PALO ALTO, Calif. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by critical mistakes and timely responses, the Duke Blue Devils grinded out a 67-60 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in a nonconference women’s basketball game Sunday at Maples Pavilion.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, as Duke transformed a narrow, precarious lead into a decisive victory by capitalizing on Stanford’s offensive stagnation and converting crucial offensive rebounds into points. With the Blue Devils leading 55-52 and under three minutes to play, the Cardinal’s offense faltered, committing a shot-clock violation and two costly turnovers. Duke, meanwhile, secured the win at the free-throw line and with a dagger three-pointer from Toby Fournier with 22 seconds remaining that pushed the lead to eight and effectively sealed the outcome.

The game was a testament to Duke’s defensive pressure and Stanford’s self-inflicted wounds. The Blue Devils forced 18 Stanford turnovers, converting them into 19 points, while committing only eight turnovers themselves. This disparity proved foundational in a contest where offensive efficiency was scarce. Duke scored 67 points on 68 possessions for an offensive rating of 98.3, while Stanford managed just 60 points on 71 possessions, an offensive rating of 84.1.

Stanford’s Nunu Agara recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the Cardinal’s offense often sputtered outside of her efforts. Duke’s defense, which blocked eight shots and recorded seven steals, consistently disrupted Stanford’s rhythm. The Cardinal shot just 2-for-5 from the free-throw line, a critical shortcoming in a tight game.

Duke’s offense was powered by balance and interior dominance. Delaney Thomas led all scorers with 19 points, while Toby Fournier added 16 points and four blocks. Ashlon Jackson contributed 14 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Blue Devils, despite shooting a poor 2-for-13 from three-point range, dominated the paint, outscoring Stanford 44-32 inside and grabbing 15 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points.

Stanford held an early edge, leading 15-12 after the first quarter behind efficient shooting. Duke responded with a 19-point second quarter to take a 31-28 lead into halftime, a margin they would not relinquish. The Blue Devils extended their lead to seven points late in the third quarter, but Stanford’ Courtney Ogden and Chloe Clardy, who each finished with 11 points, helped keep the Cardinal within striking distance until the final minutes.

The victory improved Duke’s record to 11-6, continuing a positive trend in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Stanford, dropping the Cardinal to 14-4. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Duke entered with a 64.5% probability to win and covered the pregame spread of -4.5. The total score of 127 fell under the over/under line of 129.5.

Duke next hosts Virginia on Thursday. Stanford travels to face Boston College, also on Thursday.