DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — The Duke women’s basketball team used a dominant opening quarter to establish early control and never looked back, cruising to an 83-65 victory over North Carolina State in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup Thursday night at a raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The 18-point final margin belied a game that was effectively decided in the first ten minutes. The eighth-ranked Blue Devils, playing before a crowd of 4,951, exploded for 28 points in the first quarter while holding the Wolfpack to 16, building a lead that would not be seriously challenged for the remainder of the evening. The win improved Duke to 20-6 overall, while North Carolina State fell to 17-9.

Duke’s offensive engine was sophomore forward Toby Fournier of Toronto, who delivered a commanding performance with 26 points. Her presence was felt on both ends, adding a block and anchoring the interior defense. She set the tone early, winning the opening tip and scoring six of her points in the first quarter, including a putback layup that helped fuel the initial surge.

While Fournier controlled the paint, Duke’s backcourt provided the necessary balance and playmaking. Junior guard Ashlon Jackson of China, Texas, scored 17 points and dished out four assists, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. The offensive flow was masterfully directed by junior point guard Taina Mair of Boston, who orchestrated the attack with nine assists to go along with seven points and three steals.

North Carolina State, coming off a road loss to Notre Dame, struggled to find consistent offense outside of its two primary scorers. Sophomore guard Zoe Brooks of Plainfield, New Jersey, fought hard for a team-high 21 points, while sophomore forward Khamil Pierre of Phoenix, Arizona, battled inside for 24 points. However, the Wolfpack’s supporting cast combined for just 20 points, unable to provide the supplementary scoring needed to mount a comeback.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the opening period. After a Pierre jumper brought the Wolfpack within 6-4 early, Duke unleashed a decisive 22-6 run over the next six minutes. The spurt was a collaborative effort, featuring three-pointers from Riley Nelson and Jackson, driving layups from Mair, and interior finishes from Fournier and freshman reserve Arianna Roberson of San Antonio, who provided an immediate spark off the bench with 15 points. When Roberson assisted on a Nelson layup with just over four minutes left in the quarter, Duke led 28-10, and the Wolfpack’s fate was largely sealed.

North Carolina State showed brief signs of life after halftime, outscoring Duke 22-15 in the third quarter behind 10 points from Brooks. A Brooks layup with 6:24 left in the third cut the deficit to 52-43, marking the closest the Wolfpack had been since the opening minutes. Duke coach Kara Lawson called a timeout to settle her team, and the Blue Devils responded by clamping down defensively. They held NC State scoreless for over three minutes following the timeout, allowing only a single field goal in the final four minutes of the quarter to carry a 56-48 lead into the final period.

Any lingering doubt was extinguished in the fourth quarter as Duke’s offense reignited. The Blue Devils poured in 27 points in the final frame, matching their first-quarter output. Fournier was again central, scoring eight points in the quarter, including a crucial three-pointer that pushed the lead back to 17 with just over six minutes remaining. Roberson and Jackson also hit key shots down the stretch as Duke methodically pulled away, ultimately surpassing the pregame point spread of 10.5 points with ease.

Defensively, Duke’s activity was a constant problem for the Wolfpack, forcing 18 turnovers which led to 23 points. Mair and Jackson were particularly disruptive on the perimeter, combining for seven steals. The Blue Devils also dominated the glass, securing 15 offensive rebounds that resulted in 19 second-chance points, a key factor in building and maintaining their large lead.

The victory was a resounding bounce-back for Duke after a narrow win over North Carolina in its previous outing, solidifying its position near the top of the ACC standings. For North Carolina State, the loss represented a missed opportunity for a quadrant-one road win and continued a pattern of struggles against the conference’s elite, having now dropped two of its last three games.

Duke next travels to face Clemson on Sunday, while North Carolina State returns home to host Syracuse. According to pregame analytics from Interstat, Duke was projected with a 79.3% probability to win, a forecast the Blue Devils fulfilled with a performance defined by early force and sustained execution. The total score of 148 points surpassed the over/under line of 140.5.