DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor each scored 13 points and No. 16 Duke beat Pittsburgh 53-44 on Thursday night.
Taylor scored nine of her points in the fourth quarter to help Duke pull away. Pittsburgh was within 35-32 with 1:47 left in the third quarter. But the Panthers missed their next 11 field goals attempts before a make with 3:26 remaining in the game.
Vanessa de Jesus finished an alley-oop layup, off an assist by Taylor, to give Duke a 49-40 lead with 2:10 left.
Both teams shot below 39% from the field but Duke held a 45-28 advantage on the glass.
Elizabeth Balogun added nine points and Kennedy Brown grabbed nine rebounds for Duke (19-3, 9-2 ACC), which plays at No. 9 Notre Dame on Sunday.
Emy Hayford, averaging 1.8 points per game, scored 12 points for Pittsburgh (7-15, 0-11). Amber Brown and Liatu King, Pittsburgh’s two players averaging double figures, were held to a combined nine points.
___
AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25