GREENSBORO - Duke junior Abby Waner considers the Blue Devils 82-51 loss to North Carolina in the final game of the regular season on Sunday an aberration -- but not one they should simply dismiss.

To simply say the crushing defeat didn't matter would be to deny what they learned from it.

"We're a lot better than what we showed in that game, which is the promising part," she said.

It will be up to the third-seeded Devils (21-8, 10-4 ACC) to show how much better during this week's ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Duke, ranked 12th in the nation, face sixth-seeded Florida State tonight in a quarterfinal game that marks the start of their postseason.

Battered by the Heels, the Blue Devils responded with a 7 a.m. practice the next day that players called their best all season.

Waner said the consensus is that Duke must now put together a complete game. Throughout the regular season the Devils flashed moments of greatness in categories - rebounding, pressing and transition.

"Pull it all together," said Waner, who was named to the All-ACC third team, while Black was named to the second team.

Black added that she, Waner and senior Wanisha Smith need to provide collective leadership.

"Not one person stepping up, all three," she said.

Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said Sunday's game against UNC was like a punch in the gut. She said players must respond as a team and produce "numbers" across the board.

"The proof is in our action from here," McCallie said. "We have a great opportunity as we head into a new season."

McCallie said it's been easy to disqualify the team's achievements this season because the Devils have a 1-5 record against top-5 teams -- but their accomplishment should not be ignored.

But what will qualify as success this week for the Blue Devils?

"A championship," Waner said. "We still have championship expectations. The day we start to lower those, it's no longer Duke basketball."