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Women's Basketball
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Sunday, February 23
Durham, N.C.
2 p.m.
Duke University
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Syracuse
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Blue Devils Face Syracuse on Alumni, Hero Day
2/22/2025 3:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. – No. 11 Duke welcomes Syracuse to Cameron Indoor Stadium for an ACC matinee Sunday, Feb. 23 during the Blue Devils' alumni weekend. The action is slated to get going at 2 p.m., live on The CW.
THE OPENING TIP:
OKANANWA FINDING HER RHYTHM:
UP NEXT:
No. 11 Duke gears up for its final home game of the regular season, hosting No. 9 and Tobacco Road rival North Carolina Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., live on ESPN. The Blue Devils will celebrate and honor their two seniors, Vanessa de Jesus and Reigan Richardson, for their contributions to the program.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to the YouTube channel by searching "DukeWBB."
50 Seasons of Duke Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season marks the 50th anniversary of Duke women's basketball, a program rich in tradition, excellence and success. From its early foundations to national dominance, the Blue Devils have become a powerhouse in both athletics and academics. Join us in commemorating five decades of sisterhood, championships and iconic moments as we set the stage for the next 50 years. For more information, please visit goduke.com/WBB50.
#GoDuke
THE OPENING TIP:
- Duke is set to welcome home more than 50 years of alumni as a part of its Alumni Weekend festivities. In addition to alumni weekend, Sunday's game is also the Blue Devils' inaugural Hero Day, where Duke will celebrate and honor the positive impact of local first responders, healthcare workers, military personnel, and educators on the community. The Touch-A-Truck event is set to start at 12:30 p.m.
- Sunday will be the 13th meeting in the all-time series between Duke and Syracuse. The Blue Devils own a 9-3 record, including a 3-1 ledger in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke has won the last four against the Orange, including a 58-45 road victory in 2023-24.
- The Blue Devils hold an 11-1 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season. Over the past three years, Duke boasts a 39-6 overall mark at home (.867). Duke is putting up 78.7 points on a scorching 49-percent clip when playing at home in 2024-25, outscoring opponents by an average of 28.5 points per contest.
- Duke has also enjoyed immense success in the ACC recently as the Blue Devils have reestablished themselves as one of the league's premier programs. Duke has totaled 36 ACC dubs in the past three seasons, No. 2 in the conference. Notre Dame (43) is the only team to compile more wins than the Blue Devils during this stretch.
- Duke checks in at No. 11 in the Associated Press (AP) Top-25 poll and No. 8 in the latest NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings. The Blue Devils' Strength of Schedule (SOS) is also No. 4 nationally.
- In the NCAA, Duke ranks top 30 in five categories - bench scoring (3rd), forced turnovers per game (21st), turnover margin (25th), offensive rebounding average (25th) and assist average (28th).
- In ACC play, Duke has held 14 opponents below their respective season scoring averages, limiting foes to 54.3 points on 39-percent shooting and 0.67 points per possession. Duke is also averaging 10.7 steals and 4.8 blocks in league play while forcing the opposition into an ACC-best 22.7 turnovers per game.
- The Blue Devils rank in the top five of seven ACC defensive categories, sitting atop the league in scoring defense, steals and turnover margin (+8.8). Duke checks in at No. 2 in three point percentage defense (.270), No. 3 in field goal percentage defense and rebounding defense (33.1) and No. 4 in blocks.
- Toby Fournier paces the Blue Devils in points (340), field goal percentage (.547), total field goals (129), free throws (78) and is tied for first in blocks with 31. Fournier also ranks second on the team in rebounds (131). Fournier leads all ACC freshmen in total field goal percentage (54.7%), two-point field goal makes (4.8) and attempts (8.6), average free throw makes (3.0) and attempts (4.5), per HerHoopStats (min. 15 games played).
- Oluchi Okananwa has elevated her play since the calendar hit December, taking her game to another level in ACC action. She is averaging 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.6 assists, with 11 double-figure performances over this span.
- Ashlon Jackson has come on strong in ACC play, putting up 11.6 points on 36-percent shooting and 39 percent from deep. She is also averaging 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. She has reached double figures in nine of her last 14, averaging 12.2 points on a 39-percent clip from three, along with 2.1 caroms, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals.
- Taina Mair has done a great job quarterbacking the Duke offense this season, averaging 4.0 assists per contest. She has been extremely efficient with the basketball over her past 11 games, racking up 46 helpers to 15 turnovers for a 3.1 assist/turnover ratio..
