Virginia lost its Atlantic Coast Conference opener on the road Monday night, falling 77-66 at seventh-ranked Duke. Sophomore guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) led the Cavaliers with 19 points and 12 rebounds – her third-career double-double.
The loss snapped a seven-game Cavalier winning streak and dropped their record to 12-3 overall (0-1 ACC). Duke improved to 10-2 overall and 1-0 in league play.
Franklin finished 7-for-11 from the field and connected on three 3-pointers. Her 12 rebounds were a career-high.
Senior guard Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) added 18 points for UVa – her 13th-consecutive game of at least 10 points. Moorer also tied the school record for free throw percentage in a game – making 10-of-10 attempts.
Duke’s largest lead in the second half was 15 points at the 13:04 mark after a free throw by Ka’lia Johnson made the score 56-41 in favor of the Blue Devils.
Virginia cut the lead to single digits with 11:10 left in the game on two free throws by Moorer that made the score 56-47 in Duke’s favor.
The Blue Devils countered with a 3-pointer by Kathleen Scheer to go up 12 but the Cavaliers mounted another rally with less than six minutes to play. Franklin drained a 3-pointer from the corner that pulled UVa within 66-60 with 5:43 left in the game.
From there, Duke’s Chelsea Gray and Elizabeth Williams made two free throws on back-to-back possessions to extend Duke’s lead back to 10.
The Cavaliers got not closer down the stretch.
Virginia trailed 35-32 at halftime, just the fourth time this season the Cavaliers found themselves with a deficit at the break.
The Cavaliers were slightly out-rebounded by Duke, 31-30. The Blue Devils shot 56 percent from the field (27-of-48), compared to UVa’s 39 percent (22-of-56).
Tricia Liston was Duke’s high-scorer with 18 points, followed by Haley Peters’ 13 points.
ACC play continues for Virginia on Thursday (Jan. 5) when the Cavaliers host North Carolina.
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