By Nate Owen

While they showed the ability to adjust to a new offensive scheme, the Huskies’ inability to prevent turnovers and come away with offensive rebounds ultimately led to a 102-49 loss to Duke in Durham, N.C., Saturday.

Despite the lopsided final score, the Huskies (0-1, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Association) gave No. 6 Duke (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) all they could handle for the opening period, trailing by only nine points at the 10:28 mark.

However, Duke was able to create some breathing room, opening up a 43-22 lead at halftime. A 15-0 run to begin the second half put Duke in control for the remainder of the game.

Overall the Huskies shot just 26.8 percent from the field (15-56).

Sophomore guard Ashlee Feldman led the Huskies with 17 points, but shot just 2-10 from three-point range. Senior captain Jody Burrows played a solid all-around game to the tune of two points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Junior guard Lucia Pablos was a perfect nine-for-nine from the charity line, giving her 11 points, good for second on the team behind Feldman.

Five Blue Devils scored double figures in points, led by freshman forward Bridgette Mitchell, who had 18 points and 13 rebounds in her collegiate debut.

The Huskies played hot potato with the ball, turning it over 36 times. They were out-muscled in the paint by Duke, as the Blue Devils grabbed 29 offensive rebounds.

“A lot of the mistakes we made are fixable errors,” said head coach Daynia La-Force Mann. “If we had done a few things better, this would have been a different game.”

However, she pointed out that the fast-break offense worked well and surprised the Blue Devils at the onset of the game.

Despite the final result, La-Force Mann said she felt her team was able to take a lot away from playing a nationally ranked team like Duke.

“[Playing Duke] is a good chance to see how teams at that level operate,” she said. “It also gives us a chance to see how far we are from being on that level. All the players that played had a part in keeping them [the Blue Devils] aware that we are a force to be reckoned with.”

She also gave credit to her team for keeping their heads in the game, even as the score began to get out of hand.

“Not once did I feel our team gave up,” La-Force Mann said.