No. 3 Duke vaults to 18-0, blows out top-ranked Terps

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Lindsey Harding scored 16 of her 28 points in the first half, Alison Bales flirted with a triple-double and No. 3 Duke routed top-ranked Maryland 81-62 Saturday in a rematch of last season's national championship game.

Bales finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots for the Blue Devils (18-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who closed the first half with a 13-4 run, didn't let up in the second and made a strong case to take over the No. 1 ranking from the Terrapins.

Duke's smothering defense dominated a Maryland offense which entered with the nation's best field-goal percentage at 53.8 percent. The Terrapins were held to 37.8 percent by the Blue Devils -- who have the country's stingiest defense -- and were held 1-of-15 shooting during the final 5:49 of the first half.

Duke won its sixth game against a ranked team, and for the Blue Devils, this one clearly was the most satisfying. Maryland beat Duke 78-75 in an overtime thriller in the national title game last April, a classic that included Kristi Toliver's game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

This time, the Blue Devils wouldn't give Toliver another chance to break their hearts, holding her to eight points -- and just two at halftime on 0-of-8 shooting -- before she exited with 5:37 remaining after apparently injuring her ankle.

Crystal Langhorne had 14 points and Shay Doron added 11 for the Terrapins (18-1, 2-1).

Wanisha Smith added 15 points and Abby Waner had 11 for the Blue Devils, one of two remaining unbeatens in the country, and the other is Tobacco Road rival No. 2 North Carolina.

Duke's two stars -- Harding and Bales -- led the way during its game-breaking run late in the half.

Duke led 28-26 before Harding started the burst with a layup. Bales blocked three shots during the stretch and Harding closed the spurt with two free throws, making it 41-30 at the break.