Duke falls to Colorado 61-53 in OT in women's NCAA tournament

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Duke women's basketball team was looking for its first trip to the Sweet 16 in five years, but it wasn't to be as Colorado started fast and held on in overtime for a 61-53 win Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Quay Miller had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Aaronette Vonleh converted two overtime baskets in the lane after picking up her fourth foul, helping No. 6 seed Colorado beat third-seeded Duke in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Jaylyn Sherrod had 14 points and Vonleh finished with 12 as the Buffaloes (25-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 20 years.

Elizabeth Balogun scored 14 points and Reigan Richardson had 10, but the Blue Devils didn't hit a field goal in overtime. Duke overcame a 13-point deficit in regulation.

Next up for Colorado is Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Seattle 4 Region semifinals on Friday.

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Duke lost for the third time in its last four second-round home games in the NCAA tourney.

Sherrod scored on a drive with 33.9 seconds left in regulation but missed a free throw to leave the game tied at 50-all.

That capped a hectic stretch.

Balogun made a corner 3 and Vanessa de Jesus scored on a fast break as Duke turned a three-point deficit into a 48-46 lead with 3:34 to go.

Celeste Taylor's layup pushed Duke's advantage to 50-46 before Sherrod's drive gave Colorado its first points in more than 3 minutes. The Buffaloes got a defensive stop, called timeout and set up Sherrod's tying basket.

Duke pulled even on Richardson's 3 with 3:30 to play in the third quarter. Two minutes later, Taylor's steal and layup gave the Blue Devils their first lead.

Colorado didn't score in the last four minutes of the third quarter and the drought extended to more than 6 minutes. Frida Formann's 3 gave the Buffaloes a lead again.

Colorado led 32-26 at halftime, boosted by Miller's 15 points. The teams combined for 24 first-half turnovers, with Duke committing 13 of them.

The Buffaloes hadn't won an NCAA tournament game since 2003 before Saturday night's victory over Middle Tennessee.

The Blue Devils reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in coach Kara Lawson's three seasons, but it was a bitter end as the Blue Devils crumbled on offense. They shot 31.7% from the field and committed 21 turnovers.

The Associated Press contributed.