Evans scores 31, but Dukes fall at Duke

#7 Blue Devils hand JMU first loss

Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com

James Madison junior guard Dawn Evans (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast) scored 31 points but the No. 24/25-ranked Dukes lost 79-65 at No. 7 Duke in women’s basketball Friday evening at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

JMU, which lost for the first time in eight games, now has a 7-1 record. Duke improved to 8-2 on the year.

In the opening half Duke scored six unanswered points to start a 30-12 run that put the Blue Devils up by 16, 36-20, with 6:16 left.

JMU closed the half by outscoring Duke 14-8 to trim the lead to 10, 44-34, at intermission. Evans scored 11 of those points, including three three-pointers.

Duke then scored 10 in a row in what began a 14-2 run that gave the Blue Devils a 21-point lead, 61-40, with 13:19 left. Joy Cheek led the way with 10 points.

Duke led by as many as 23, 70-47, with 8:40 remaining. JMU then outscored the Blue Devils 13-2 to get within 12, 72-60, with 4:39 on the clock. Evans scored six points on three long three points, and redshirt senior guard Sarah Williams (Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy) also had six points in the run.

The Dukes were unable to close the gap any further, however.

Williams finished with a season-high 16 points, and freshman guard Tarik Hislop (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) added 10 points as she scored in double figures for the eighth time in eight games.

Cheek led Duke with 21 points, and Jasmine Thomas had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Keturah Jackson scored 10 points, and Krystal Thomas added 10 rebounds.