Joining the blue bloods in women’s college basketball already comes with heavy expectations. For Arianna Roberson, though, who is already known for her winning pedigree with the US U18 team, the expectations soared at Duke.

The 20-year-old did not play the entire 2024-25 season because of injury and made her debut this season as a freshman at the Duke Blue Devils against Norfolk State. Roberson recorded a double-double, with 22 points and 16 rebounds in the victory over the SMU Mustangs.

Head Coach Kara Lawson talked to the press about wanting more consistency from Roberson. Lawson reiterated what she expects from the 20-year-old freshman going forward.

“We’re looking for consistency from Arianna, right? We want to see consistency, and the more consistent that she can play, the higher ceiling we have and the better team we can be.”

“To me, what that would look like is her ability to have a double-double against the top teams. To do that is a different level. Takes a different level approach, physicality, IQ, and what she has all inside of her. But can you get a double-double like in Thursday’s game? You know, that’s harder to do. I’m not minimizing it here. I’m just saying that’s what you’re looking for in the games that are the biggest games of the season against the biggest opponents.”

So far this season, Arianna has had some great nights where everything just clicks for her on offense while also racking up the boards. But she has failed to record back-to-back double-doubles this season. Kara Lawson is hoping Arianna can now use these performances as a springboard and do it on a more consistent basis.

The Duke Head Coach is pointing to the one-point win over the ranked Louisville. Arianna Roberson had just 5 points and 3 rebounds to show for her 19 minutes of action against the Cardinals. That would indeed be the next step for the 20-year-old once she records these double-double nights regularly, and against ranked opponents.

Duke currently boasts a 13-0 conference play record, which has helped them bounce back from a mixed start to their 2025-26 campaign. Arianna is also showing signs of returning to her normal levels and will have the opportunity to prove to Kara Lawson that she can perform against ranked teams as well, with two games against North Carolina coming up in the regular season.

Kara Lawson highlights frontcourt strength as key Duke differentiator

Duke Head Coach Kara Lawson was full of praise for her frontcourt after the 95-36 blowout win over SMU. Lawson mentioned how the trio of Arianna Roberson, Toby Fournier, and Delaney Thomas can run the court really well.

Fournier currently leads the team in scoring, with an average of 18 points per game. The sophomore forward is widely regarded as a top prospect and is already projected to be at least a lottery pick when she becomes eligible for the WNBA Draft.

The frontcourt duo of Fournier and Delaney has been consistently showing out for Duke this season. Against SMU, the duo contributed 42 of the 95 points off a 19-of-25 shooting night, showcasing incredible offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Arianna is the best 3-point option among the three, converting both of her 3-point attempts on the night.

To add to it, their ability to grab offensive rebounds leads to extra possessions for the Duke Blue Devils, which adds up and becomes crucial in close games such as the one-point win over Louisville. The three combined for 11 offensive rebounds against SMU, completely dominating the paint and helping Duke rack up second-chance points.

With March Madness fast approaching, Duke could become a serious contender for the NCAA Tournament if the trio keeps delivering like this.