http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/30/sports/ncaabasketball/jahil-okafors-27-points-lead-duke-over-tenacious-toledo.html 2014-12-30 05:38:49 Jahil Okafor’s 27 Points Lead Duke Over Tenacious Toledo Okafor reached a season high in scoring for the No. 2 Blue Devils, who remained undefeated. === The freshman center Jahlil Okafor scored a season-high 27 points, and No. 2 Duke won at home over pesky Toledo, 86-69, on Monday night. Quinn Cook added a season-best 20 points, and Tyus Jones had 15 for Duke (11-0), which was playing its first game since Dec. 18. The Blue Devils raced out to a big early lead, then allowed Toledo to shoot itself back into the game before eventually pulling away. Okafor was 12 of 15 from the field while reaching the 20-point mark for the fourth time in six games. Julius Brown scored 19 for Toledo (7-5), which erased most of a 14-point deficit by making 13 of 15 shots over nine and a half minutes. Brown’s 3-pointer about 90 seconds into the second half cut Duke’s lead to 47-44. Okafor then reeled off 7 straight points to start a decisive 21-9 run. TEXAS 66, RICE 55 Turner, a highly recruited 6-foot-11 forward, shot 6 of 7 in his first start after 12 games as a reserve. Forward Jonathan Holmes scored 12 for Texas, including a 3-point play that put Texas (11-2) up by 6 points with 2 minutes 50 seconds remaining. Women LOUISVILLE 73, EVANSVILLE 51 The Cardinals (12-1) scored the game’s first 13 points, all off turnovers. They kept the pressure going throughout the first half to force 15 turnovers by Evansville (5-6) in the first 20 minutes, leading to 23 of their 41 first-half points. MISS. ST. 83, ARK.-PINE BLUFF 26 On the cusp of their Southeastern Conference home opener on Friday against 19th-ranked Georgia, the Bulldogs are off to the best start in program history. Jones scored 7 of Maryland’s last 10 points down the stretch to help hold off the Buckeyes, who had closed to 77-73 on Cait Craft’s 3-pointer with 2:43 left.