Kara Lawson Earns 100th Win as Duke Defeats Liberty

The Blue Devils bounced back in a big way on Sunday against Liberty, taking down the Flames on the road, 71-57.

It was also a historic day for Duke's leader, as coach Kara Lawson grasped her 100th win with the Blue Devils.

Nov 3, 2025; Paris, FRA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson calls a play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Adidas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Lawson took over the program in 2020 after former Duke coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie left the program after 13 seasons on the sideline.

In Lawson's six seasons at the helm of the Blue Devils' program, she is 100-43 and has led the program to the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous three seasons.

Duke had high expectations coming into the season, but hasn't fully lived up to them yet. After entering the season ranked No. 7 in the AP Poll, the Blue Devils have fallen victim to a pair of upsets at the hands of Baylor and West Virginia, pushing them out of the rankings altogether.

Nov 3, 2025; Paris, FRA; Duke Blue Devils guard Taina Mair (22) controls the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Adidas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

There is still time to turn the season around, and Sunday's win was a big step in the right direction.

Duke got big performances from both Toby Fournier and Ashlon Jackson. The pair combined for 34 points to lead the victory over the Flames.

Nov 3, 2025; Paris, FRA; Duke Blue Devils forward Toby Fournier (35) reacts after a play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Adidas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils overcame a slow start by forcing Liberty into a series of miscues and turnovers. Liberty had 25 turnovers in the game, the most by a Duke opponent this season. 10 of those turnovers came in the first quarter alone, though Duke had a hard time capitalizing.

Fournier led the way with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and four blocks. Her defensive presence has been a huge plus for the Blue Devils this season, despite the occasional foul trouble she can get into. She fouled out after 23 minutes.

Nov 3, 2025; Paris, FRA; Duke Blue Devils guard Ashlon Jackson (3) looks to pass against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Adidas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Jackson had 16 points, four rebounds and five assists, continuing her strong start to the campaign. Jackson and Fournier were the closers for the Blue Devils. As the Flames rallied in the fourth quarter, the duo slammed the door shut, scoring 14 combined points to pull away.

Duke has been great at responding to failure so far this season, although they would like to avoid those circumstances in the first place. After a brutal loss to West Virginia, where the Mountaineers only had five eligible players in the second half after a flurry of ejections, the Blue Devils overcame adversity to respond.

Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center court logo before the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils did miss Jordan Wood, who served her mandatory one-game suspension for the scuffle against West Virginia. Foul trouble did test Duke's depth, but Lawson's stash of reserves made the most of their opportunities.

Arianna Roberson played 26 minutes off the bench and stuffed the stat sheet, scoring nine points and adding 11 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals.

Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson is introduced during player introductions at the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Freshman Anna Wikstrom also saw extended minutes, doubling her career-high with 16 minutes. She knocked down her first career 3-pointer and played some solid defense in her first real action this season.

“Anna was really big for us today,” Lawson said after the game. “We had some foul trouble in the first half on the perimeter, and (Wikstrom) was solid and understood what we were trying to do on both ends.”

Nov 3, 2025; Paris, FRA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Kara Lawson speaks with Duke Blue Devils guard Riley Nelson (4) during a break in play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Adidas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils will have plenty of time to celebrate Lawson's milestone victory and hope to carry the winning momentum over the rest of this daunting stretch.

Duke will travel to Tampa to meet South Florida, before heading across the country to play South Carolina, followed by Texas or UCLA in the Players Era Tournament. The Blue Devils will then return home to battle LSU before their first ACC game against Virginia Tech.

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