play for an amazing coaching staff who cares about me as a player and a person.”
Duncan is among the all-time block leaders at Furman with 128, which is good for fourth on the leaderboard. She was an All-Freshman Team member for the Southern Conference in 2015-16. With the season she’s having, it’s quite possible she will earn some more awards in the near future. Despite the season moving past the halfway point, there’s still life after basketball for Duncan.
“I cannot believe I am almost done with my college basketball career,” she says. “Everything I’ve ever known has been basketball. It is sad to think this is the end, but I am excited to see what’s in store for me next!”
Feature Photo by FurmanPaladins.com
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