Greenwell, Duke women rout Hampton 94-31 in NCAA 1st round (Mar 18, 2017)
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Duke's second quarter was nearly perfect - until one of the most important Blue Devils was hurt.
Rebecca Greenwell had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Duke routed Hampton 94-31 on Saturday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament but lost guard Kyra Lambert to a left knee injury that coach Joanne P. McCallie said would keep her out ''for a long time.''
''I've never experienced an injury like this in the NCAA Tournament,'' McCallie said. ''Her game was just taking off, but the team, they're so resilient. They're a resilient bunch, they have been all year, so we'll kind of evolve.''
Lambert did not return for the second-seeded Blue Devils (28-5) after she collided with Hampton's Georgianna Gilbeaux with 4:21 left in the first half. Team spokesman Lindy Brown said an MRI was scheduled Sunday for the sophomore who averages 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Blue Devils, but McCallie left little doubt that she faces a long-term recovery.
''No one's going to do what Kyra does, but I think we can evolve with other people and other situations,'' McCallie said. ''And that's our journey, so we're on it.''
Lexie Brown and Oderah Chidom finished with 11 points apiece for Duke, which will play 10th-seeded Oregon (21-13) in the second round Monday night.
Duke held the 15th-seeded Pirates to 18 percent shooting and allowed just one field goal during the second quarter, outscoring Hampton 31-2 during that period to push the lead well into the 30s.
''They threw a lot of wild defenses at us to try to get us to turn the ball over,'' Brown said. ''They were leaving the basket wide open, so it was easy to make those wide-open layups.''
Jephany Brown had 18 points to lead Hampton (20-13). The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions were back in the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence.
''We let the shooters get too many shots off,'' she said. ''We let Rebecca Greenwell get a few shots off.''
The Blue Devils, who appeared in the tournament every year from 1995-2015 before missing out last season, were never in danger of becoming the first women's No. 2 seed to lose to a No. 15. They held Hampton to 1-of-14 shooting in the second quarter while putting the game well out of reach before halftime.
BIG PICTURE
Hampton: The Pirates, who lost four starters throughout the season due to various injuries, had their seven-game winning streak snapped and remained winless in nine tournament appearances. They missed 20 of their first 21 attempts from 3-point range, and the other Pirate aside from Brown combined for just 13 points.
''There were so many storms we got through this year,'' coach David Six said. ''And I saw true greatness - not in talent, but in work ethic.''
Duke: Now the question for Duke is what this team will evolve into without Lambert. Brown figures to assume even more of the primary ball-handling duties, Greenwell will face more pressure to protect the ball and McCallie said the second half afforded her plenty of time to tinker with the lineup, with Crystal Primm and Faith Suggs possibly being asked to increase their roles.
STAT SHEET
Hampton had 21 turnovers while Duke had 19. The difference: Duke scored 34 points off all those miscues while the Pirates turned them into just eight points. ... The Blue Devils also outrebounded Hampton 48-27.
UP NEXT
Duke: Plays Oregon on Monday night in the second round.
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