GREENSBORO-- Tricia Liston scored a career-high 26 points on 8-16 shooting to lead the Duke Blue Devils over the N.C. State Wolfpack 79-65 in the second quarterfinal of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday. The sharp-shooting Liston was 6-10 from the three-point line and hauled in 11 rebounds for the Devils. Duke (28-2, 17-1 ACC) also got impressive games from guard Alexis Jones (17 points, 8 assists) and Elizabeth Williams (13 points, 9 rebounds).
North Carolina State (16-16, 7-11 ACC) fought back from a 42-33 halftime deficit largely due to the play of Marissa Kastanek (18 points) and Markeisha Gatling (16 points, 9 rebounds). The Wolfpack took a 1-point lead on a Gatling layup with 11:26 remaining in the second half, and extended that lead to four before a Liston three-pointer with 6:15 remaining gave the lead back to the Devils for good.
Duke shot an astounding 57.1 percent from the three-point line and completely dominated the glass, 42-30. The Blue Devils will next face the Florida State Seminoles, who dispatched Miami 70-58 in the first quarterfinal. The first semifinal on Saturday will tip-off at 1:00 p.m. and be televised on the ACC Network.