Dec. 7, 2006
Senior Carla Thomas led the Commodores with 14 points.
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DURHAM, N.C. — The 11th-ranked Commodore women’s basketball team suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils, 69-48, Thursday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Senior Carla Thomas led the Commodores with 14 points, while senior Dee Davis had a season-high 12. Alison Bales, Duke’s 6-7 senior center, led four Blue Devils’ in double-figures with 16 points.
The Commodore defense forced Duke into a season-high 23 turnovers, holding the Blue Devils under 70 points for the first time this year.
Davis led the Commodores with eight points in the first half, matching her season-high from the UAB game. Duke took a seven-point lead into the break after outrebounding Vanderbilt, 21-12, in the opening stanza. Of Duke’s 29 first-half points, 11 came after offensive rebounds.
Vanderbilt scored the first four points of the second half to get within three (29-26) on a jumper by sophomore Christina Wirth.
The Duke lead swung between five and 11 points for most of the second half, but with just over four minutes remaining in the game the Blue Devils put together an eight-point possession to stretch their advantage.
An intentional foul was whistled on Vanderbilt as Duke made a breakaway lay-up. The foul was judged to be after the shot, giving Duke two free throws. The Commodore bench was assessed a technical foul after the first free throw was missed, giving Duke two additional free throws. The Blue Devils would make three charity tosses and sink a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to stretch the lead to 17 points at 57-40.
Ten of Duke’s final 12 points came at the free throw line, expanding the lead to 23 points before Davis made a lay-up at the buzzer.
The Commodores will take a nine-day break during the university’s final examination period, returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 17, to face South Florida at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.
