Durham, N.C. — With the Cameron Crazies in full-swing, the Cameron Indoor Stadium was rocking for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
But for the Duke Blue Devils, it felt like just another home game — and they played like it.
Duke, boasting a 14-1 home record this season, fed off the energy of its home crowd, locking down the Lehigh women’s basketball team in a 86-25 rout on Friday.
Known for their defensive discipline, the Blue Devils applied relentless pressure, which disrupted Lehigh’s “share it and shoot it” offense. Duke forced 30 turnovers and stifled the Mountain Hawks’ rhythm offensively, holding Lehigh to just 19.6% shooting from the field.
The Mountain Hawks’ 25 points were the second-fewest points ever scored in an NCAA Tournament game. Howard University holds the record with 21 points in a 79-21 loss to the University of South Carolina in 2022.
“(Duke’s) pressure was pretty intense,” Ella Stemmer, Lehigh senior guard and captain, said. “But honestly, we expected that, and I don’t think it was anything that we couldn’t handle. It took us out of our flow a little bit, but honestly, I think we just have to own that.”
Stemmer led the Mountain Hawks, scoring eight points and logging two rebounds. Colleen McQuillen, senior guard and captain, added four points and seven rebounds.
Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament MVP Oluchi Okananwa led the Blue Devils with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Toby Fournier, ACC Freshman of the Year, and sophomore forward Delaney Thomas followed suit with 11 points each.
The Blue Devils dominated every statistical category, shooting 46.3% from the field and a higher efficiency from beyond the arc. Duke also outrebounded Lehigh 48-27, dished out 14 more assists and logged more steals in the lopsided affair.
Duke coach Kara Lawson said her team’s approach to the game was the same as it’s always been, a message she emphasized to her team before the tournament even began.
She also said their focus is playing well rather than concerning themselves with their current or potential future opponents.
“If we don’t play well, we’re not gonna get down the road,” Lawson said. “We’re gonna be stuck on the side of the road, hitchhiking. That’s what happens when you lose in March. So we got to focus on that, and they’ve done a good job of it.”
When the game tipped-off, program history was immediately made, beyond just Lehigh’s return to the NCAA Tournament.
Fifth-year wing Maddie Albrecht set a Lehigh record by playing in her 136th career game, surpassing Kristen Dalton, ‘11, who held the previous record with 135 games.
Despite the loss, Lehigh coach Addie Micir acknowledged the importance of the moment for her program. She said the team’s performance was not at its best, but they valued the opportunity to compete.
Highlighting the impact of the team’s senior leadership, Micir credited these players with establishing a strong culture and laying the foundation for future success.
“The moment might have been a little bit big right now, but one thing that we all made was a promise to (the seniors) that the next time we’re back here, we’re gonna make them really, really proud,” she said.
The Blue Devils built an early 13-8 lead to close out the first quarter, shooting 50% from the field and forcing seven turnovers. Duke’s offense started rolling early, jumping out to an 8-0 lead.
Lehigh fought back, with a Stemmer 3-pointer and a Remi Sisselman layup off of a perfectly-timed cut to the basket. Stemmer later closed the quarter with another triple, cutting Duke’s early lead to five.
In the second quarter, Duke’s defense intensified, tallying 10 turnovers and holding Lehigh to just two points — a McQuillen jumper. The Blue Devils scored 20 points, attacking Lehigh’s defense at all three levels — knocking down a triple, mid-range jumpers and scoring in the paint.
Lehigh entered halftime trailing 33-10, its 10 first-half points marking the fourth-fewest points scored in an opening half in NCAA Tournament history.
At halftime, Micir focused on making adjustments to counter Duke’s physical defensive strategy.
She said her message to the team at halftime remained consistent, praising the strong defensive effort in the first half, particularly the athletes’ ability to crowd the ball and create turnovers.
“Offensively, I thought we turned the ball over way too much,” Micir said. “Our passing wasn’t on point, so we talked about trying to catch a little bit closer to the rim, and also not being afraid and pounding the ball inside.”
Lehigh struggled offensively in the third quarter, scoring just seven points while shooting 16.7% from the field. The Mountain Hawks failed to connect from beyond the arc, going 0-5.
Meanwhile, Duke continued its offensive onslaught, scoring 24 points on threes and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities from 19 offensive rebounds. Thomas and Fournier grabbed five and three offensive boards respectively, creating easy tip-shots, putback layups and extending possessions.
Duke dominated the fourth quarter, scoring 29 points while shooting 57.9% from the field and 63.6% from three-point range. The Blue Devils’ bench contributed significantly with 17 total points coming from their depth, while Lehigh was held to just eight points for the quarter.
This marked the first game all season in which the Mountain Hawks didn’t crack double-digit scoring in any quarter.
Despite the loss, Stemmer said NCAA Tournament appearances should become a standard for the program.
“Next year, teams are going to come and hunt for us,” she said. “We’re going to have a target on our back. Honestly, just show up each day. Do it for the teammates. Enjoy the process.”
Duke grabbed its largest lead of the game with 61 points and 1:50 to go in the fourth quarter before running out the clock. The Blue Devils never took their foot off the gas, going full-speed for the remainder of the quarter, outscoring Lehigh 29-8 in the final frame and blocking the Mountain Hawks’ final shot attempt.
When asked about the positives from this season, Stemmer highlighted the team’s daily approach.
“I think the way in which we carried ourselves each and every day was pretty special,” Stemmer said. “We started the season choosing joy. I think without naming it that, we really named ourselves as being resilient players. And I think the way in which we did that is choosing joy — joy and effort.”
For Lehigh, this NCAA appearance marked an important step in the program’s development. With a Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament experience under their belt, Micir said the Mountain Hawks have established a foundation for future success.
“We know the blueprint for the spring and the summer to get ready for when this moment comes again,” Micir said.
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