DURHAM, N.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team battled hard Wednesday night inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, but the ninth-ranked Duke Blue Devils utilized a rebounding advantage for a 93-58 win. The Terriers slip to 6-3 as the Blue Devils improve to 10-2.
Wofford shot 33.8 percent on the night (22-of-65) with seven threes made. Duke posted a 50.7 percent clip (34-of-67) with six triples. The Blue Devils won the glass 56-20 with a 19-5 offensive rebounding advantage. This led to an 18-0 second chance points advantage for Duke. However, Wofford claimed the turnover edge, forcing 16 while committing only 11. Wofford had one more steal, 8-7, and claimed a points off turnovers advantage, 14-10.
The Terriers were paced by a pair of double-digit scorers.
Rachael Rose netted 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including a trio of three-pointers, for the most points by a Terrier this season.
Maddie Heiss contributed 13 points for her fourth consecutive double-digit outing.
Evangelia Paulk led on the boards with eight rebounds.
Helen Matthews dished a team-high three assists while adding four rebounds. Matthews added a pair of steals, as did
Sara Deidda, to lead the team.
Mia Flor and
Queen Ikhiuwu each blocked a shot.
The Terriers got on the board first with a
Helen Matthews free throw, but a Duke layup followed to flip the edge to the Blue Devils. After they pulled ahead 5-1,
Evangelia Paulk converted a layup to bring the margin to 5-3. Duke found a rhythm in response, going on an 11-0 run to lead 16-3.
Maddie Heiss responded with a layup to break the run. After a few more Duke baskets,
Rachael Rose ended the quarter with a jumper, but the Blue Devils led 22-7.
Though Duke claimed the first four points of the second quarter, Rose popped a three in response. The teams traded a few blows, including Heiss notching a paint bucket off a
Queen Ikhiuwu block and then a three-ball. After going back-and-forth some more, Heiss converted yet again, and then Ikhiuwu went inside for a score to pull Wofford within 36-21. However, Duke closed the half with back-to-back threes to lead 42-21 at the break.
The teams traded baskets to open the second half, but Duke claimed four in a row thereafter.
Evangelia Paulk would notch a steal, and she fed ahead to
Helen Matthews for the score. After a Duke three, Rose earned three the old-fashioned way with a bucket and foul. A Duke score was followed by an
Indiya Clarke long shot as Wofford continued to fight. Rose hit another three, and
Molly Masingale converted a pair at the charity stripe. After a Duke score, Clarke went inside to bring the margin under 20 at 57-38. The Blue Devils followed with an 8-2 run to close the quarter and led 63-40.
Rose took charge to open the fourth as the Terriers refused to quit. The senior swiped a steal in the opening minute and ran it across the court for a layup whilst drawing the foul, and she completed the and-one with a foul shot. After Duke secured the next five points, Rose went inside. A Duke three was followed by a Rose three, and the teams traded treys again with
Toni Warren knocking down the second. Paulk hit a three late, and Masingale's bucket marked Wofford's final points. Duke's lead was too much to overcome, though, and the Blue Devils held on to win 93-58.
Wofford remains on the road with a trip to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, December 21. The Terriers are set to battle Lehigh at 12:00 p.m. in
Rachael Rose's return to her home state. The contest can be seen on ESPN+ and marks the final Wofford bout before a holiday break.
