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Women's Basketball
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Thursday, November 19
Durham, N.C.
7:00 p.m.
Duke University
69
vs
42
Georgia Southern
Thomas Leads Duke Over Georgia Southern 69-42
11/19/2009 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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DURHAM, N.C. - Jasmine Thomas led No. 11 Duke in scoring for the second straight game on Thursday night.
And although she had less than half the total she scored in her previous outing, this one was a lot more successful.
Thomas' 12 points led five players in double figures for the Blue Devils (2-1) as they walloped Georgia Southern 69-42 in their women's basketball home opener.
Thomas had scored a career-high 26 points on Sunday at Texas A&M, but the Blue Devils came out on the short end of a 95-77 score and dropped five spots in the polls.
“It's always good when everyone contributes,” Thomas said. “That's something we know the team is capable of, having people put numbers on the board. It's not something we emphasize; it's something we expect.”
Fellow starters Bridgette Mitchell, Keturah Jackson and Krystal Thomas had 11 points each and Joy Cheek added 10 for Duke.
“It was a good game to work on things and test ourselves and get better,” Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “I thought (Jackson's) energy was exceptional. I'm so amazed at K.J., really. She's not supposed to be playing right now (after summer surgery on her left rotator cuff), and I really don't think enough has been said about that. She means a lot to our team because she has so much energy.
“And I like the rebounds. The balanced scoring is something I think works in our favor, and I think we can do a lot more there.”
The Blue Devils outshot GSU 43.5 percent to 34.0 and outrebounded the Eagles 46-22. Mitchell was Duke's leading rebounder with eight, and all five starters had at least five boards apiece.
J'Lisia Ogburn led GSU (1-1) with 11 points.
“When you give up the size we did tonight, we knew it was going to be a factor,” GSU coach Rusty Cram said. “I was proud of the fact we didn't let their press wear us down. They got some steals, but we were going to play a slower pace. We knew we couldn't run with them.”
The Eagles took a 6-5 lead on a Jamie Navarro 3-pointer with 17:35 left in the first half before the pressing Blue Devils responded with a big run. Cheek scored all of her points during the 14-0 spree that gave Duke a working margin for the rest of the night.
The Blue Devils led 35-17 at the break and had their biggest lead of 58-26 on a Jackson follow shot with 12:30 remaining. GSU responded with nine straight points ending on a Meredith Frye 3-pointer at 9:38, but could get no closer.
Jackson's point total marked only the fifth time in her career she has been in double figures. She added a career-high five assists.
“I just wanted to step up and be a leader, being that I'm a fifth-year senior,” Jackson said. “I feel like I owe it to the team to always be aggressive no matter what side of the court I'm playing on.”
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