DURHAM – Sophomore Taina Mair dropped a team-high 16 points and the Duke women’s basketball team put forth a valiant effort, battling relentlessly for 40 minutes, ultimately falling to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, 87-58, Sunday afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

In addition to Mair, the Blue Devils also received solid contributions from senior Kennedy Brown and freshman Oluchi Okananwa. Okananwa tallied nine points and seven rebounds while Brown chipped in eight points and seven boards of her own.

Kahleah Copper led USA Basketball with 21 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The game opened with both teams hitting from distance – Duke’s three-pointer coming via Reigan Richardson off a feed from Ashlon Jackson.
• USA Basketball scored the next seven to go in front, 10-3, but the Blue Devils responded with baskets from Jadyn Donovan and Kennedy Brown to halt the mini spurt.
• After trading buckets during the ensuing four possessions, Taina Mair splashed home a three from the right corner to pull Duke within a pair, 16-14, at the 4:16 mark of the opening period.
• Team USA closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, however, and held a 10-point lead after one.
• A triple from the left slot by freshman Oluchi Okananwa opened the second-quarter scoring for Duke and the Blue Devils followed that with buckets from Richardson and Brown.
• Graduate student Camilla Emsbo (4) and Mair (2) also contributed to the Duke scoring in the second, but USA Basketball was able to create separation and headed into the locker room with a 46-27 lead.
• The third quarter was tightly contested with just a one point difference in the team scoring across the 10 minutes – the visitors holding a slim, 19-18, advantage in the period. 
• Six different players combined for the 18 Blue Devil points, led by Mair and Okananwa with four each.
• Mair paced Duke in the final period with seven of her 11 second-half points while the Blue Devils also got points from Jackson, Okananwa and freshman Jordan Wood.

UP NEXT
Duke makes the trek to the Big Apple where the Blue Devils will face Columbia Tuesday, Nov. 14 in their first road tilt of the season. The game is set for a 6 p.m. tipoff, live on ESPN+
 
To stay up to date with Duke women’s basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “DukeWBB.”

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