Duke-North Carolina rock fight shatters women's NCAA Tournament record

03/29/2025 01:57 AM

Low-scoring games can happen to anyone, especially to teams that usually boast potent offenses. However, the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels made history in that category on Friday.

The Blue Devils escaped with a nine-point victory over the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament. However, the final score was 47-38, meaning that both teams combined for 85 points.

This game was such a low-scoring affair that it made NCAA Tournament history as the lowest ever. They surpassed the previous record of 93 points, per ESPN reporter Alexa Phillipou.

What’s next for Duke after win vs North Carolina

If the offense didn’t show out, then the defense certainly did for Duke and North Carolina on Friday.

Both teams recorded single-digits four times throughout the four quarters. Duke scored the most in the second quarter, putting up 19 points as they led 28-20 at halftime. Despite North Carolina’s efforts, the Blue Devils had more plays down the stretch to come away with the win.

North Carolina saw no players score in double-digits due to Duke’s defense. They shot 28.3% from the field, including 27.3% from beyond the arc. The Blue Devils went 31% and 20.8% in those respective categories.

Two players reached double-digits in scoring for the Blue Devils. Oluchi Okananwa led the way with 12 points and 12 rebounds while Ashlon Jackson came next with 10 points. Meanwhile, Delaney Thomas and Vanessa de Jesus provided eight points each.

Duke improved to a 29-7 overall record, having gone 14-4 in ACC Play. They average 73.1 points on 44.4% shooting overall and 34% from downtown. As a result, they take down opponents by a solid margin of 16.5 points per game.

The 2-seed Blue Devils will prepare for their next matchup in the Elite 8, their first appearance since 2013. They face the 1-seed South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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