Duquesne Women's Basketball
Inside the Dukes: Far From A Finished Product
Following the Duquesne Women’s Basketball Team’s setback Sunday afternoon to Delaware, junior guard Megan McConnell admitted that her squad was expecting a walkthrough, given there was a single day between that contest and Tuesday’s Atlantic 10 opener against Fordham, but they were mistaken.
After losing a contest McConnell thought was the worst game her team played as a Duke, but the team went a full two hours working on being better as a team.
“Our practice was really good, exceptional, probably the best practice that we’ve had this year yesterday,” Duquesne coach Dan Burt stated. “We talked about establishing an inside presence right away, we’ll continue to do that and assert ourselves down there.”
The effort in Tuesday night’s 75-73 overtime was certainly better, but far from complete. Still, a veteran Duquesne squad relied on its previous efforts to finish off close contests at home, to hold off a new-look Fordham team which is still learning together.
The difference in this game turned out to be Duquesne embracing a certain amount of physicality and a lot of that started with Kiandra Browne’s insertion into the starting lineup.
This change came because of her compete level, which when combined with her desperation has made her an integral part of the team.
Browne continues to get on the floor, take charges and make things happen. When Burt issued the directive to play hard, Browne answered the challenge. After not playing a single minute in the team’s second game against Niagara, she not only started but at a +18 was clearly Duquesne’s most efficient player.
By no means is this performance one which can be hung on the fridge, but it is a win to start Atlantic 10 play and gets the Dukes one step closer to a sought after double bye.
Burt told reporters after Tuesday’s game that as far as issues are concerned he is unsure of how many there are but that they are profound and that his team has to find ways to get better.
Duquesne has the talent and ability, it just needs the consistency.
“If that’s pressure, pressure’s good,” he reasoned. “Pressure makes diamonds. Maybe not tonight but maybe against Kent. That pressure will make us into diamonds I just hope it’s sooner than later.”
A CLEAR AREA OF IMPROVEMENT
There is no disguising that Duquesne’s body language at times was absolutely horrendous and quite telling.
So much so that when a question was posed to both McConnell and Precious Johnson that each nodded in agreement upon being told at times the team was down on itself.
That statement could undoubtedly be true for the first quarter as the team settled for long shots which more often did not fall. What did fall were shoulders and runs down the other end were slower. When baskets were going in, Duquesne was often slow to get back on the defensive end and conceded easier baskets.
Duquesne recorded just one two-point shot in the first period, a jumper from Jerni Kiaku, meaning the Dukes scored zero points in the paint.
In the past Burt has stated when shots are not falling to charge down the court into the post and try to get layups or at least free throws. That was not happening, and it was reminiscent of the first half of the Pitt game.
When Browne was placed into the game, she immediately became involved, and her aggression seemed to loosen up her teammates.
Duquesne led at halftime because of a 9-0 run over five minutes of play in which it was dialed in. On one sequence Johnson had a big block and on the inbounds pass, McConnell intercepted the effort.
“(It’s) just staying patient with ourselves,” explained Johnson. “Often last year we’d get too stressed but still it is keeping the confidence both offensively and defensively and doing the little stuff, boxing out and getting the rebounds. I feel that allowed us to stay in the game.”
Duquesne’s 18-4 run in the third quarter was keyed by some tenacious rebounding, but also shots began to fall.
Tess Myers was able to find the bottom of the net twice from distance and McConnell did the same including an effort with two seconds remaining to put Duquesne up by 16 after three quarters.
“I think it’s important that our coaches let us play through a lot of our mistakes,” McConnell noted. “That goes to show how much confidence and trust they have in us. When you’re able to make a mistake and you stay in the game because of your effort and hustle that is a testament for what our team brings to the table.”
That lead would completely evaporate in the fourth quarter and Fordham continuously executed the pick and roll leading to the overtime period.
For quite a while, Burt had asked the team to back cut and Myers did it while Brown had the ball, and the play was executed to perfection and a highlight of the game that he hopes will allow others to do the same.
While players stepped up and started to fulfil some roles, Kent State awaits on Sunday, and it will be the physical piece and overall validation that are desired in order to achieve a positive result.
“Validation is putting the ball in the basket and winning games,” concluded Burt. “We can talk about the great effort, and they are very committed, but the validation comes when you have a w in the column. We have a long way to go defensively and offensively but we found a way to win tonight.”
