Stanford University’s women’s basketball team lost to Duke University 67-60 in a game played at Maples Pavilion on Sunday. Nunu Agara led the Cardinal with her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and collecting 10 rebounds. Three other Stanford players also reached double figures: Courtney Ogden and Chloe Clardy each had 11 points, while Alexandra Eschmeyer contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and four blocks in a career-high 28 minutes off the bench.
Stanford (14-5 overall, 3-2 ACC) fell behind by as many as seven points late in the second quarter and again early in the third. The team managed to tie the score several times but never regained the lead. Duke held a 39-32 advantage with just under eight minutes left in the third period before Stanford tied it at 42 after two baskets from Ogden.
Duke opened the fourth quarter with an Arianna Roberson jumper to take a five-point lead at 50-45. Stanford responded with Clardy’s steal and fastbreak layup followed by her three-pointer to tie it at 50 with just over eight minutes remaining.
With four-and-a-half minutes left, Stanford trailed by one point after an Agara jumper made it 56-55. However, Duke then went on an eight-point run over more than three minutes, during which time they made five of their last six field goals while Stanford missed four consecutive shots and committed two turnovers. Late scores from Ogden and Clardy were not enough for a comeback.
Despite outshooting Duke from both the field (43 percent to 39 percent) and beyond the arc (46 percent to 15 percent), Stanford struggled with turnovers—committing nineteen compared to Duke’s eight—which led to Duke outscoring them in points off turnovers by a margin of 21-12.
Entering this matchup ranked eleventh nationally in free throw percentage, Stanford was limited at the line, making only two of five attempts and not taking any free throws until there was less than two minutes left in the third quarter.
Stanford will play its next game on Thursday against Boston College.
