No. 4 Duke scraped by Green Bay 76-60 in their season opener Tuesday night, but let’s be real, this win felt way too close for a team ranked that high. The Blue Devils were in a dogfight, and the biggest question mark looming over their season just got a whole lot bigger: star forward Toby Fournier was a no-show.
First Half Stumbles and a Massive Missing Piece
Coach Kara Lawson confirmed after the game that Fournier, who was last year’s leading scorer with 17.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, is dealing with a lower-leg injury. Preseason all-ACC pick, gone, with no specific timetable for her return. Yikes. Without their offensive engine, Duke found themselves in a real tussle early, leading Green Bay by just two points, 33-31, at halftime. Green Bay, the preseason favorite for the Horizon League title, was making Duke work for every bucket. It got so bad in the second quarter that Duke put up a big fat zero in points in the paint. ZERO. For a top-five team, that’s just not gonna cut it.
Halftime Adjustments Save the Day, For Now
Whatever Coach Lawson said at halftime, it worked. The Blue Devils finally woke up, asserting themselves inside. They dropped 16 points in the paint in the third quarter alone! The defense locked down too, holding the Phoenix without a basket for more than six minutes. That’s when Duke finally started to pull away, stretching their lead to 49-37. Jordan Wood and Riley Nelson hit some crucial layups, and Wood added a three-point play to make it a 16-point game late in the period. Arianna Roberson led the charge with 15 points and four blocked shots, showing up big when it mattered. Nelson also chipped in with 15 points, and Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump had a solid debut with 11 points, five boards, and six assists. Four players hitting double figures, that’s what you want to see. Even with Maddy Skorupski dropping 16 points and Kristina Ouimette adding 14 for Green Bay, the Phoenix couldn’t keep up, shooting a dismal 22.2% from the field in the second half. They basically lived at the free-throw line in the third quarter, hitting 12 of 14, just to stay in the game.
Duke eventually closed it out with that 76-60 final, but the takeaway is clear: this team is gonna need to figure out how to win consistently without Toby Fournier. They shot 45.3% from the field and dominated the boards 44-31, grabbing 19 second-chance points, which is great. But that first half struggle? That’s a red flag. Next up, Duke faces North Texas on Sunday in San Antonio. Let’s see if they can put together a full 40 minutes and look like the No. 4 team they’re supposed to be. Until then, the Fournier question looms large.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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