DURHAM, N.C. — Taina Mair scored 19 points and Duke beat No. 6 North Carolina State 69-58 on Sunday night, the Blue Devils’ second victory over a ranked team in four days.
North Carolina
Duke tops No. 6 North Carolina State 69-58 for 2nd victory over ranked foe in 4 days
Duke led by as many as 22 points and held on to follow Thursday night’s 58-45 win over No. 17 Syracuse with another victory over a ranked opponent.
Aziaha James scored 15 points, River Baldwin added 14 and Saniya Rivers had 13 for N.C. State (23-5, 11-5), which had its hope of staying in contention for a share of the ACC regular-season title dashed. The Wolfpack lost consecutive games for the first time this season after falling at North Carolina on Thursday.
N.C. State shot 33.3% (20 for 60) from the field, 25% (3 for 12) from 3-point distance and lost for the third time in 11 games.
The Blue Devils had built enough of a cushion to withstand a four-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter. Mair converted a three-point play for a 61-49 lead with 2:02 remaining.
Facing a 22-point deficit, the Wolfpack got two 3-pointers from James and closed within 13 points, 43-30. When the margin was restored to 20 points, the Blue Devils seemed to be in good shape.
Earlier, Ashlon Jackson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Duke a 35-19 lead at the break. The Wolfpack shot 21.4% in the first half against the ACC’s top-rated defensive team.
Duke didn’t attempt a free throw until 2:02 left in the game and finished 7 for 7 from the line.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack dropped to 7-4 in true road games. The team’s 19 points in the first half weren’t a season low, but wasn’t a good sign for a team that entered averaging 76.1 points.
Duke: The Blue Devils faced a ranked opponent for the fourth game in a row and ended up 2-2 in that stretch. The Blue Devils outscored N.C. State 18-9 from beyond the 3-point arc. Duke swept two games from the Wolfpack last season, so winning three of the last four marks its best stretch in the rivalry in a decade.
N.C. State: Host No. 17 Syracuse on Thursday.
Duke: Host Virginia on Thursday.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball