DURHAM, N.C. - Maybe it’s not entirely accurate to say Duke doesn’t have any point guards.
“I guess we’re all point guards,” Coach Joanne P. McCallie said.
The Blue Devils had 21 assists - their most in two months - in an 87-45 rout of Winthrop on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
McCallie has had to tweak her lineup after season-ending knee injuries to Chelsea Gray and Alexis Jones left Duke with no true point guards.
In this game, everyone got into the act. Six Blue Devils had multiple assists, led by Haley Peters with six and center Elizabeth Williams with four.
“We’ve gone from no point guards,” McCallie said, “to all point guards.”
Tricia Liston scored 20points and freshman Oderah Chidom added a season-high 17 points for the second-seeded Blue Devils (28-6).
They didn’t miss a beat in their first game in nearly two weeks: They never trailed, shot 54 percent from the field and led by 10 or more points for the final 33½ minutes in winning their 21st consecutive NCAA Tournament opener.
Next up: No. 7 seed De-Paul, which beat Oklahoma 104-100, on Monday night in the second round.
In giving the 15th-seeded Eagles (24-9) their worst loss of the season by far, Duke built a 49-23 rebounding advantage and held them to 27 percent shooting - 21 percent in the decisive first half - to advance in the Lincoln Regional.
Referring to Duke’s superior depth, especially in the low post, Winthrop Coach Kevin Cook said it “seemed like the French Foreign Legion to me.”
“They just keep bringing them in,” Cook said.
Big South player of the year Dequesha McClanahan had 22 points to lead Winthrop in its brief first NCAA Tournament appearance.
“Cinderella wanted a couple more dances,” Cook said, “but unfortunately, we’ve got to go back to Rock Hill (S.C.) and begin anew for next year.”
Samiya Wright had 12 points for the Eagles, whose previous worst loss was by 11 to Liberty.
DEPAUL 104, OKLAHOMA 100
DURHAM, N.C. - Megan Rogowski scored 24 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 40.5 seconds left to help DePaul beat Oklahoma..
It was the highest scoring regulation game in the history of the NCAA women’s tournament.
Chanise Jenkins added 21 points and Brittany Hrynko had 19 for the seventh-seeded Blue Demons (28-6). They blew a 19-point lead with under 16 minutes left, then rallied for a wild victory.
Aaryn Ellenberg had 36 points and seven three-pointers for the 10th-seeded Sooners (18-15), who set a tournament record for most points by a losing team in a regulation game. They easily surpassed the previous record of 94 set by Michigan State in 1991. The overall record is held by Duke, which lost 121-120 to Alabama in four overtimes in 1995.
NEBRASKA 75, FRESNO STATE 55
LOS ANGELES - Jordan Hooper had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and fourth-seeded Nebraska defeated Fresno State.
Emily Cady added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Cornhuskers (26-6), the Big Ten tournament champions who have won 13 of 14 games.
Taylor Thompson scored 14 points for the 13th-seeded Bulldogs (22-11). They closed within four points early in the second half, but never got any closer in falling to 0-7 in the NCAA Tournament.
Tear’a Laudermill added 13 points, and Rachel Theriot had 10 points and 12 assists for the Huskers, who out rebounded the Bulldogs 46-35.
BRIGHAM YOUNG 72, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 57
LOS ANGELES - Lexi Eaton scored 25 points and 12th-seeded Brigham Young upset No. 5 North Carolina State.
The Cougars (27-6) will face fourth-seeded Nebraska in the second round on Monday at Pauley Pavilion on UCLA’s campus.
Jennifer Hamson, the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, finished with 12 points and tied her career highs with 19 rebounds and 9 blocks.
Sports, Pages 29 on 03/23/2014