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Duke women rout UNC to win ACC crown


Associated Press


Duke players raise the trophy as they celebrate their 92-73 win over North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday.

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Sunday, March 10, 2013


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Freshman Alexis Jones scored a career-high 24 points and No. 6 Duke claimed its eighth Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title by routing No. 15 North Carolina 92-73 on Sunday in the championship game.

Elizabeth Williams also had 24 points and Haley Peters scored 17 for the top-seeded Blue Devils (30-2).

Duke led by as many as 26, shot nearly 57 percent and outrebounded North Carolina by six to cruise to its third title in four years.

Tierra Ruffin-Pratt had 25 points to lead the third-seeded Tar Heels (28-6).

UNC missed 25 of 28 shots as the deficit swelled to the 20s, was denied its 10th crown and lost its seventh straight in the series.

Williams reached double figures for the 19th straight time against an ACC opponent and set a league record by blocking a shot in her 65th straight game.

Latifah Coleman and Walteia Rolle added 10 points apiece for North Carolina.

BIG SOUTH

Liberty 54, Longwood 45

CONWAY, S.C. - Tolu Omotola scored 16 points and top-seeded Liberty's women gave the school a double dose of Big South championship celebrations with their 15th league tournament title in the past 17 years with after a victory over Longwood.

The Flames (27-6) are perhaps the Big South's best bet in basketball, making their 15th NCAA tournament appearance since 1997 and their fifth in the past six years. They'll carry a 14-game win streak into the NCAA tournament.

The Liberty men are heading to the NCAA tournament despite a 15-20 record after an 87-76 upset win over Charleston Southern.

Omotola had nine points to spark a 17-8 run to start the second half as the Lady Flames took control.

Longwood (14-19) had cut a 15-point lead to 53-45 in the final seconds, but got no closer.

Ashley Rininger had 10 points, while Devon Brown, the tournament's MVP, grabbed 13 rebounds for Liberty.

Coward had 14 points to lead Longwood, which struggled with its shooting throughout. The Lancers' high-scoring guards Daeisha Brown and Crystal Smith, who came in averaging better than 27 points a game combined, finished with just six points on 2-of-23 shooting.

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