Boykin, Gorecki Lead Duke to VT Upset

DURHAM, N.C. – Behind a strong defensive effort down the stretch and a spark by redshirt freshman Mikayla Boykin, the Duke women’s basketball team took down Virginia Tech, 72-67, Sunday afternoon in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Blue Devils improved to 8-8 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, while snapping a five-game losing streak. Virginia Tech fell to 13-4, 2-3 in league play.

Boykin came off the bench to register a career-high 13 points while dishing three assists and one steal in 22 minutes. Graduate Haley Gorecki added a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season and 13th of her career.

The Blue Devil defense limited Virginia Tech to seven points over the final 12 minutes of play to give Duke the victory.

Duke got off to a hot start Sunday as the Blue Devils hit 9-of-14 field goals in the first quarter and closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 21-13. Seven Blue Devils scored in the first 10 minutes, led by Gorecki with six points. The 64.3 percent shooting by Duke tied a season-high.

The Blue Devils continued their hot play into the second as Duke extended its run to 11-0 and led, 24-13, at the 9:23 mark. Virginia Tech made a run of its own, 13-2, to even the score at 26-26. The Hokies outscored Duke, 18-15, in the second quarter, but the Blue Devils led 36-31 at the break.

Junior Jade Williams and sophomore Miela Goodchild came off the bench in the first half to combine for 17 points, nine by Williams and eight by Goodchild. The Hokies hit 61.5 percent from the field in the second and 52.0 percent in the first half, while Duke hit 46.9 percent.

Duke led by as many as eight to start the third quarter, but Virginia Tech went on a 7-0 run to even the score, 42-42, before Blue Devil head coach Joanne P. McCallie called a timeout. Boykin found Williams for an easy two out of the timeout to end the Hokie run. Boykin, who is from Clinton, N.C., added a three-pointer from the top of the key to put the Blue Devils ahead again.

Virginia Tech received a late bucket from Aisha Sheppard to take a 51-50 lead into the fourth period.

The Hokies went on another run, 8-0, and led 61-52 with 7:16 left. Sparked by three straight buckets from Boykin, Duke went on an 8-0 run of its own to cut the Virginia Tech lead to 61-60 with 3:06 remaining.

After the Hokies took a 63-60 lead, Goodchild was fouled shooting a three-pointer and she hit all three to even the score, 63-63 with 1:34 on the clock. Elizabeth Kitley gave Virginia Tech a 65-63 lead and Duke called timeout with 30.3 seconds remaining down by two. Out of the timeout, Boykin drove to the hoop and dished to a streaking senior Leaonna Odom for the game-tying field goal with 19.9 seconds left.

Virginia Tech missed two shots to win the game, but the contest went into overtime. It marked the first overtime game in Cameron Indoor Stadium since March 1, 2009, when the Blue Devils down North Carolina, 81-79, to conclude the regular season.

After hitting a free throw to open overtime to put Duke ahead, 66-65, Odom fouled out at the 4:23 mark with seven points and two rebounds.

Boykin tied a career-high with her 13th point at the 3:07 mark to give Duke a 68-65 lead. Gorecki added two free throws along with Kitley of Virginia Tech and Duke held a 70-67 advantage. A product of Palatine, Ill., Gorecki added another free throw and the Blue Devils led 71-67.

Duke finished the game with a season-high 39 points off the bench with Boykin (14), Williams (11) and Goodchild (14). After being limited to zero points in the last contest, Williams totaled 11 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high five steals in 34 minutes.

The Blue Devils held the Hokies to 5-of-22 field goals, including 0-of-7 in overtime. Duke committed only 13 turnovers and hit 7-of-19 three-pointers. Five different Blue Devils hit a three-pointer.

Duke will remain home Thursday, Jan. 16 as the Blue Devils will host Notre Dame at 8 p.m., in Cameron Indoor Stadium live on ACC Network.