NCAAW
MARQ

51

1-3
Final
DUKE

83

3-0
RecapBox Score
1 2 T
MARQ 20 31 51
DUKE 42 41 83
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
Associated Press 9y

Greenwell lifts Duke to 83-51 rout of Marquette

Women's College Basketball, Duke Blue Devils, Marquette Golden Eagles

DURHAM, N.C. -- One big question about No. 7 Duke before the season was how much help All-America center Elizabeth Williams would get from her inexperienced teammates.

So far, the answers have been quite satisfactory.

And yet another example came Sunday in the Blue Devils' home opener, when Rebecca Greenwell poured in 22 points with 12 rebounds and fellow freshman Azura Stevens added 18 and 10 in an 83-51 rout.

Greenwell and Stevens each have had two double-doubles in their first three college games, and both of their point and rebound totals were season highs. Williams and Oderah Chidom each added 12 points for Duke on Sunday.

"Obviously I was very proud of Becca because Becca finds a way to get stuff done," Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "12 rebounds -- that's a lot of work. And scoring and all that good stuff.

"And Azura's offensive rebounds (she had six) really get her going. Offensively, though, we were kind of doing whatever we wanted and that's why we shot 42 percent."

Arlesia Morse paced Marquette with 17 points while Kenisha Bell added 10.

"That's a very good Duke basketball team," said first-year Marquette coach Carolyn Kieger, whose team has back-to-back losses against the ACC after falling 89-77 on Friday at Wake Forest. "They're very deep, they don't have many weaknesses and they're going to make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament, I believe."

Duke led 42-20 at halftime behind 12 points from Greenwell and 10 from Williams. Apiew Ojulu led Marquette with six at the break.

Duke trailed 8-4 in the opening minutes before breaking the game open with a 13-0 run that included seven points from Greenwell.

Marquette's closest approach in the second half was 52-40 on a Morse layup at 14:03.

"I think I was better focusing on the team goals than myself today," Stevens said. "I'm just focusing on that and playing good defense."

---

TIP-INS

Duke: At home, Duke has won 133 straight games against unranked opponents and 67 against unranked non-conference opponents. Greenwell is averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. Williams' two blocks on Sunday gave her 344 for her career.

Marquette: Morse had 43 points in the two road games against ACC teams, and has hit 13 of 28 3-point attempts this season. The Golden Eagles shot a season-low 28.1 percent.

STAR POWER

Greenwell was redshirted last season following an injury to her right knee.

She said she thought the redshirt year -- in which she would have had to fight her way through a deep guard rotation -- was good for both her skills and confidence.

"It was definitely a great decision," Greenwell said. "It was a year of learning that has carried over into this year. My knowledge of the game has increased, and it has helped different aspects of my game as well. And I think the most important thing was how it helped my confidence."

ON THE RISE

Stevens, who is a lean, mobile 6-foot-5, is one of those unique players who can play all five positions.

McCallie said Stevens' wide variety of skills give opponents tough choices in exactly how to defend her.

"I'd like Azura to know what she's capable night-in and night-out," McCallie said. "Nothing got in her way tonight. No one can match up with Azura. Nobody. She can shoot the `3' and that will come, too."

UP NEXT

Duke hosts Buffalo on Tuesday.

Marquette hosts Milwaukee on Wednesday.

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