Duke Tripped Up at Virginia, 67-54

Thursday, February 17

Charlottesville, VA

7 P.M.

Duke University

15-10,6-9ACC

Virginia

4-20,1-13ACC

Duke

Virginia

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke Tripped Up at Virginia, 67-54

2/17/2022 9:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score BOX SCORE (PDF)POSTGAME NOTES GALLERY QUOTES LAWSON INTERVIEW Photo Gallery

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Duke women's basketball team was tripped up in its first game of a two-game road swing, falling to Virginia, 67-54, Thursday evening at John Paul Jones Arena.

Junior Celeste Taylor and graduate student Jade Williams led the way for the Blue Devils offensively with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Imani Lewis snagged a team-high seven rebounds to go with her eight points off the bench, while freshman Shayeann Day-Wilson dished out six assists.

Duke (15-10, 6-9 ACC) and Virginia traded baskets to open the game before a 6-0 run gave the home team a 14-7 lead. Lewis provided a boost off the bench as the senior scored five of the last seven first quarter points for the Blue Devils, but Virginia still maintained a five-point lead at the end of the opening stanza.

Williams and graduate student Lexi Gordon combined for 11 of the 14 Duke points in the second period. Williams scored six of the first nine points in the quarter while Gordon tallied the last five, none more important than a triple at the end of the half to pull the Blue Devils within 10 at the break.

Williams finished the first half with eight points and Lewis grabbed four boards to lead the first half scoring and rebounding efforts for Duke. Day-Wilson dished a team-high four assists.

The third quarter started off slow for both sides as the teams combined to shoot 3-of-16 from the floor. Taylor popped the seal off the basket and netted the first points of the period with a strong drive to the paint, off Elizabeth Balogun's steal and assist, to pull the Blue Devils within single digits. Freshman Lee Volker cashed in a jumper, Williams scored inside to reach double-figures and Taylor sank a pullup jumper from the left elbow, however, the Cavaliers held a sizeable margin heading into the final period.

Duke outscored the Cavaliers, 18-15, in the final period. Looking to chip away at the deficit, the Blue Devils got off to a strong start in the fourth scoring eight of the first 10 points. Gordon drilled her second trey of the game, Lewis split a trip at the foul line, then Day-Wilson and Onome Akinbode-James added field goals of their own. Duke cut the Virginia lead to 10 three times late in the game – first off Lewis' driving layup and a free throw from Day-Wilson, then on back to-back perfect trips at the charity stripe by Taylor and Day-Wilson – but were unable to get any closer. Virginia would make six free throws down the stretch secure the win for the home team.

Amandine Toi led the Cavaliers (4-21, 1-14 ACC) with 21 points.

Game Notes:

Two Blue Devils finished the game in double figures – Taylor (11), Williams (10).
Duke hit 3-of-22 from 3-point range for the game
The Blue Devils finished the game with more bench points (25-11), steals (11-8) and assists (12-11) than Virginia.

Up Next:
The Blue Devils close a two-game road swing at Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m., live on ACC Network Extra.

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