DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — A dominant performance in the paint and a career afternoon from Toby Fournier propelled the Duke women’s basketball team to an 81-64 victory over the College of Charleston in a nonconference matchup Friday at a sold-out Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Blue Devils, improving to 25-8, established control early and never trailed, leveraging a decisive 44-20 advantage in points in the paint to overwhelm the visiting Cougars, who fell to 27-6. The game’s most important stretch came in the opening quarter, where Duke’s interior force was immediately felt. Fournier, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Toronto, set the tone by scoring nine of her game-high 24 points in the first period, helping Duke build a 25-16 lead that would only expand.

Fournier’s efficient outing, which included seven rebounds and two blocks in just 23 minutes, was complemented by a balanced Duke attack. Forward Delaney Thomas of Charles Town, West Virginia, added 19 points and nine rebounds, while Chicago native Jordan Wood chipped in 17 points, including three 3-pointers. The Blue Devils’ ball movement was sharp, with Ashlon Jackson of China, Texas, dishing out nine assists and Taina Mair of Boston adding eight.

College of Charleston, which entered the game on a three-game winning streak, struggled to find consistent offense outside of a stellar individual effort from guard Taryn Barbot. The 5-foot-10 sophomore from Floral Park, New York, poured in 36 points, nearly single-handedly keeping her team within striking distance. She scored 23 of her total in the fourth quarter, including five 3-pointers, during a late push that trimmed a 27-point Duke lead. Her sister, Taylor Barbot, provided support with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and forward Grace Ezebilo of Nigeria grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.

Despite Taryn Barbot’s scoring barrage, the Cougars could not overcome Duke’s overwhelming interior presence and a cold start from the field. Charleston shot just 16 points in the first quarter and 10 in the second, allowing Duke to build a 45-26 halftime lead. The Blue Devils’ defense also converted 22 Charleston turnovers into 22 points, while committing only 11 turnovers themselves.

Duke’s lead ballooned to 66-43 by the end of the third quarter before the Cougars mounted their final rally in the fourth. Barbot’s long-range shooting sparked a 21-15 quarter in Charleston’s favor, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome.

The victory extends Duke’s home winning streak and provides momentum as the team looks ahead to postseason play. For College of Charleston, the loss snaps a successful regular season but highlights the high-level scoring capability of Taryn Barbot against a power conference opponent. A crowd of 3,435 watched the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.