GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – Oluchi Okananwa had 22 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 11 Duke rally from a 14-point deficit to beat No. 7 NC State 76-62 on Sunday for the 2025 Ally Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament title.
The win secured the Blue Devils' first ACC tournament title in a dozen years and their first under head coach Kara Lawson.
Okananwa, who came off the bench to match her career high for scoring, was voted the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament MVP for third-seeded Duke (26-7), which took over after halftime against the tournament's top seed and regular-season co-champion NC State (26-6).
Ashlon Jackson also scored 22 for Duke.
Aziaha James scored 18 points for NC State, which scored the game's first seven points and took its largest lead at 24-10 on her 3-pointer early in the second quarter.
Takeaways
Duke: The Blue Devils treated Greensboro, North Carolina, like a redemption tour, avenging regular-season losses to Louisville, No. 6 Notre Dame and finally NC State to claim their ninth tournament title – this one coming in their first finals appearance since 2017.
NC State: The Wolfpack survived a close call against Georgia Tech before beating 14th-ranked North Carolina on Saturday, March 8, to earn the program's fifth trip to the finals in six seasons.
Key Moment
Duke made its third-quarter move with a 10-0 run to break a 46-all tie, starting with Jackson burying a 3-pointer over James followed by Okananwa's jumper and Jordan Wood’s transition layup to close the third.
Then Okananwa struck again to open the fourth quarter with a straightaway 3, pushing the Blue Devils to a 56-46 lead. That margin wouldn't slip below six again and grew to 18 late.
Key Stat
Duke shot 55.2% after halftime and locked down defensively to hold the Wolfpack to 32.3% shooting (10- of-31). Okananwa and Jackson's 24 points nearly matched the Wolfpack's team total (26) after halftime.
Up Next
The Blue Devils and Wolfpack are set to start the NCAA Tournament as opening-week hosts.
Of Note
- In erasing a seven-point halftime deficit to win on Sunday, the Blue Devils matched a tournament record that had stood for 26 years. Clemson also overcame a seven-point North Carolina lead in winning the 1999 tournament.
- Duke improved to 54-38 all-time in the ACC Tournament, including a 44-15 mark in Greensboro. The Blue Devils have won at least one game in 27 of their last 30 tournament appearances.
- NC State slipped to 62-41 all-time in the ACC Tournament and to 7-12 in the title game. The Wolfpack played in the ACC Tournament Championship game for the fifth time in six years under head coach Wes Moore, who is now 19-9 in the event.
- It marked the 28th opponent this season the Blue Devils have held below their respective scoring average. The Wolfpack entered Sunday’s contest averaging 77.3 points per game
- Each of Duke’s ACC tourney titles have come since 2000, and all have been at First Horizon Coliseum.
- Duke has knocked off five straight teams projected to be in the NCAA Tournament field. Four of those wins have been by double figures.
2025 ACC Women’s All-Tournament Team
First Team
Oluchi Okananwa, Duke (MVP)
Ashlon Jackson, Duke
Aziaha James, NC State
Saniya Rivers, NC State
Zoe Brooks, NC State
Second Team
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Madison Hayes, NC State
Marta Suarez, California
Makayla Timpson, Florida State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame