Blue Devils Capture Duke Classic Championship With Victory Over Auburn

Sunday, November 27

Durham, N.C.

3:30 p.m.

Duke University

Auburn

Blue Devils Capture Duke Classic Championship With Victory Over Auburn

11/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? Tournament MVP Lindsey Harding scored eight points and dished out seven assists as the Duke women's basketball team (5-0) defeated Auburn (3-2) by a score of 69-37 in the championship game of the 2005 Duke Classic Sunday afternoon here at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Harding added five rebounds and three steals to grab the MVP trophy while Monique Currie and Mistie Williams were both named to the All-Tournament team, as well. Currie finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals while Williams scored 12 points off of a 5-of-7 performance from the floor.

Freshman Abby Waner scored the games first four points as Duke opened the game on a 6-0 run. She would hit a three-pointer at the 13:50 mark as Duke held its first 10 point lead at 14-4. For the rest of the first half, the lead Duke lead fluctuated between 10 and 14 points.

Currie led the way for Duke in the first half with 10 points while Williams scored eight and Abby Waner seven.

Auburn's DeWanna Bonner hit a three-pointer to open the second half and cut the Blue Devil lead to seven, but Duke stormed out on a 22-0 run over the next 5:40 with Abby Waner scoring seven points in the run and giving Duke a 55-26 lead.

The two teams would literally trade bucket for bucket and free throw for free throw for the next 11:26 of the game, which included a 3:51 stretch where neither team scored. A three-pointer from Emily Waner with 1:17 left pushed the Duke lead over 30 for the first time at 68-37 and a Carrem Gay free throw finished off the game's scoring for the 69-37 final.

Abby Waner finished with a game-high 14 points and added three rebounds and a pair of assists and steals to her performance. Alison Bales was the defensive stalwart for Duke with a pair of blocks and game-high five steals. Chante Black scored six points and added four rebounds for Duke.

Duke's bench outscored Auburn 15-2 as Gay scored seven points, Jessica Foley five and Emily Waner three. Gay and Laura Kurz each pulled down four rebounds and Wanisha Smith dished out a pair of assists in the game.

Duke will now have a week off before returning to the court in Austin, Texas, against the No. 12 Texas Longhorns. The game will tip at 1:30 p.m. and be shown on Fox Sports. Duke will then play at TCU before the finals break. Duke's next home game will be against Ball State on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

Duke Classic All-Tournament Team

MVP ? Lindsey Harding, Duke
Whitney Boddie, Auburn
Monique Currie, Duke
Adrianne Davie, Arkansas State
Mistie Williams, Duke