Cindy Rice Shelton photo
Something about teams on losing streaks that makes them extremely dangerous. The Duke women’s basketball team, for example, entering Sunday’s game against the University of Louisville on a three-game decline.
Suddenly an intimidating force, presenting offensive and defensive challenges for the seventh-ranked Cardinals. Louisville would somehow survive with a 60-55 win before 10,123 at the KFC Yum! Center.
”It was a game where we had to grind,” said UofL Coach Jeff Walz. ”Jaz stepped up and knocked down pull-up jump shots. She played really, really well, and that’s what we’re going to need now. We’re going to need that consistency.”
The Blue Devils racing to a 22-12 in the first quarter, threatening to put the game away. Jazmine Jones almost singlehandedly keeping UofL close, scoring her team’s first nine points and 14 of Louisville’s 25 points in the first half. Duke went to the intermission with a 31-25 lead.
Down 39-33 midway through the third quarter, UofL used an 8-0 run capped by back-to-back baskets by Elizabeth Balogun to take a 41-39 lead.
After Duke tied the game at 55-55 with 1:06 left, Evans drained a deep 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock to put UofL ahead 58-55 with 36 seconds to go. Bionca Dunham would sink two free throws to seal the 60-55 victory.
Duke Coach Joanna McCallie bemoaning inequality in the officiating, noting that her team had only four free throw attempts compared to 11 for Louisville. “That was very interesting,” she reiterated at least three times in her post game press conference. “A very physical game.”
Louisville next travels to Miami for another Atlantic Coast Conference game. The Hurricanes are on a two-game losing streak.
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Jones set a new career high with 26 points, her sixth 20-point game of the season. She also 10 rebounds for her first double-double on the season. Jones also became Louisville’s 30th career 1,000 point scorer.
