No. 5 Duke 59, Wisconsin 51, FINAL
Up until the final seconds of the game, the Badgers were a couple big shots away from the lead thanks to timely threes from Wurtz and Lin Zastrow. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Gray took control of the game in the final two minutes for the Blue Devils with aggressive drives to the basket. She hit a jump shot, layup and went to the line twice to help Duke hold its advantage. It was a fine effort by the Badgers, as they kept the Blue Devils off-balance for the entire game. However, Duke would not suffer a defeat in the Kohl Center, as they come away with another win to remain unbeaten. That wraps up this live blog. Check out www.dukechronicle.com tomorrow for the game story.
No. 5 Duke 48, Wisconsin 40, 3:36 2nd Half
The Blue Devils picked up their defense. After Gray drove to the hoop and finished with a nice layup, the Blue Devils put on the press, and Karel had the ball ripped out of her hands by Christmas, who then completed the play with a layup to give the Blue Devils some much needed momentum. Jasmine Thomas also hit another trey. She leads Duke with 11 points.
No. 5 Duke 41, Wisconsin 38, 6:44 2nd Half
The Badgers just won't go away. Another big three from Wurtz and a layup from Karel has put the Badgers within three. Krystal Thomas responded with a layup, and Jasmine Thomas and Gray also hit twos for the Blue Devils as they cling to their dwindling lead.
No. 5 Duke 38, Wisconsin 33, 11:27 2nd Half
Wisconsin's Wurtz hit a three to give the Badgers the lead, but Coach P put Vernerey back into the game to help Thomas down low, and it seemed to help. Thomas still missed another open shot, but Vernerey added a basket while being fouled on the block, and Jasmine Thomas hit a three to keep the Blue Devils ahead.
No. 5 Duke 29, Wisconsin 26, 15:57 2nd Half
It was clear that the Blue Devils had a plan coming out of the locker room: get the ball down low. However, Krystal Thomas just couldn't deliver, missing her first open shot and then failing to position herself well for a move on the block. Several times Duke passed the ball down low, Thomas was unable to maneuver for a shot and she kicked the rock back out to the perimeter. Meanwhile, Wisconsin had big threes from Wurtz and Morgan Paige to shrink the Duke lead to just three.
No. 5 Duke 27, Wisconsin 18, Halftime
Even though the Blue Devils hold a comfortable nine point lead heading into the locker room, this game is not out of reach for the Badgers by any means. No Duke player is playing exceptional basketball, with a variety of scorers stepping up at different times. Peters leads the Blue Devils in scoring with six, while Wisconsin's Alyssa Karel also leads her team with six points. Both teams are playing smothering defense, but the Blue Devils have taken advantage of several big threes and strong drives to finish the first half on top.
Meanwhile, the red-clad fans in the Kohl Center were just entertained by one of the coolest halftime shows I've ever seen, and exponentially better than the knockout contest that took place during halftime of last night's men's game against Michigan State. A group called the Rim Rockers put on a dunking show that looked identical to Streetball. With two trampolines and two gymnastics mats, these guys were literally being propelled fifteen feet into the air, flipping and spinning, and still managing to slam the ball into the hoop. With Kanye West bumping on the sound system, they performed alley-oops, double alley-oops, front flips and strange combinations that don't even have a name, and they managed to do it without seriously injuring themselves. I say we make this a NCAA approved sport.
No. 5 Duke 25, Wisconsin 16, 2:08 1st Half
Wisconsin guard Alyssa Karel made a lay-up and then a jumper immediately after to keep the Badgers within striking distance of the Blue Devils. But unfortunately Duke's Allison Vernerey was determined to maintain their thin lead. Immediately after she entered the game, Vernerey stole the ball and ran the length of the court and muscled her way to a bucket. Then, after committing a foul on the other end, Vernerey went strong to the hoop and picked up a two and the foul. Thomas followed Vernerey with a smooth trey from the top of the key.
No. 6 Duke 13, Wisconsin 10, 7:18 1st Half
Christmas stepped up and responded to the deficit with a 3-pointer to regain the lead for the Blue Devils. Chloe Wells came off the bench for Duke and made an immediate impact, stealing the ball, breaking away down the court and finishing with a spin move and an easy two. However, Duke still can't seem to find a rhythm on offense and Wisconsin's ferocious guards are making life difficult on defense.
No. 5 Duke 8, Wisconsin 10, 11:35 1st Half
Haley Peters came off the bench and hit two jumpers in a row for Duke, but the Badgers responded with fierce defense and some timely shooting. Wisconsin had two takeaways, and guard Taylor Wurtz drove hard to the basket, dropping in a lay-up and picking up the foul. Two possessions later, Tara Steinbauer hit a trey just as the shot clock expired to give Wisconsin the lead.
No. 5 Duke 4, Wisconsin 2, 15:40 1st Half
The Blue Devils won the tip-off, but the Badgers have been able to contain them thus far with stifling defense. Apart from a Jasmine Thomas jumper, Duke is having trouble penetrating and finding the hoop. Christmas added two after a foul in the lane. Both teams are playing extremely sloppy, dishing out fouls and committing turnovers on offense.
Pregame:
Welcome to The Chronicle's live blog of tonight's Big Ten/ACC Challenge between the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils and the struggling Wisconsin Badgers. Last year, the Duke men's team was devastated by the Badgers in the Challenge, and Duke will try to avenge that loss by crushing the Badgers on their home court. The Blue Devils are looking to complete this road swing with a fourth straight win to remain unbeaten thus far this season. The Badgers have lost five straight games, but they are hoping to turn their season around with a huge win over the Blue Devils. Wisconsin will have a tough time defending Duke's superb trio of seniors--Jasmine Thomas, Krystal Thomas and Karima Christmas--who are all averaging double figures during this road trip with 15.5, 11.5 and 11.5 points, respectively. The seniors are playing superb basketball, and along with freshmen Haley Peters and Chelsea Gray making big contributions from the bench, Duke will look to continue their dominance tonight in the cavernous Kohl Center.
Tonight's starting lineups:
Duke
34 Krystal Thomas Center
24 Kathleen Scheer Forward
13 Karima Christmas Forward
3 Shay Selby Guard
5 Jasmine Thomas Guard
Wisconsin
2 Taylor Wurtz Guard
4 Tara Steinbauer Forward
5 Morgan Paige Guard
30 Alyssa Karel Guard
33 Lin Zastrow Forward
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