How No. 11 Duke women's basketball played to its strength in upset of No. 6 Notre Dame
No. 11 Duke utilized its strong defense and forced 16 turnovers in a 61-56 upset of No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday.
The win advances the Blue Devils to the ACC Championship Game where they will face top-seeded NC State on Sunday. It is Duke's first ACC title game appearance since 2017.
THE BLUE DEVILS KNOCK OUT THE REIGNING CHAMPS @DukeWBB is headed to the ACC Championship for the first time since 2017 pic.twitter.com/s4ezqeVqHJ
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) March 8, 2025
Duke's defense was on full display in the third quarter. After trailing 31-29 at the break, the Blue Devils had 18 third-quarter points, forced six Notre Dame turnovers and held the Fighting Irish to their lowest point total through three quarters (42) this season.
This steal from senior Vanessa de Jesus set up a layup that freshman Toby Fournier somehow got to go in on the other end to give Duke the slight 45-42 advantage with 1:33 left in the third quarter.
really not sure how Toby finished this but I'll go with it pic.twitter.com/rTPUUGlzET
— Duke Women’s Basketball (@DukeWBB) March 8, 2025
Later in the fourth quarter, junior Ashlon Jackson came away with the steal and junior Taina Mair made Notre Dame pay with a layup to give the Blue Devils the seven-point lead.
T TIME ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME ⌚ https://t.co/pLUnWvUAGh pic.twitter.com/sB1FEz1Hz6
— Duke Women’s Basketball (@DukeWBB) March 8, 2025
The turnovers should come as no surprise, given Duke went into the game ranked 22nd in the country forcing 20.94 turnovers per contest this season. Going back to the regular season, it is the fifth straight game the Blue Devils not only won, but allowed fewer than 60 points.
Duke shot just 5-of-25 from deep and turned the ball over 21 times. However, 18 points off the Fighting Irish turnovers and a lockdown defensive performance, especially in the second half, carried it to the win.
Jackson was the only starter in double figures (12 points, 3-of-17 FG), which shows how impressive Duke's defense was throughout the game. Sophomore Oluchi Okananwa had a team-high 14 points (3-of-3 FG) off the bench to provide a spark.
Notre Dame was held to only three triples the entire game. Sophomore Hannah Hidalgo (23 points, 9-of-22 FG) carried the Fighting Irish, but got little help from her supporting cast with senior Olivia Miles (10 points) the only other player in double figures.
With three losses in its last five games, Notre Dame (26-5, 16-2 ACC) needs a reset before the NCAA Tournament. The giveaways and inconsistency on offense pose some concerns and must be improved, or it could be a surprise early tournament exit for the Fighting Irish.
Duke (25-7, 14-4 ACC) is getting hot at the right time. If the momentum carries over to the ACC title game and beyond, the Blue Devils could be poised for a run due to their defensive prowess.
