The Duke women’s basketball team knocked off rival North Carolina, 47-38, on Friday in the Sweet 16. It was the first time the sides had played in the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Kara Lawson has the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2013 and the 12th time in program history. They will face Dawn Staley and South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
Guard Oluchi Okananwa led the Blue Devils with a double-double of 12 points and 12 boards. Ashlon Jackson also put up 10 points for Duke.
USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates, scores, highlights and analysis throughout the game. Check them out below.
Duke vs. UNC women’s basketball results, highlights
Oluchi Okananwa led the Blue Devils with 12 points, Ashlon Jackson had 10, Vanessa de Jesus has added 8, and Delaney Thomas has 8. Alyssa Ustby led the Tar Heels with 9 points and 10 boards while Indya Nivar added 8 points and 7 boards.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA women’s basketball scores, schedules, teams and more.
Who will Duke women’s basketball play next in Elite Eight?
The Blue Devils will face South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
UNC vs. Duke stats
It was a rough shooting night for both squads. The Tar Heels went 15-of-53 from the floor (28.3%) and the Blue Devils went 18-of-58 (31%).
Ashlon Jackson stats
Duke guard Ashlon Jackson was 3-of-16 shooting for 10 points. She went 2-of-9 from 3, and dished out 3 assists. She came into Friday’s game averaging 12.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal per game.
Oluchi Okananwa stats
Duke guard Oluchi Okananwa finished a double-double of 12 points and 12 boards for the Blue Devils. She went 2-of-6 from 3.
Duke vs. UNC women’s basketball score after 3Q
The Duke women’s basketball team held a narrow 37-32 lead over UNC through three quarters. Duke’s Alson Jackson and UNC’s Reniya Kelly traded 3 balls inside 3 minutes in the third quarter.
Reigan Richardson splashes a 3 for Duke
Alyssa Ustby stats
North Carolina guard Alyssa Ustby had 9 points on 3-of-10 shooting. She also grabbed 10 boards to go along with 2 assists.
UNC women’s basketball roster
The North Carolina women’s basketball team is led by the trio of forward Maria Gakdeng (11.1 points per game), guard Alyssa Ustby (10.9) and guard Lexi Donarski (10.8). Here’s the full Tar Heels roster.
Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball roster
The Duke women’s basketball team has a trio of players who average double digits in scoring: Forward Toby Fournier (13.4 points per game), guard Ashlon Jackson (12.5) and guard Oluchi Okananwa (10.2). Here is the full Blue Devils roster.
Duke vs. UNC women’s basketball halftime score
After a cold start to this Sweet 16 game, the Duke women’s basketball went into halftime with a 28-20 lead over UNC.
UNC women’s basketball leads Duke after 1Q
North Carolina’s Maria Gakdeng (2 points), Lexi Donarski (7 points) and Alyssa Ustby (7 points) powered the Tar Heels to a 13-9 lead after the first quarter.
Duke’s Kara Lawson makes early substitutions
Duke coach Kara Lawson subbed out Jadyn Donovan and Reigan Richardson with 6:41 left in the first, putting in Jordan Wood and Oluchi Okananwa.
Watch Duke vs. UNC on Fubo (free trial)
Duke vs. UNC women’s basketball starting lineups
- Duke: Delaney Thomas, Jadyn Donovan, Ashlon Jackson, Taina Mair, Reigan Richardson
- North Carolina: Indya Nivar, Alyssa Ustby, Maria Gakdeng, Reniya Kelly, Lexi Donarski
Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson can still hoop
Duke head coach Kara Lawson, who is trying to lead the Blue Devils to their 12th overall Elite Eight, had her own decorated playing career and, according to her players, still has plenty of game. When she needs it.
“She will lace them up and show us how it really goes when it comes to executing plays,” Blue Devils senior guard Reigan Richardson said. “Once in a while, she’ll go out there and shoot with us, just to prove she’s the best shooter in the gym.” Read the full story on Kara Lawson.
UNC women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart rocking fresh Jordans
Duke vs. North Carolina women’s basketball predictions
- Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: Duke
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Duke
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: Duke
- Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: Duke
- Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: UNC
- Cory Diaz, Lafayette Advertiser: Duke
- Maxwell Donaldson, The Gadsden Times: Duke
- Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic: Duke
NCAA women’s basketball schedule today
Eight teams are in action today. Here’s the full schedule.
Toby Fournier stats
Forward Toby Fournier averages 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. The 6-foo-2 freshman shoots 53.2% from the floor, 67.1% from the free throw line and 38.5% from 3.
Where to watch Duke vs. North Carolina game
The Duke vs. UNC game is airing on ESPN.
UNC’s Alyssa Ustby is on journey through other Tar Heels sports
North Carolina senior Alyssa Ustby may be breaking Tar Heels women’s basketball records during March Madness, but she also wants to “shine light on other sports at UNC, because UNC is known as a basketball school and we get a lot of attention.”
Her idea to get eyes on other UNC sports? She began trying another sport for a day, then posting videos on Instagram. She asks her fellow UNC athletes to showcase their skills in their respective sports. Then, she mimics them herself — or at least she tries to.
Ustby has done this with 15 different teams, but she’s not stopping there. After the basketball season is over, she has scheduled times to test her skills on the baseball field and the track.
“That’s the whole point, is just to bring joy,” Ustby said.
Women’s basketball predictions for Sweet 16 games
Here are women’s Sweet 16 picks and predictions from reporters across the USA TODAY Sports Network.
