Women’s Hoops Tips Off Season with Countdown to Craziness

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke women’s basketball program gave fans an early glimpse of the 2024-25 squad as the Blue Devils took part in the annual Countdown to Craziness event Friday evening at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Following performances by student groups, the Duke women and head coach Kara Lawson warmed up the crowd and got the energy going via team introductions. After Lawson addressed the crowd, the Blue Devil women took the court for a scrimmage, which the white team won, 36-22, behind eight points (3-of-3) and four assists from junior Ashlon Jackson.

The men’s team followed with player introductions and an intrasquad scrimmage off their own, with head coach John Scheyer speaking to the crowd in between the two respective events.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Jackson opened the game scoring with the first five points of the contest, cashing in a triple before drilling a shot from midrange following a turnover by the blue team.
• Senior Reigan Richardson and sophomores Oluchi Okananwa and Delaney Thomas joined in on the scoring action as the white teamed pushed its lead to 15-8.
• The blue team managed to cut its deficit to three late in the first half, but Vanessa de Jesus announced her return to the court via a triple from the right side just before the buzzer, as the white team took an 18-12 lead into the break.
• A 14-2 run to open the second frame ballooned the white team’s lead to 32-14, putting the game completely out of reach.
• Multiple players contributed during this spurt, the Blue Devils getting buckets from sophomores Jadyn Donovan and Okananwa, juniors Emma Koabel and Taina Mair, along with upperclassmen de Jesus and Richardson.
  
   

 
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils officially open the 2024-25 season Monday, Nov. 4 versus Radford in the third annual Education Day game. Action tips off at 11 a.m., live on ACCNX.
 
To stay up to date with Duke women’s basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “DukeWBB.”

Duke Centennial

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