DURHAM -- Jasmine Thomas scored 12 points to lead a balanced offense and No. 11 Duke won easily in its women's basketball home opener, routing Georgia Southern 69-42 on Thursday night.
Bridgette Mitchell, Keturah Jackson and Krystal Thomas had 11 points each for Duke (2-1). Joy Cheek added 10.
"It was a good game to work on things and test ourselves and get better," Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "I like the rebounds. The balanced scoring is something I think works in our favor, and I think we can do a lot more there."
Thomas scored a career-high 26 points Sunday at Texas A&M, but the Blue Devils lost 95-77 and dropped five spots in The Associated Press poll.
"It's always good when everyone contributes," Thomas said. "That's something we know the team is capable of, having people put numbers on the board. It's not something we emphasize; it's something we expect."
J'Lisia Ogburn's 11 points led Georgia Southern (1-1).
The Eagles took a 6-5 lead on Jamie Navarro's 3-pointer with 17:35 left in the first half before the pressing Blue Devils responded with a big run. Cheek scored all her points during the 14-0 spurt.
The Blue Devils led 35-17 at halftime and took their biggest lead, 58-26, on Jackson's follow with 12:30 remaining.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN (1-1): Ogburn 5-8 0-1 11, Geiger 3-5 0-0 7, Wilson 1-3 0-0 2, C.Whitney 1-5 0-0 3, Navarro 1-5 0-0 3, Dayton 2-7 0-0 6, Tate 0-4 2-2 2, Ivy 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Frye 3-8 0-0 8, Scott 0-0 0-0 0, S.Williams 0-2 0-0 0, McKenzie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-47 2-3 42.
DUKE (2-1): Mitchell 4-6 2-2 11, Cheek 4-7 1-1 10, K.Thomas 4-10 3-5 11, J.Thomas 4-10 3-5 12, Jackson 5-7 1-3 11, Hopkins 1-2 0-0 2, Selby 0-2 0-0 0, Christmas 1-7 0-0 2, Scheer 1-6 0-0 3, Rogers 0-0 0-0 0, Vernerey 3-5 1-2 7. Totals 27-62 11-18 69.
Halftime--Duke 35-17. 3-Point Goals--Georgia Southern 8-24 (Dayton 2-5, Frye 2-5, Geiger 1-1, Ogburn 1-2, C.Whitney 1-4, Navarro 1-4, Tate 0-1, S.Williams 0-2), Duke 4-21 (Mitchell 1-1, Cheek 1-2, J.Thomas 1-5, Scheer 1-6, Jackson 0-1, Selby 0-1, Hopkins 0-1, Christmas 0-4). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Georgia Southern 22 (Geiger 6), Duke 46 (Mitchell 8). Assists--Georgia Southern 12 (Navarro 3), Duke 16 (Jackson 5). Total fouls--Georgia Southern 16, Duke 10. A--3,057.
