Triangle women’s hoops roll call: Why Arianna Roberson’s return is crucial for Duke
Arianna Roberson didn’t have this a year ago.
That’s the thought that keeps resurfacing, the one that follows the Duke redshirt freshman every time she dives on the floor, every time she secures another rebound, every time she jogs back on defense with a brace and sleeve still hugging her left leg. After missing last season with a knee injury, Roberson is no longer a promising subplot for the Blue Devils. She’s become one of the clearest reasons Duke suddenly looks like the elite team everyone expected back in October.
On Sunday afternoon inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, Roberson delivered the loudest performance yet in Duke’s most lopsided win of the season. She finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds (both career highs) off the bench as the Blue Devils routed SMU 95-36, extending their win streak to 14 games — the program’s longest under sixth-year coach Kara Lawson and its best stretch since the 2012-13 season.
It was Roberson’s third double-double off the bench in Duke’s last five games, another step forward for a former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American whose college debut was delayed an entire year by injury. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Roberson supplies length, skill and relentless energy for a Duke team already stacked with veterans and emerging stars.
“It was a lot of highs and lows, the ebbs and flows,” Roberson said Sunday. “Every time I step on that court, it’s just a reminder of being grateful and being in the moment. Because I didn’t have this a year ago, and so I never want to take that for granted again.”
Duke didn’t need Roberson to carry it this season — not with sophomore Toby Fournier blossoming into one of the ACC’s most reliable scorers, senior guards Taina Mair and Ashlon Jackson steadying the backcourt, and Delaney Thomas continuing to do a bit of everything. But with injuries sidelining junior Jadyn Donovan and prized freshman Emilee Skinner for the rest of the season, the program announced Monday, Roberson has filled a void that didn’t exist on paper at the season’s onset.
Since a Jan. 8 road win at California, Roberson has averaged 11.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and shot better than 42% from 3-point range. Against SMU, she was everywhere — cleaning the glass and diving for loose balls with Duke already up big.
“Ari is unique in a lot of ways for us,” Lawson said Sunday. “Not just having a double-figure scorer off the bench, but all of the things that she brings. She’s very skilled, highly skilled. She’s our best forward 3-point shooter. She’s a really good passer. She has a great understanding of the game and what we need from her defensively... and as she’s getting healthier and healthier, and her movement is improving, she’s showing you the versatility.”
The timing matters. With a Quad 1 road win at Louisville last week, Duke sits alone atop the ACC standings and squarely in position for a top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament — which would mean hosting during the opening weekend of March Madness. That was the expectation when the Blue Devils were voted preseason No. 1 in the league. It’s also why Duke’s uneven non-conference stretch, which included a 3-6 start and a brief fall out of the national rankings, now feels more like a detour than a derailment.
Duke is rolling again, winning with defense, depth and growing confidence. Fournier, who was named the ACC’s Player of the Week after leading wins over Louisville and SMU, continues to anchor the frontcourt. Roberson’s rise has only expanded the margin for error.
The next test comes quickly. Duke hosts North Carolina on Sunday and N.C. State next week, a pair of games that will reveal whether Roberson’s impact translates against the league’s elite — the final step Lawson has circled in her development.
“I look for that in every player,” Lawson said. “Can you make a big-time impact in a big game? And, certainly, we have a ton of big time games coming up.”
With February tightening the margins across the ACC, Duke has positioned itself as the league’s standard-bearer — not because everything has gone smoothly, but because it has evolved. The Blue Devils are deeper than they were in November, tougher than they were in December and more complete than they were a month ago.
Checking in on the Tar Heels
North Carolina continues to stack wins without much noise, reaching the 20-win mark for the fifth straight season with an 84-56 road victory at Wake Forest on Sunday.
The No. 25 Tar Heels (20-5, 9-3 ACC) extended their winning streak to seven games and delivered their largest margin of victory over the Demon Deacons in the Courtney Banghart era, leaning on balance, rebounding and a freshman who keeps accelerating into February.
Nyla Brooks turned in the best performance of her young career, scoring a career-high 21 points while knocking down five 3-pointers. The freshman also added seven rebounds, continuing to give North Carolina a perimeter scoring threat that stretches defenses and opens the floor for its frontcourt.
Inside, Nyla Harris remained efficient, finishing with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Indya Nivar filled the gaps as usual, tying her career high with seven assists for the second straight game while adding nine points and eight rebounds. The Tar Heels controlled the glass, out-rebounding Wake Forest 41-32 and converting a season-high 21 second-chance points.
North Carolina erased an early deficit with a 16-0 first-quarter run and never relinquished control, pushing the lead past 20 in the second half before emptying the bench.
The Tar Heels return home Thursday to host SMU, continuing a stretch that will define their positioning in the crowded middle of the ACC race.
Pierre powering N.C. State
N.C. State delivered one of its most complete road performances of the season Sunday, pulling away from Virginia Tech for an 82-62 win at Cassell Coliseum and snapping a four-year skid in Blacksburg.
The Wolfpack (17-7, 10-3 ACC) flipped the game with a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Hokies 25-8 behind a 21-2 run that turned an early deficit into a commanding halftime lead. N.C. State never trailed again, leaning on physicality in the paint and disruptive defense.
Zoe Brooks and Khamil Pierre powered the surge, each scoring 25 points. Brooks filled the stat sheet with five rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals, while Pierre posted her 16th double-double of the season with 25 points and 12 boards. N.C. State shot 46% from the field and an efficient 18- of 19 from the free-throw line, while forcing 16 Virginia Tech turnovers.
The Pack controlled the interior, outscoring the Hokies 44-36 in the paint, and held Virginia Tech to eight points in the second quarter — the 14th time this season N.C. State has limited an opponent to single digits in a quarter.
With the win, N.C. State secured a winning ACC record for the 11th time under Wes Moore and continues to jockey for position near the top of the league heading into a road test at Notre Dame.
This story was originally published February 10, 2026 at 6:05 AM.