- Duke has been on a defensive tear since the schedule transitioned to ACC play, with the stifling Duke defense of the past two seasons coming back into the forefront.
- In ACC play, Duke has held 14 opponents below their respective season scoring averages, limiting foes to 54.3 points on 39-percent shooting.
- Duke is also averaging 10.7 steals and 4.8 blocks in league play while forcing the opposition into an ACC-best 22.7 turnovers per game.
- The Blue Devils rank in the top five of seven ACC defensive categories, sitting atop the league in scoring defense, steals and turnover margin (+8.8). Duke checks in at No. 2 in three point percentage defense (.270), No. 3 in field goal percentage defense and rebounding defense (33.1) and No. 4 in blocks.
- The Blue Devil defense has held ACC opponents to 0.67 points per possession, a vast improvement from the 0.86 defensive points per possession averaged in non-conference action.
- In Duke's win over No. 18 California (1.16), the Blue Devils forced the Golden Bears into 31 turnovers while holding them to just 38 points for the game. Cal's 38 points were the fewest by a ranked opponent all-time against Duke, with the 34-point margin marking the largest over a ranked foe since 2001, when Duke took down No. 15 Clemson, 92-42.
- Rookie Toby Fournier has enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign, putting the nation on notice she's a force to be reckoned with. She paces Duke in scoring (13.1) and is second on the glass with 5.0 boards.
- Fournier has reached double figures 16 times, netted seven 20-point outings and led the team in scoring 10 times. She has displayed great efficiency from the floor, shooting 60 percent or higher 11 times this season while averaging 1.02 points per possession and 0.67 points per minute. She has been hitting her freebies at a 72-percent clip (62-of-86), after shooting 55.2% (16-of-29) in the first six contests.
- With her seven contests this season of 20-plus points, Fournier is currently tied with former Duke standouts Rebecca Greenwell and Monique Currie for the third-most 20-point games as a freshman. She needs just three more to tie the school record of 10 games held by Blue Devil greats Alana Beard and Chris Moreland.
- Fournier has been crowned the USBWA Tamika Catching National Freshman of the Week twice this season (Nov. 25, Feb. 11) and has totaled five ACC Freshman of the Week honors - Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Jan. 20, Jan. 27 and Feb. 10, giving her the most FOTW selections by a Blue Devil in over a decade.
- Fournier leads all ACC freshmen in total field goal percentage (54.7%), two-point field goal makes (4.8) and attempts (8.6), average free throw makes (3.0) and attempts (4.5), per HerHoopStats (min. 15 games played). She is also No. 2 in blocks per game (1.2) and No. 3 in offensive rebounds (2.0), field goal attempts (9.1) and total rebounds per game (5.2) and No. 4 in two point percentage (55.8%) and defensive rebounds per game (3.1).
- The Toronto, Canada product was tapped as one of 50 players to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year Midseason Watch List and was recently named a World Exposure Report Freshman Player Of The Year Semifinalist.
- She posted her first career double-double in the 72-38 win over California (1.16), putting up 23 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. She was extremely efficient in the win, shooting 70 percent (7-of-10) from the field and 90 percent (9-of-10) from the charity stripe. Her nine free throws are tied for 10th all-time on the Duke freshman single-game records list.
- In the ACC opener against Virginia Tech (12.8), Fournier erupted for a career-high 27 points and nine rebounds. Her 27 points were the most points by a Duke freshman in an ACC opener all-time, with the 12 field goals tied for second on the freshman single-game records list with former Duke standout Alana Beard (3x).
- The Blue Devils hold an 11-1 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season. Over the past three years, Duke boasts a 39-6 overall mark at home (.867).
- Duke is putting up 78.7 points on a scorching 49-percent clip when playing at home in 2024-25, outscoring opponents by an average of 28.5 points per contest.
- Duke has also enjoyed immense success in the ACC recently as the Blue Devils have reestablished themselves as one of the league's premier programs.
- Duke has totaled 36 ACC dubs in the past three seasons, No. 2 in the conference. The Blue Devils have 11 ACC wins in 2024-25 thus far, after posting 14 and 11, respectively, in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
- The Blue Devils have posted 10-plus ACC wins in three consecutive seasons, marking their longest streak in over a decade.
- The last time Duke posted three straight seasons with double-digit ACC victories was 2012-2015, when the team notched 17 (2012-13), 12 (2013-14) and 11 (2014-15) dubs, respectively.
- Notre Dame (43) is the only team to compile more wins than the Blue Devils during this stretch. Louisville, NC State and Florida State each have 35 victories while North Carolina and Virginia Tech round out the group with 34.
OKANANWA FINDING HER RHYTHM:
- Since the calendar hit December, Oluchi Okananwa has found her offensive rhythm. Dating back to the game at South Carolina (12.5), Okananwa has elevated her play, taking it to another level in ACC action.
- The sophomore is averaging 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.6 assists over the stretch, with 11 double-figure performances. Okananwa's steal average ranks seventh in conference play.
- Overall, Okananwa has reached double digits 14 times this season and had 13 games with five-plus boards.
- Defensively, she leads Duke with 53 thefts and is 35th nationally in steal rate (4.5%), per HerHoopStats. Okananwa has eight games with three-plus steals, including a career-high of six at UNC (1.9).
- Last time out, the sophomore put up 17 points to pace the Duke offense against Louisville (2.20).
- Okananwa netted nine of her 15 points in the second half to help lead the Blue Devils to a 72-47 win at Wake Forest (2.13). She chipped in 16 points and three rebounds in the dub over Miami (2.9) and prior to that, 14 points via a perfect shooting performance, going 5-of-5 from the field, 2-of-2 from distance and 2-of-2 at the charity stripe in the win against Clemson (2.6). She rounded out her night with three rebounds, three steals and two assists.
- The sophomore guard helped propel the Blue Devils to a five-point win at Georgia Tech (1.26), scoring six of the team's 10 points in the fourth quarter to pull out the 55-50 win over the Yellow Jackets. She also spearheaded Duke's comeback win at Virginia (1.12), scoring 14 of her 17 points after halftime to help propel the Blue Devils to the 60-55 decision.
- Okananwa had a season-high 20 points, six caroms, five dimes and four steals in the win over Wofford (12.18). Prior to that, she had 12 points in games versus South Carolina (12.5) and Virginia Tech (12.8).
- She collected seven boards against the Gamecocks, then completed the double-double against the Hokies with 12 rebounds while also adding two steals and two blocks. Okananwa also put up 12 points at Boston College (1.2) and SMU (1.23).
- Duke has been extremely solid on the glass this season, checking in among the top 35 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (25th) and rebounding margin (32nd).
- For the season, Duke averages 38.4 rebounds per game with nearly 15 of those coming on the offensive end. Duke has parlayed its extra opportunities into 388 second chance points.
- Per HerHoopStats, Duke is 10th in the NCAA in offensive rebounding rate (40%), 13th in total offensive rebounds (391), 22nd in offensive rebound average (14.5) and 27th in total rebound rate (54.6%).
- In ACC play, Duke is No. 1 in offensive rebound percentage (.387). Duke is also No. 3 in rebounding margin (+3.3), rebounding defense (33.1) and offensive rebounds per game (14.1)
- Jadyn Donovan has been a mainstay on the glass this season with a team-leading 185 boards (6.9 rpg). She has snagged double-digit caroms seven times and finished with nine-plus rebounds nine times.
- Seven other Blue Devils have tallied 50 boards this season - Toby Fournier (131), Oluchi Okananwa (130), Delaney Thomas (130), Jordan Wood (85), Taina Mair (76), Reigan Richardson (72) and Ashlon Jackson (58).
- Ashlon Jackson has come on strong in ACC play, putting up 11.6 points on 36-percent shooting and 39 percent from deep. She is also averaging 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
- The junior has reached double figures in nine of her last 14, averaging 12.2 points on a 39-percent clip from three, along with 2.1 caroms, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals.
- Overall, this season, Jackson has netted five games with five-plus threes and tallied 16 games in double figures with four 20-point performances.
- In the NCAA rankings, the junior is 38th in three point percentage (40.9%) and 41st in three pointers made (63).
UP NEXT:
No. 11 Duke gears up for its final home game of the regular season, hosting No. 9 and Tobacco Road rival North Carolina Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., live on ESPN. The Blue Devils will celebrate and honor their two seniors, Vanessa de Jesus and Reigan Richardson, for their contributions to the program.
To stay up to date with Duke women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to the YouTube channel by searching "DukeWBB."
50 Seasons of Duke Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season marks the 50th anniversary of Duke women's basketball, a program rich in tradition, excellence and success. From its early foundations to national dominance, the Blue Devils have become a powerhouse in both athletics and academics. Join us in commemorating five decades of sisterhood, championships and iconic moments as we set the stage for the next 50 years. For more information, please visit goduke.com/WBB50.
#GoDuke
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