NEW YORK – Columbia hosted a top-25 non-conference game for the first time and took No. 22 Duke to the bitter end before falling, 66-62, Tuesday night from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.

Columbia (1-2) went on a 10-0 fourth-quarter run to bring the game to its fifth tie of the night. Abbey Hsu and Kitty Henderson splashed home back-to-back treys to get it started. Henderson scored a second-chance bucket with 2:39 left to bring the crowd of more than 2,000 to its feet.

Duke (3-0) scored the next four points before Hsu cut the lead in half with 45 seconds to go. Ashlon Jackson scored to extend the Blue Devils' lead back to two possessions.

An untimely five-second call turned the ball back over to Duke but Columbia came up with a steal to get one last chance. Hsu got an open look from the left wing that didn't go down and Duke played out the final six seconds to escape New York City unbeaten.

"One, I was grateful for our entire community to come out tonight," said eighth-year head coach Megan Griffith during the opening remarks of her postgame press conference. "We showed that this university and this community rallies around our program. They truly are our sixth player on the court. I'm extremely grateful for that.

"Duke is a good program – they are a talented program. They play hard and they are trying to figure out their chemistry as well. I thought we were really equally matched from a skill perspective tonight. I just thought they executed down the stretch and we didn't, and that's what made the difference in the game."

Abbey Hsu, who was named to the Wooden Award Top 50 Watch List Tuesday afternoon, lived up to the billing. She started the game 4-of-5 from the field on her way to 10 first-quarter points. She had 16 at the half before scoring nine more in the second half for a game- and season-high 25. She filled up the stat sheet with three boards, three assists, three blocks and a steal, going 10-of-17 from the floor and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

"Not just this game, but every game I'm going into the game [with the mindset that] 'I'm the best player on the floor. I've got to dominate,' that's my mindset," said Hsu when asked about it postgame. "It was really important for me to get to my spots and, if not, get fouls drawn."

Junior Kitty Henderson came up in big moments, going for 15 points, three assists and three boards. She was 6-of-10 from the floor and 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Junior transfer Cecelia Collins pulled down a team-high nine rebounds to go with six points and three assists. Columbia was able to outrebound the Blue Devils, 37-34, despite being overmatched in size.

"It doesn't matter how big you are," said Griffith when asked about the size disadvantage. "Look at me. I'm 5-5. I don't weigh a whole lot. I always say to them, 'I will hit you and go get the ball. You have to run through me.' That's just the mentality that I have and I think our team is finally starting to play with that mentality. It doesn't matter how big you are – it matters how big this is," gesturing toward her heart."

Duke opened the game with an 11-2 run before Henderson hit a three from the right side to help the Lions settle in. Hsu finished a three-point play at the 5:31 mark to trim the Duke lead to five. Cecilia Collins then answered a Duke layup with one of her own to force a timeout but the Blue Devils remained on top by four at the end of the period.

Hsu and Collins combined for five straight points to tie the game at 24 with 4:48 to play in the second quarter. Hsu put the Lions on top for the first time from the foul line. The two sides stayed tight at the half wound down. Collins hit a six-foot jumper just before the buzzer to tie the game at 30. Riley Weiss ignited the crowd with a 3-pointer coming out of halftime to give Columbia the lead. The Lions led by as many as four and would hold the lead for almost five minutes before Duke tied it back up at 40. It was part of a 9-0 run by the visitors that ended in a 46-40 lead. They led by seven heading to the fourth.

After the Lions clawed back, Duke answered with a 7-0 burst to take its largest lead of the night, 60-50, at the 5:22 mark. The Lions went on their 10-0 run to bring it level but couldn't quite finish it off down the stretch.

The Lions have a tight turnaround coming up, hosting CAA preseason favorite Towson (1-0) on Thursday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET.

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