DURHAM, N.C. – Junior Elizabeth Williams posted 29 points and 10 rebounds to pace the second-ranked Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball team to a 102-50 exhibition win over Coker College at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
Following up on a 122-77 preseason win over Glenville State, Williams finished with her second consecutive double-double of the preseason, and freshman Oderah Chidom, seniors Haley Peters and Tricia Liston also reached double figures as Duke closed exhibition play.
“Good things about the game for us included improvements defensively rebounding-wise,” Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie said.
“It’s a process and I think we are taking steps and as long as we are demanding of ourselves it will be super … We are excited, these have been two great exhibitions for us and it will be fun to apply those lessons into the next games.”
The Blue Devils controlled play from the opening tip, with Williams recording the game’s first basket just five seconds into it.
The six-foot-three-inch center was dominant above the rim throughout the opening half, tallying 10 points in the first eight minutes of play to fuel a 25-4 start by Duke.
Defensively, the Blue Devils held Coker without a field goal for nearly a four-minute span midway through the half and forced 13 turnovers during the opening 20 minutes.
Duke took a commanding 57-25 lead into halftime.
To begin the second half, Peters launched a three-pointer and ignited a 23-12 run by the Blue Devils over the next 10 minutes.
Freshman Kendall McCravey-Cooper (6 points, 7 rebounds) and Oderah Chidom (17 points, 5 rebounds) both provided the Blue Devils with effective contributions off the bench when needed.
“I loved Oderah [Chidom] and Kendall [McCravey-Cooper] off the bench,” McCallie said.
“They looked more like sophomores today, last time they looked like freshmen. They looked a little bit more mature.”
Duke stretched its lead to 50 points inside the final three minutes of play, on its way to another preseason century-mark-plus victory while shooting 61 percent from the field and 54 percent from beyond the arc.
Senior Chelsea Gray distributed a game-high 12 assists to go along with six points, while Peters finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, along with Liston who added 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Blue Devils now prepare to open the regular season on Sunday at No. 9 California.