Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Countdown to Craziness on October 3, 2025 at 7 p.m.
/
7 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
Sunday, February 6
Durham, N.C.
6 P.M.
Duke University
15-7,6-6ACC
81
vs
76
Wake Forest
12-11,2-10ACC
1
2
3
4
F
Wake Forest
18
14
29
15
76
Duke
13
23
24
21
81
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Gordon, Day-Wilson Lead Duke to Thrilling Win Over WFU
2/6/2022 8:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM – Graduate student Lexi Gordon netted a season-best 23 points and freshman Shayeann Day-Wilson added 22 to lead the Duke women's basketball team to a thrilling, 81-76, win over Wake Forest Sunday evening at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Gordon and Day-Wilson poured it on in the second half as the duo notched 17 and 13 points, respectively and combined for all but 15 Blue Devil points after halftime. They also tied senior Onome Akinbode-James for a team-high five rebounds, while senior Miela Goodchild led the way with four assists.
Duke (15-7, 6-6 ACC) trailed by seven early in the period before Gordon finished inside and Goodchild drained a triple from the left corner to pull the Blue Devils within a pair, 11-9. Wake Forest was able to build its lead back up by scoring seven of the next nine points, but sophomore Vanessa de Jesus converted on a scoop layup to cut the deficit to five (18-13) heading into the second.
The Blue Devils flipped the switch in the second quarter and outscored the Demon Deacons, 23-14, through the 10 minutes. The highly competitive period featured a pair of ties and three lead changes, beginning with an 11-4 Duke run to open the period. Duke hit three of its first four shots as the trio of graduate student Jade Williams, Gordon and junior Celeste Taylor connected on their respective attempts to pull the home team within one. Goodchild's triple from the top of the key knotted the score at 22-22, then Taylor cashed in another pull-up jumper to put Duke ahead by two.
Wake Forest responded with an 8-0 run to take a six-point lead, but the Blue Devils drained five of its last seven shots and closed the half on a 12-2 spurt to take a 36-32 margin into the break.
Day-Wilson led Duke with nine first-half points. The rookie got going in the second quarter and scored seven points during the 2:44 stretch that closed out the half. Akinbode-James paced the Blue Devils on the glass with four rebounds while Goodchild, Taylor and freshman Lee Volker each tallied assists.
The level of play was raised in the third quarter as both sides shot lights out throughout the period. Scoring came at a premium - at the end of the third, the teams had combined for 53 points, 50-percent shooting (17-of-34) from the floor, including a 64-percent clip (7-of-11) from distance.
Day-Wilson continued her electric play with 11 points in the frame. The Blue Devils were able to keep Wake Forest at bay for the majority of the third as they had an answer each time the Demon Deacons made a rally. However, the visitors were able to battle all the way back and closed on a 6-0 run to regain the edge (61-60) heading into the fourth.
Duke snatched the lead back with a 7-0 run early in the quarter. Day-Wilson cashed in a short jumper then Goodchild and Gordon knocked down back-to-back trifectas to put the home team ahead, 67-63, and force a Wake Forest timeout. After the Demon Deacons knotted the score at 67-67, Duke scored eight of the next 10 points on two more triples from Gordon and a short jumper by senior Elizabeth Balogun to build a 75-69 advantage.
Wake Forest pulled within three, but once again, Gordon had the answer. The graduate transfer netted a triple from the deep right corner on Williams' offensive rebound and assist to put Duke ahead 78-72. From there, the Blue Devils made three free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Jewel Spear led Wake Forest (12-11, 2-10) with 27 points.
Game Notes:
Up Next:
Duke continues its three-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 10 with a matchup against Florida State at 6 p.m., live on ACC Network Extra.
#GoDuke
Gordon and Day-Wilson poured it on in the second half as the duo notched 17 and 13 points, respectively and combined for all but 15 Blue Devil points after halftime. They also tied senior Onome Akinbode-James for a team-high five rebounds, while senior Miela Goodchild led the way with four assists.
Duke (15-7, 6-6 ACC) trailed by seven early in the period before Gordon finished inside and Goodchild drained a triple from the left corner to pull the Blue Devils within a pair, 11-9. Wake Forest was able to build its lead back up by scoring seven of the next nine points, but sophomore Vanessa de Jesus converted on a scoop layup to cut the deficit to five (18-13) heading into the second.
The Blue Devils flipped the switch in the second quarter and outscored the Demon Deacons, 23-14, through the 10 minutes. The highly competitive period featured a pair of ties and three lead changes, beginning with an 11-4 Duke run to open the period. Duke hit three of its first four shots as the trio of graduate student Jade Williams, Gordon and junior Celeste Taylor connected on their respective attempts to pull the home team within one. Goodchild's triple from the top of the key knotted the score at 22-22, then Taylor cashed in another pull-up jumper to put Duke ahead by two.
Wake Forest responded with an 8-0 run to take a six-point lead, but the Blue Devils drained five of its last seven shots and closed the half on a 12-2 spurt to take a 36-32 margin into the break.
Day-Wilson led Duke with nine first-half points. The rookie got going in the second quarter and scored seven points during the 2:44 stretch that closed out the half. Akinbode-James paced the Blue Devils on the glass with four rebounds while Goodchild, Taylor and freshman Lee Volker each tallied assists.
The level of play was raised in the third quarter as both sides shot lights out throughout the period. Scoring came at a premium - at the end of the third, the teams had combined for 53 points, 50-percent shooting (17-of-34) from the floor, including a 64-percent clip (7-of-11) from distance.
Day-Wilson continued her electric play with 11 points in the frame. The Blue Devils were able to keep Wake Forest at bay for the majority of the third as they had an answer each time the Demon Deacons made a rally. However, the visitors were able to battle all the way back and closed on a 6-0 run to regain the edge (61-60) heading into the fourth.
Duke snatched the lead back with a 7-0 run early in the quarter. Day-Wilson cashed in a short jumper then Goodchild and Gordon knocked down back-to-back trifectas to put the home team ahead, 67-63, and force a Wake Forest timeout. After the Demon Deacons knotted the score at 67-67, Duke scored eight of the next 10 points on two more triples from Gordon and a short jumper by senior Elizabeth Balogun to build a 75-69 advantage.
Wake Forest pulled within three, but once again, Gordon had the answer. The graduate transfer netted a triple from the deep right corner on Williams' offensive rebound and assist to put Duke ahead 78-72. From there, the Blue Devils made three free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Jewel Spear led Wake Forest (12-11, 2-10) with 27 points.
Game Notes:
- The 81 points are the most scored by the Blue Devils in an ACC game this season.
- Graduate student Lexi Gordon netted a season-high 23 points and registered her fourth straight double-digit game.
- Senior Onome Akinbode-James recorded her 10th-straight game with at least five rebounds.
- Rookie Shayeann Day-Wilson scored double-digits for the 10th game in a row and 20+ points for the third time this season.
- The Blue Devils had more rebounds (36-28), free throws (17-21), second chance points (22-10), bench points (17-8), assists (12-11) and fastbreak points (10-2) than Wake Forest.
- Duke had only three turnovers in the second half
Up Next:
Duke continues its three-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 10 with a matchup against Florida State at 6 p.m., live on ACC Network Extra.
#GoDuke
Team Stats
Wake
Duke
FG%
.469
.482
3FG%
.500
.556
FT%
1.000
.810
RB
28
36
TO
8
12
STL
3
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F/C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F/C
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