Duke women surge past Tech

DULUTH -- Elizabeth Williams had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Richa Jackson added 17 points and No. 5 Duke won its ninth straight game with a 79-62 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night.

The Blue Devils (15-2, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have beaten Georgia Tech 34 straight times and haven't lost to the Yellow Jackets since Feb. 27, 1994.

Sasha Goodlett finished with 25 points for Georgia Tech (13-6, 3-3). The Yellow Jackets, who had a two-game winning streak snapped, have lost three of five with all three defeats coming to ranked ACC rivals Maryland, Miami and Duke.

Georgia Tech had a chance to cut the lead to three, but Tyuanna Marshall's fast-break layup attempt rolled off the rim with 16:09 remaining.

Less than 6 minutes later, Duke led by 16 on Shay Selby's three-point play.

During the 13-5 run, Williams had a 21-second stretch in which she pulled down two offensive rebounds, hit a pair of free throws, grabbed a defensive rebound and passed the ball up the court to Selby for the assist on Jackson's fast-break layup.

While Georgia Tech was missing eight of its first 11 shots from the field, the Blue Devils began the game hitting 10 of 12 to take a 22-8 lead.

Williams, who was rated one of the nation's top recruits, gave Duke its biggest lead at 16 with a layup at the 12:31 mark of the first half. She helped the Blue Devils outscore Georgia Tech 48-34 in the paint and win the rebounding margin 37-27.

But the Yellow Jackets used an effective full-court press to help create a 29-19 run that made it 43-37 at halftime.

Williams created mismatch problems all night for Georgia Tech, making crisp passes when the defense collapsed around her, hitting midrange jumpers, banking in shots softly off the glass and committing just one foul.

Chelsea Gray's jumper with 22 seconds remaining gave Duke its biggest lead and ended the scoring. Gray finished with 16 points.

The Blue Devils, who haven't lost since falling 72-65 at Kentucky on Dec. 8, host No. 8 Maryland on Sunday.

Marshall scored 13 points for Georgia Tech, which will visit Florida State on Sunday.

The Jackets were just 3 of 14 on 3-point attempts. Duke went 3 of 4.