Duke Crushes Iona In NCAA Opener

Mar 19, 2023 - 11:00 AM

This March is a season for change for Duke Basketball: on the men’s side, Duke went into the NCAA tournament for the first time with a new coach since Mike Krzyzewski got the Blue Devils there in 1984, and on the women’s side, Kara Lawson got Duke back to the tournament for the first time in four years. And in the opening round, the Duke women had a cakewalk.

The Blue Devils smoked Iona 89-49. As usual this season, Duke played solid defense, forcing 18 turnovers and limiting Iona to just 23 shots for the game (Duke hit 38).

Ten players got double-digit minutes and the Blue Devils hit nearly 60 percent from the floor. Elizabeth Balogun and Celeste Taylor led the way with 13 each.

It was a smashing return to tournament play for the Blue Devils and now they get #6 Colorado on Monday, at home in Cameron.

• Duke rejoins March Madness, defeats Iona in first round
• HOME COOKING: Duke women’s basketball routs Iona in Durham to reach NCAA tournament’s Round of 32
• Duke women’s basketball downs Iona in first round of NCAA Tournament, faces Colorado next
• Women’s NCAA Tournament first-round picks: UConn-Vermont, Duke-Iona and more
• Colorado uses 3-point shooting to cruise past Middle Tennessee, will face Duke next