WBB: Duke Dominates Queens, 118-27, to Close Exhibition Play

Duke

WBB: Duke Dominates Queens, 118-27, to Close Exhibition Play

Nov 4, 2012

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Durham, N.C. — Junior Haley Peters recorded 20 points and 21 rebounds on Sunday, as the third-ranked Duke women’s basketball team closed exhibition action with a 118-27 win over Queens University of Charlotte in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

“It was just a great game for us to get back out there,” said Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie. “Defensively, I thought we were strong in a lot of areas but also saw some things to work on.”

Peters recorded her second double-double in as many games scoring 16 of her 20 points in the second half. Junior Chelsea Gray scored a game-high 24 points and freshman Alexis Jones added 22 points and nine assists in 35 minutes of game action.

Duke controlled play right from the opening tip, with Peters scoring the game’s first basket just 39 seconds into the contest. The Blue Devils continued to overwhelm Queens opening the first 13 minutes of the game on a 40-5 run, behind 10 points from junior Tricia Liston in the first five minutes. Gray added 12 first-half points and Peters was dominant on the boards, grabbing 13 first-half rebounds.

On defense, the Blue Devils held the Royals without a field goal over the game’s first 13 and half minutes, while forcing 24 first half turnovers. Duke took a commanding 61-12 lead into the halftime break.

Peters continued to cause the Royals havoc in the second half, with her scoring touch, as well as on the glass. The junior hit 6-of-9 field goals in the second half, including a pair of threes, as the Blue Devils continued the onslaught, opening with a 28-2 run over the first nine minutes.

The Blue Devils used their size advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Royals by a 67-32 margin. Duke guards, Gray, Liston and Jones contributed to Duke’s rebounding effort by grabbing a collected total of 24 boards

“I really appreciate the guards chipping in a bit, Chelsea (Gray) with her nine boards, Tricia (Liston) with her nine, Alexis (Jones) with her nine and Sierra (Moore) with her six,” McCallie stated. “We are trying to get everyone ready to do the dirty work and not have it all come from one place.”

A layup by Jones put the Blue Devils over the century mark for the second consecutive game with six minutes remaining in the contest.

For the game, the Blue Devils shot an impressive 66.2 percent from the floor and 60.0 percent from beyond the arc, while holding Queens to an 11.4 percent shooting for the game and 0-for-15 from three.
Six Blue Devils finished the game scoring in double figures, including Gray (24), Jones (22), Peters (20), senior Allison Vernerey (18), Liston (13) and freshman Sierra Moore (12).

“I just like for our players to be very free and balanced,” said McCallie. “The only thing that I ask of our players is that they are balanced. If they are balanced then anything is possible on offense.”

The Blue Devils will begin regular season play when they host Presbyterian on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m., inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.