No. 1 Duke 110, Arkansas State 56

11/26/2005 7:08 PM

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - Two weeks into the season, Duke has shown it can depend on its starters and subs.

Lindsey Harding and reserve Laura Kurz each scored 19 points to lead No. 1 Duke to a 110-56 win over Arkansas State in the semifinals of the Duke Women's Classic on Saturday.

Mistie Williams and Carrem Gay each added 14 points, and Chante Black scored 10 for Duke (4-0).

``I feel good about where we are right now and about who plays well together,'' Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. ``We're still in the process of learning who we are, but we have a much better feel for it now than when we started.''

The Blue Devils will face Auburn in the title game on Sunday. Auburn beat George Mason 71-36 in the other semifinal.

Harding shot 9-for-12 and Kurz made two 3-pointers and all six of her shots as the Blue Devils had their best shooting game, hitting 45 of 66 shots. The 68.2 percent shooting surpassed the 67.6 percent Duke hit against Stephen F. Austin in the tournament in 2003.

Alison Bales had 11 rebounds and Duke dominated the boards, outrebounding Arkansas State 51-19 and outscoring their opponent in the paint 62-12.

``Someone was asking whether it was their speed or their strength or their depth that killed you, and I was just thinking 'Yes, yes and yes,' to all of them,'' Arkansas State coach Brian Boyer said.

``This is my 11th year coaching, and this (team) is the best I've seen firsthand. Certainly their size is an issue ... and, with that size, how quickly they get up and down the floor puts real pressure on you.''

Adrianne Davie scored 13 points to lead Arkansas State (2-1). Carolina Starr added 12 in a reserve role.

Harding scored 15 points in the first half, and Williams and Black added 10 each, helping Duke to a 57-25 lead at the break.

``We have two people coming off the bench (Wanisha Smith and Bales) who started last year,'' Harding said. ``Like Coach G says, our intensity never dropped.''

The Blue Devils shot 22-for-31 in the second half and closed out the win by scoring the last eight points.

Duke scored on 12 of its first 13 possessions and charged to a 26-7 lead. The Blue Devils shot 23-for-35 in the first half.

Duke held the Lady Indians to three free throws and a field goal - Brittany Hiles' desperation 3-pointer at the horn - in the final 5:18 of the first half.

Duke, which beat Fairfield 110-44 on Tuesday, last won consecutive 100-point games on Dec. 16-18, 2002, when they defeated Charleston Southern 106-38 and Florida International 106-58.

``I was very pleased with our defense, and when, obviously, you shoot 68 percent and score over 100 points,'' Goestenkors said. ``I thought everybody contributed and everybody was ready to play.''