Duke Women’s Basketball Dominates Wake Forest
In a dominant display on Sunday, the No. 20 Duke women’s basketball team secured an 80-44 victory over Wake Forest, marking their 13th consecutive win. This triumph brings their record to an impressive 16-6 overall and a perfect 11-0 in the ACC, a stellar start that stands as the best under head coach Kara Lawson in her sixth season. Previously, the 2012-13 team kicked off its ACC campaign with a remarkable 15-0 record.
Game Highlights
The first half saw Duke take control early, leading 42-10 at the break. Wake Forest struggled significantly, committing 17 turnovers and managing only 15% shooting (4 for 27) from the floor. Duke capitalized on these mistakes, scoring 21 points off turnovers.
Duke’s second quarter was particularly overwhelming, as they delivered a 22-2 scoring run highlighted by a 14-0 streak. During a stretch that lasted 10 minutes from the second to the third quarter, Wake Forest missed 15 consecutive shots. Their shooting woes continued, as they were only 4 for 33 before Milan Brown finally found the basket, hitting three consecutive shots after Duke opened the third quarter with a 10-0 start.
As the game progressed, Duke extended their lead to a staggering 52-10 midway through the third quarter, though Wake Forest managed to keep the final margin below 40 points for most of the remaining time.
Individual Performances
In terms of individual performances, Duke’s Toby Fournier recorded a solid double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Arianna Roberson matched his effort, contributing 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Delaney Thomas also played a key role, adding 11 points and eight rebounds. For Wake Forest, freshman Milan Brown stood out with a double-double of her own, scoring 13 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Caitlyn Jones chipped in another 10 points for the Demon Deacons, who fell to 12-11 overall and 2-9 in the conference.
Overall Performance
Overall, Duke outperformed Wake Forest significantly in turnovers, committing just 12 themselves compared to Wake’s 31, leading to a 31-14 scoring advantage from those turnovers. Both teams shot 45% in the second half, ultimately leading Wake Forest to a dire 30% overall shooting percentage for the game.
Upcoming Matches
Next on the schedule for the Blue Devils is a crucial matchup against No. 7 Louisville on Thursday, both teams entering that contest with unblemished conference records. Meanwhile, Wake Forest will prepare to face SMU on the same day.
