Goestenkors said they go into their ninth consecutive regional feeling good.

“Our focus around practices have been the best of the season for two weeks straight,” she said. “It’s been kind of nice.”

The Women of Troy (19-12), with four players sidelined by injuries and coming off a difficult 67-65 first-round win against South Florida, only hung with the Blue Devils for a short time before Duke’s size, depth and athleticism became overwhelming.

With the score tied at 4, the Blue Devils went on a 15-0 run. Abby Waner hit two 3-pointers in the burst, and USC never recovered. The Women of Troy never got the lead to single digits again, and trailed by 20 or more most of the second half.

“We really didn’t have left in us at the end,” said Meghan Gnekow, the lone senior on the team, which went into the game knowing its odds of winning were huge.

Still, it was a valuable experience, coach Mark Trakh said.

“I think the game is good for our kids, to see a team like that and what they have to aspire to be,” he said. “We’re going to make this a learning experience.”

Plus, he found someone to root for the rest of the way.

“I’m kind of pulling for them to win the national championship so we can say we played the national champions in the second round,” he said.

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