Roberson, Nelson lead No. 4 Duke past Green Bay 76-60 to open season

Arianna Roberson contributed 15 points and four blocked shots as No. 4 Duke dominated Green Bay 76-60 in their season opener on Tuesday night. Riley Nelson added 15 points to the Blue Devils, who were preseason favorites to secure a third straight Atlantic Coast Conference title. Toby Fournier, the preseason all-ACC selection, was absent due to a lower-leg injury.

Coach Kara Lawson expressed optimism about Fournier's soon return, but no specific timeline was provided. Duke faced a challenging first half, trailing 33-31 at halftime. However, they dominated the second half, increasing their lead from zero points in the paint in the second quarter to 16 points in the third. The Blue Devils' defensive effort held the Phoenix scoreless for over six minutes of that period.

Jordan Wood and Riley Nelson led the way with 15 points each, while Jordan Wood also added three points from beyond the arc. The Blue Devils shot 45.3% from the field and held a 44-31 rebounding advantage, resulting in 19 second-chance points. Four Blue Devils players scored in double figures, with Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump tallying 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists in her Duke debut.

Maddy Skorupski led Green Bay with 16 points and six rebounds, while Kristina Ouimette chipped in 14 points. Green Bay struggled after halftime, shooting just 6 of 27 from the field and relying on 12 successful free throws in the third quarter to keep pace. Green Bay will face Loyola Chicago in their home opener on Saturday, while Duke will take on North Texas in San Antonio on Sunday.