Tag: Elizabeth Balogun

Elizabeth Balogun, Nigeria wins country’s first Olympic women’s basketball game since 2004

Former Duke basketball star Elizabeth Balogun helped Nigeria beat Australia 75-62 on Monday, the country’s first Olympic win since 2004.

For the first time in 20 years, the Nigerian women’s basketball team won a game at the Olympics, and former Duke basketball star Elizabeth Balogun played a key role in the massive achievement.

Nigeria defeated Australia 75-62 on Monday, helped by a dominant second quarter to build a 13-point halftime lead.

Balogun, one of Nigeria’s five starters, finished with nine points, four rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and an assist.

The last time Nigeria won an Olympic game, the country defeated South Korea by four points back in 2004.

According to The Associated Press’s Doug Feinberg, the women’s basketball team summoned the upset after their federation wouldn’t let them join their fellow Nigerians on the country’s boat for the opening ceremony.

Balogun played for Georgia Tech and Louisville before transferring to the Blue Devils ahead of the 2021-22 season. She played two seasons with Duke, averaging 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a senior in 2022-23. She scored at least 15 points in seven different games that season, including a 20-point performance against the Cardinals.

Balogun is one of three former Duke women’s basketball players in Paris and one of 19 current and former Blue Devils athletes representing their country.

Notre Dame falls to Duke, slips to second in the ACC

The Irish have ceded control of the conference.

SOUTH BEND – It would be a shame not have Notre Dame and Duke battle in next month’s ACC Tournament. After the thrilling battle for first place outright in the conference, the programs deserve to meet again. For the Irish, it would be a matter of getting revenge against the Blue Devils as they lost, 57-52, in front of a raucous crowd at Purcell Pavilion. It was the second loss to a team from the Tar Heel State in as many Sundays for the Irish after dropping a contest to NC State the previous week.

Although the Irish (18-4, 9-3) now are looking up at the Blue Devils (20-3, 10-2) in the ACC, this game was close throughout. The Irish took an eight-point lead late in the first half, but the Blue Devils refused to concede. Using their trademark tough defense and just enough offense, this game was destined to come down to the fourth quarter. That it did, and it wasn’t what the Irish were hoping for.

Neither team could score much in the final frame as during one stretch, they combined to miss 14 straight shots, keeping the score at 51-49 in favor of the Blue Devils. When the offense did somewhat pick up again, it was the Blue Devils that made just enough shots, and they held a 55-52 lead with 15.4 seconds left.

Given a chance to tie the score, the Irish instead turned the ball over when [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] lost it, and it was picked by Reigan Richardson. With the Irish forced to foul to try and extend the game, Elizabeth Balogun made two free throws to ice the game with 5.6 seconds left. That prompted the large crowd at Purcell Pavilion to head for the exits.

Celeste Taylor was the top Blue Devil with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. [autotag]Maddy Westbeld[/autotag] led the Irish with 15 points and seven rebounds, [autotag]Sonia Citron[/autotag] scored 14, and Miles added 11. Miles’ final six were the Irish’s only points in the entire fourth quarter.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz1mmy7gev0xbr player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89