Day-Wilson Drops 17 Point in Loss vs Georgia Tech

Freshman Shayeann Day-Wilson poured in a game-high 17 points to lead two double-figure scorers, but the Duke women’s basketball team dropped a 59-46 contest to Georgia Tech on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Graduate student Lexi Gordon also finished the game in double-figures with 11 points. Day-Wilson posted a team-leading three assists and senior Onome Akinbode-James pulled down six rebounds to lead the efforts on the glass for Duke (13-7, 4-6 ACC).

Duke got off to a slow start and struggled through the opening 10 minutes of play. Akinbode-James tallied the Blue Devils’ first points of the night; however, Georgia Tech was able to build an early edge as Duke shot just 1-of-5 from the floor while committing six turnovers. Gordon’s triple from straightaway broke a seven-minute scoring drought for Duke, but the visitors closed on a 7-0 run to take a double-digit lead into the second quarter.

Day-Wilson registered the first five Duke points to open the second period, cashing in from deep then converting on a strong drive to the hoop a couple of minutes later, before senior Elizabeth Balogun and Gordon followed with back-to-back jumpers. Akinbode-James added a bucket in the paint and Gordon drained her second triple of the half to round out the second-quarter scoring. Although Duke was able to cut into the deficit, a pair of free throws at the end of the period gave Georgia Tech a 34-19 lead at the break.

Gordon paced the Blue Devils with eight first-half points, while Balogun snagged a team-high five rebounds. Freshman Lee Volker tallied two dimes to lead the way in the assist category.

Duke outscored the Yellow Jackets 12-9 in the third and made four of its last six shots from the floor. Gordon sank her third trifecta of the contest and pushed her point total to double digits. Day-Wilson (3), senior Miela Goodchild (2), sophomore Vanessa de Jesus (2), and graduate student Jade Williams (2) also scored for the Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils made a short rally early in the fourth quarter and pulled within single digits for the first time since the 1:54 mark of the first period. Day-Wilson and Volker registered short buckets in the paint before Williams – Day-Wilson pick-and-roll brought Duke within 45-37. That would be as close as they would get, however, as Georgia Tech scored 10 of the next 14 points to put the game away for good.

Lorela Cubaj led four double-figure scorers for Georgia Tech (18-4, 9-2 ACC), finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Duke plays its fourth game in eight days on Thursday, Feb. 3 as the Blue Devils travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face Pitt at 6 p.m. The contest will be broadcast on ACCNX.