TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With an inexperienced team starting its season, No. 7 Duke turned to its reliable leader and got a balanced effort to start the season.
Elizabeth Williams had 17 points, 12 rebounds, and six blocked shots to lead the Blue Devils to a 90-40 win against Alabama on Sunday night.
“The overall effort was really good. Our focus was definitely there,” said Williams, who is the only returning starter on a team picked to finish second in the ACC. “Our ability to get the ball inside early and to get stops defensively and hold them was overall a really good effort by our team.”
The Blue Devils raced out to a 22-2 game-opening run and never looked back.
A pair of freshmen gave Duke three total double-doubles. Rebecca Greenwell had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Azura Stevens scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Oderah Chidom added 17 points.
“This team has great chemistry and leadership,” Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “This is a really fun team to coach. It’s going to be a long time before we get to our best. It’s going to take us awhile to figure out how to play with each other after losing those four starters.
Freshman Hannah Cook led Alabama (1-1) with 19 points. Ashley Williams scored eight.
Alabama coach Kristy Curry was encouraged by her team’s fight late with a large deficit.
“Credit Duke on a night like tonight,” Curry said. “When you go back and look, we shot 55 shots to their 56 and they just made a lot more than we did. Whether it was what they did defensively or offensively, we just couldn’t make a shot. You credit them, you move on, you learn, and you grow. You have to get into the gym and continue to get shots up. You credit Duke and wish them the best. There was an All-American in every spot, and they played like it tonight.
“It wasn’t a lack of desire or effort or want-to. You’ve got to learn from these experiences, and at the same time I was pleased with our character.”
Alabama freshman guard Hannah Cook led all scorers with 19 points and added three rebounds and two steals to her stat line. Duke senior center Elizabeth Williams, sophomore forward Oderah Chidom and redshirt freshman Rebecca Greenwell each had 17 points. Williams also led the game with 12 rebounds.
Alabama will play host to Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Foster Auditorium.
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