DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Celeste Taylor scored 15 points, turning consecutive turnovers into late baskets and No. 13 Duke turned back Syracuse 62-50 on Sunday.
The Blue Devils were up by six when Reigan Richardson stole the ball and fed Taylor for a layup as the clock dipped under two minutes. Taylor knocked the ball loose on the ensuing inbounds and turned that into a jumper for a 56-46 lead with 90 seconds to go.
The Orange then missed a pair of shots before Taylor scored on a fast break with just under a minute to play.
The final minute was a free-throw parade.
Shayeann Day-Wilson led the way with 16 points as the Blue Devils (17-2, 7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) bounced back from having their 11-game winning streak snapped with a 61-56 loss at rival North Carolina on Thursday. Elizabeth Balogun scored 10.
Alaina Rice scored 15 points to lead Syracuse (13-7, 4-5) and Dyaisha Fair had 10.
Duke shot 44% but made seven of its last eight shots while Syracuse finished at 35%. The teams combined for 33 fouls and 37 turnovers.
Syracuse scored the first seven points of the game and kept the lead until the Blue Devils closed the second quarter with a 14-2 run to lead 39-24 at the half. Taylor scored seven points in the run and Day Wilson five, both knocking down a 3.
After Rice hit a 3-pointer at the 7:22 mark to put the Orange ahead 22-15, she missed two shots before making a layup at five minutes to break a tie. After that, Syracuse didn’t hit a field goal until more than four minutes into the third quarter, missing eight straight.
Duke opened the second half with a 10-2 run to lead 39-26 but the Orange responded with seven straight and trailed by six going into the fourth quarter.
Duke is home against No. 12 Virginia Tech on Thursday when Virginia visits Syracuse.
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