Duquesne Goes Flat in Home Setback to Fordham, 65-58

The Duquesne Men’s Basketball Team fell 65-58 to Fordham Saturday afternoon at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Duquesne (13-7/3-4 Atlantic 10) was paced by Dae Dae Grant’s 10 points and nine rebounds. All 10 Dukes players to see the court scored.

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In this contest Duquesne had a season-low five assists compared to 13 turnovers. This was the first time the Dukes had a single-digit assist total all season. Its three three-point shots also were a season low.

Fordham (15-4/3-3 A-10) saw Khalid Moore pace the squad with his game high 19 points. Darius Quisenberry added 14 points and Andre Charlton contributed 10 points towards the Rams squad.

Neither team could get it going early on with Duquesne opening 1-for-8 from the field and struggling to take advantage of a post mismatch, after an early basket.

Fordham subbed in three players off the bench before Duquesne went the reserve route, first opting to bring in R.J. Gunn and then going to David Dixon after he missed the two previous games.

Dixon proved to be a difference maker as he scored six early points, anticipating where to be on the court and also measured himself up for a block heading into the opening media timeout.

He continued after the stoppage when Jimmy Clark III found him for a dunk.

12 minutes into the opening half, and Duquesne had 14 points and six field goals beside its name as Fordham recorded six blocks, but also the Dukes struggled with finding space and generating energy off of its misses, though it better developed by half’s end.

Before that, Duquesne went 7:19 of game action without a field goal, missing eight shots during that time.

Duquesne did not make a three-point field goal in the first half, until Grant beat the buzzer. Even then, the Dukes matched its lowest home output with nine made field goals, one off a season low, and its 26.5% field goal percentage was comfortably the lowest in a half this season.

Despite these shortcomings, Duquesne led 25-23 at halftime.

Duquesne continued this energy into the second half where it stretched a 14-0 run, firmly gaining its footing. Even when it blew a three-on-one opportunity, the Dukes were attacking the basket and pursuing the rebound.

When Clark forced a turnover and dunked, Fordham coach Keith Urgo spent a timeout, potentially prior to the ball landing.

Duquesne would go back to its offensive struggles after this timeout, which included a 3:16 scoreless streak heading into the under-12 media stoppage. Fordham tied the game during this stretch.

Both teams continued to have consistency issues with scoring, but Quisenberry got a pass off to Charlton for a triple, following by the former calling his own number for a triple of his own. When Moore got into the act, Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot was forced to call a timeout.

Fordham continued this scoring, going on a 14-0 scoring run of its own, as Duquesne was held scoreless for 4:27 of game action.

By the time Grant made a three-point shot, the Dukes were within eight points.

The Dukes would rally and Grant had an open three-point shot which would have cut the deficit to two points, but it fell off the mark.

Duquesne will remain at home Wednesday when it hosts Loyola Chicago at 7 p.m.