The Duquesne Women’s Basketball Team emerged victorious besting Rhode Island 70-61 Saturday afternoon and in doing so moved to fifth in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Duquesne (13-9/8-3 A-10) was led by Amaya Hamilton 16 points as she played the full 40 minutes for the second time this season.
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Megan McConnell also played 40 minutes, narrowly missing a triple double with her 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. McConnell entered play leading the NCAA in average minutes at 38:64, and this is her 11th time playing 40 minutes or more this season.
Precious Johnson put up 13 points and was a +14 in her 34 minutes of work, and Tess Myers also was a spark with her 10 points.
Defensively Duquesne held Rhode Island to a 21.4% shooting clip in the first half.
Rhode Island (15-9/7-4 A-10) saw Dee Dee Davis take top points honors as she put in 19 points and brought down nine rebounds. Maye Toure achieved 13 points and eight rebounds, though some of her minutes were limited by foul trouble in the first half.
The Rams won the rebounding battle by a 45-33 count.
Rhode Island opened the contest on a 7-0 run as Ayanna Townsend picked up two quick fouls and Duquesne went to Johnson.
The Rams went 1-for-10 after the run to close the quarter as the Dukes clawed back in the contest, going 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. One of those shots came on an and-one play from Hamilton, which saw both teams tied at 15 following 10 minutes of play.
Duquesne’s defense continued to buckle down on Rhode Island in the second quarter as the Rams were held scoreless for 4:45 of game action, and by that point, the Dukes were in front.
As the first half concluded, McConnell surveyed the floor and found Johnson in the paint. When Johnson hesitated and then put in a layup, Duquesne led by seven points at halftime.
The third quarter was unlike either of its two predecessors as it was an offensive showcase, with a combined 47 points being scored.
This period started with Hamilton firing up a three-point shot which brought Duquesne’s advantage to double digits for the first time all afternoon. Each time the Dukes were poised to create distance from their opponent, the Rams would offer a mini run in response.
Rhode Island appeared to turn the game around when Tenin Magassa made a jumper in the closing seconds, but Duquesne quickly got the ball up the court where Nae Bernard shot and converted a three pointer, putting the Dukes back in front 52-44 after three quarters.
Both Bernard and Myers converted triples in succession, part of Duquesne leading by 14 points and activating a Rhode Island timeout.
The Rams would get to within three points after Davis caught fire from three-point range, but when McConnell split free throws, Johnson grabbed an offensive rebound and then did the same, Rhode Island came up empty and the Dukes held on for the victory.
Duquesne next travels to face Massachusetts Wednesday. If the Dukes emerge victorious, it would give them the most conference wins they have had since the 2019-20 season.