DURHAM, N.C. — Toby Fournier delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a personal best of 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds, which helped propel No. 8 Duke to an impressive 81-59 win over Virginia Tech on Sunday. This match marked the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.
Fournier, a talented freshman forward, showcased his skills by shooting 12 of 17 from the field, contributing significantly off the bench to enhance the Blue Devils’ record to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in the ACC. Alongside him, Oluchi Okananwa made a notable impact with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Delaney Thomas added 14 points. Although Reigan Richardson only scored five points, she excelled in playmaking, matching her career high with seven assists.
On the side of the Hokies (7-3, 0-1), Carleigh Wenzel led the scoring effort with 19 points, and Carys Baker supported the team with 11 points and six rebounds.
The standout takeaways from the game emphasized Duke’s ability to recover from a setback against No. 3 South Carolina, demonstrating their prowess at home by improving their record to 24-4 in ACC openers held at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Conversely, Virginia Tech struggled against Duke’s tight defense, which limited their offensive opportunities and resulted in 18 turnovers, as well as an off night from beyond the arc with a season-low shooting percentage of 14.3% on three-point attempts.
A pivotal moment came when Duke, after falling behind by three points early in the contest, surged ahead with a remarkable 32-10 run that continued into the second period. Fournier ignited this momentum for the Blue Devils with a daring layup, accumulating 10 points and five rebounds throughout that crucial 12-minute stretch.
Duke entered this contest ranked 15th in the nation in three-point shooting, boasting a 38.8% accuracy rate, and 18th in assists per game, averaging 18.5. They achieved a favorable assist-to-turnover ratio for the eighth time this season and improved to 5-0 when making over 40% of their three-point attempts.
Looking ahead, Duke is set to face Wofford on December 18, while Virginia Tech will host Radford on Sunday.
