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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BOSTON -- Coming off an emotional victory Monday at Penn State,
Duke needed an early wakeup call against Boston College.
Iciss Tillis scored 10 of her 12 points during Duke's 17-4
game-breaking run to open the second half as the No. 3 Blue Devils
relied on a smothering defense to beat the 24th-ranked Eagles 67-49
Wednesday night.
"This is just one of those games when you have to gut it out,"
Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I thought Boston College played
a very good first half and I thought we were fatigued."
Boston College (2-1) used a 14-2 spurt midway into the first
half to pull to a 24-16 lead before Duke's defensive pressure took
over.
"We had to come out and put pressure on the ball," said Alana
Beard, who led the Blue Devils (5-0) with 18 points.
After BC's run, Duke scored the next 11 points en route to a
27-26 halftime lead.
The Blue Devils took advantage of an injury and inexperience in the Eagles' backcourt. Early into the game, Boston College starting
point guard Brianne Stepherson strained a muscle in her right leg.
She was hampered for most of the remainder of the game, forcing BC
to rely on two freshmen in the backcourt.
The Blue Devils, who won 88-87 at Penn State, forced 29
turnovers.
"We expected them to be very aggressive on defense," said
freshman guard Amber Jacobs, who had to handle most of the point
duty when Stepherson was sidelined.
Combining its 11-0 run late in the first half with its
game-breaking spurt, Duke outscored BC 28-6 from the final 6:12 of
the first half into the opening seven minutes of the second.
"I think we gave them too many second chances," BC coach Cathy
Inglese said. "We came out in the second half and gave them too
many second shots."
Becky Gottstein paced the Eagles with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
After BC took its final lead at 28-27 with 18:32 left, Tillis
made a 3-pointer to start a 17-2 run. Duke held Boston College
without a basket for nearly six minutes.
With BC trailing 14-10 early in the first half, Jacobs made a
3-pointer, triggering a 14-2 run over the next 6:44.
During Duke's 11-0 run, Beard had five points and Rometra Craig
four.
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Duke Clubhouse
Boston College Clubhouse
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