FORT WORTH, Texas - It took Laura Kurz's inspired play and Lindsey Harding's best Sean Dockery impersonation to pull No. 2 Duke out of a 19-minute first-half funk and past TCU (2-5) Tuesday, 92-52.
With the Blue Devils (7-0) leading by just one with less than a minute left in the first half, Kurz hit an open three-pointer from the top of the key. On the following play, Kurz poked the ball away from TCU guard Adrianne Ross. Wanisha Smith picked up the loose ball and fed a breaking Kurz for an uncontested layup.
Then it was Lindsey Harding's turn to step up. The junior point guard drew a charge with three seconds remaining, giving Duke one last shot to increase its six-point lead heading into halftime. Harding took the inbounds pass, crossed over a defender at halfcourt and heaved a running 35-footer that banked in at the buzzer.
"I think when Lindsay hit that shot, in particular, at the buzzer, it got the emotions going for us," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "It really got the adrenaline flowing. I felt like we were pretty flat for most of the first half, and so I think we had some good energy going into halftime, and it carried over."
The Blue Devils used the positive momentum to put the game out of the Horned Frogs' reach, scoring on eight of their first nine possessions to extend their lead to 19 only 4:18 into the second half. Duke would not look back, as it rolled to a 40-point victory.
"I didn't feel like we were really focused, as was evident with all the turnovers," Goestenkors said. "We just need to do a better job of coming out of the gate stronger."
The Blue Devils tightened up their play on both ends of the floor in the second half, shooting 57 percent while holding the Horned Frogs to just 5-of-27 from the floor. Duke had only six turnovers following halftime and outrebounded TCU 30-10.
Kurz provided a bright spot for Duke in the first half, scoring 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting in the period. The 6-foot-1 sophomore has made a transition to playing more in the post this season and said she is starting to get comfortable with the change.
The Blue Devils appeared ready to take control when Lindsey Harding recorded an easy steal and broke away for an uncontested layup to put her team on top, 24-19, with five minutes remaining in the first period. Duke, however, could not extend the lead, and TCU had a chance to tie the game at 28 with one minute left. Forward Jenna Lohse beat the Blue Devil defenders down the court and was fouled while making her layup. Lohse missed the free throw, setting up Duke's 8-0 closing run that was capped by Harding's buzzer-beater.
"I think the entire Duke program should be out of halfcourt shots after this week," TCU head coach Jeff Mittie said.
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