Kalana Greene added 18 points for the Huskies (18-0), who never trailed, shot 53.6 percent, hit 52 percent of their 3-pointers and used a big run early in the second half to snap the Blue Devils’ 23-game winning streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium in decisive fashion.
Jasmine Thomas scored 17 points for Duke (15-3), the only team to play each of the top three in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25. The Blue Devils finished 1-2 against that gauntlet, beating then-No. 3 Ohio State before losing to Stanford and UConn by an average of 24.5 points.
For the Huskies, who improved to 3-0 at Cameron, the most significant development might have been the way they showed some long-range touch.
They were ranked among the national leaders in nearly every meaningful offensive statistical category except those related to 3-point shooting, making just 32 percent from beyond the arc. They wound up matching a season high with 13 3s — including five during the 23-9 burst shortly after halftime that put them well on their way to another blowout.
Tiffany Hayes‘ 3-pointer 47 seconds into the second half started the overwhelming burst, made it 41-30 and pushed the lead into double figures to stay. She and Caroline Doty connected from long range before Moore capped the run by hitting two 3s 39 seconds apart to make it a 20-point lead.
By then, Duke was well on its way to its first home non-conference loss since Tennessee won here in 2007-08, and the only question was whether the Blue Devils were headed for their worst loss at Cameron — an honor held by Virginia, which beat them by 36 points in 1993. At least they can take solace in this: They kept it closer than arch-rival North Carolina, which lost to UConn two weeks ago by 41.
Tina Charles had 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Hayes and Doty scored 13 points apiece for the Huskies, who extended the second-longest winning streak in women’s basketball history.
They trail only their own NCAA and school-record string of 70 straight set from 2001-03. UConn has been at its best against top 10 teams during the streak, winning its previous 10 matchups by an average of nearly 27 points.
This one was business as usual from the opening tip. The Huskies got started in this one with 3-pointers 30 seconds apart from Tiffany Hayes and Moore, then pushed their lead into double figures with an efficient 17-8 burst in which they came away with points on eight of 11 trips downcourt.
After Doty floated a jumper over 6-foot-4 Krystal Thomas to make it 31-21 with less than 5 minutes left before halftime, the Blue Devils cut their deficit to single digits only once — on Jasmine Thomas‘ steal and layup 18 seconds into the second half.