Blue Devils Steam-Roll Winthrop University

DURHAM, NC- The Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball team cruised past the Winthrop University Eagles 95-36 for their second big win of the season. Lexi Gordan led the game with 17 points on 66.7% shooting from the field.

Even early in the game, there was a clear understanding of who the better team on the floor was.

In the first quarter, The Blue Devils outscored the Eagles 23-6. Ending the quarter on a 14-0 run.

The first half of play was dominated by the Blue Devils, as was the entire game. Lexi Gordan’s 14 points came in the first period. Vanessa de Jesus’s 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the first half were nothing to forget about either.

The team felt complete. Their cohesiveness was electric, and it felt like every shot that left their hands was going to go in. It was hard to look away.

De Jesus’ command of the floor was poetic. She ended the game with nearly a triple-double with 7 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 0 turnovers.

Duke’s size advantage gave them another weapon to exploit the zone defense the eagles were Playing.

At one point late in the second quarter, The Blue Devils had 3 players over six feet in the game, the tallest being Jade Williams, standing at 6’5. While Winthrop had 2, with the tallest at 6’1 in Caroline de Klauman.

Though Winthrop was down big, they still played with intensity.

J’Mani Ingram led The Eagles with 13 points and five rebounds on 5-16 shooting. The next leading scorer had six points.

Duke just had more. Of everything really.

Their defense was something to rave about as well. In the first half alone, they forced 14 turnovers, had five blocks, 17 defensive rebounds, and only allowed 16 points on 7-32 shooting.

They have made a habit of expecting a lot from a lot of players this year.

In their win against Wingate University, they had 5 players score 9 points or more.
The head of the pack, Senior guard Meila Goodchild, scored 18. In this game, she put up 10, and the team was just as productive.
12 players for Duke scored tonight, six of which had at least 9 points. Five were in double digits.

In their two games, Duke has outscored opponents 181-89. Impressive is not the proper word.

Duke (1-0, ACC, 0-0) now focuses on the 2-0 Dayton flyers. This will be their first away game and a new challenge for the squad.