LYNCHBURG, Va.
— In an impressive display of skill, Ashlon Jackson contributed 10 of her total 22 points in the pivotal third quarter, leading the 11th-ranked Duke Blue Devils to an 83-67 win over the Liberty Flames on Thursday evening.

Duke, now 2-0 for the season, turned a slim two-point advantage at halftime into a commanding 64-50 lead by the conclusion of the third quarter. Jackson showcased her shooting accuracy by sinking all three of her attempts, including two successful three-pointers. She also provided three assists, helping Duke outscore Liberty 25-13 during the quarter.

Jackson was highly effective overall, converting 7 of 10 field-goal attempts, making 5 of 7 from the three-point line, and hitting 3 of her 4 free-throw attempts. Reigan Richardson and bench player Toby Fournier each added 13 points, while Jordan Wood contributed 10 points from the bench to the Blue Devils’ efforts.

Leading the Flames (1-1) was Asia Boone, who scored 15 points, followed by Emma Hess with 11 points, and Elisabeth Aegisdottir, who recorded a strong 10 rebounds.

During the first quarter, Jackson’s eight points and Wood’s six points propelled Duke to a decisive 29-15 advantage. In the second quarter, Boone came alive, scoring all 11 of her first-half points and helping Liberty narrow the gap to just 39-37 at halftime. A three-pointer from Hess brought the Flames to within one point at 34-33 with 2:55 left in the quarter, but Jackson quickly responded with a three-pointer of her own, allowing the Blue Devils to maintain their lead at the intermission.

The third quarter began with a bang as Jackson hit another three-pointer, followed by additional three-pointers from her and Taina Mair, culminating in an 8-0 run that pushed Duke’s lead to 55-44 with 6:22 remaining in the quarter. From that point onward, Duke maintained a double-digit lead, reaching a maximum advantage of 20 points in the final quarter.

Duke has an impressive track record against Liberty, having defeated them in all six prior encounters, with an average margin of victory of 35.5 points.

Looking ahead, Duke will travel to Maryland for a matchup against the 18th-ranked Terrapins on Sunday, while Liberty is set to host California Baptist on Saturday.