Duquesne MBB Falls In Season Opener

The Duquesne Men’s Basketball opened its season on the wrong foot, falling 77-72 to Lipscomb Monday evening at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Three Dukes wound up in double figured, paced by Tre Dinkins III’s 16 points. Maximus Edwards earned a 14-point, nine-rebound performance. Jahsean Corbett compiled 12 points.

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Duquesne (0-1) won the bench battle 36-6.

Lipscomb (1-0) had Jacob Ognacevic earned a double-double, with his 29 points and 10 rebounds. Will Pruitt scored 15 points and Gyasi Powell 12. The Bison shot 52.1% from the field.

Lipscomb had it going early in the first half, especially from three-point range. Duquesne went over three minutes without recording any points, as the Bisons opened up on an 11-2 run, forcing coach Dru Joyce III to call an early timeout.

The Bisons continued their prolific scoring, leading by as many as 18 points, until they started getting into foul trouble.

Duquesne was able to utilize energy plays in and-one opportunities from both Jake DiMichele and Eli Wilborn. Jahsean Corbett’s and-one play of his own activated a Lipscomb timeout.

The Dukes kept chipping away at their disadvantage but could not get out of their own way with a 4-for-13 effort on free throws.

Despite this shortcoming, Lipscomb’s halftime advantage dropped to 41-34.

In the second half, Lipscomb followed a similar recipe to that of its predecessor, converting its first four shots from the field, as Duquesne was unable to generate a similar response. Instead, it called a timeout as it was outscored 13-6 in the first 4:06.

The Lipscomb advantage stretched to 16 points, before Duquesne mounted a comeback of sorts, getting back to within 10 points heading into the under-12 media timeout.

Matus Hronsky’s insertion provided a spark as Jakub Necas found him for a three-point basket and he pulled down a rebound.

When Kareem Rozier went down to the floor on the ensuing Duquesne possession, he got back up to sink two free throws before being looked at by trainers.

Joyce encouraged Duquesne fans to make noise, but Lipscomb, specifically Williams, responded with a three-point basket just beating the shot clock.

Duquesne could not get over the hump and failed to get any closer on the scoreboard, though it sank some deep shots very late to extend the contest.

Chabi Barre was not available for this game and Alex Williams was also a scratch.

Duquesne next will face Princeton in the Deborah Heart and Lung Center Jersey Jame Friday at 8 p.m.

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