Duquesne Stumbles In Cayman Islands Classic Opener

The Duquesne Men’s Basketball Team fell 71-60 Saturday afternoon in the Cayman Island Classic, as South Dakota State used a 13-0 run to put the Dukes away.

Duquesne was led in scoring by Tre Dinkins who scored 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Maximus Edwards added 11 points and Jake DiMichele netted 10.

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The Dukes were undone by a 37.7% field goal percentage, but the overwhelming majority of that was the 9-for-38 clip from three-point range. Duquesne converted 60.9% of its two-point shots.

Duquesne also recorded 10 assists on the afternoon, a figure which ties its season low, set twice earlier in this season. The Dukes last recorded an assist in this game with 14:43 remaining in the second half and had three total helpers in the game’s closing 20 minutes.

A definite bright side in this game for Duquesne was that it served as junior forward Chabi Barre’s season debut. A starter for nearly all of non-conference play, Barre played for 10 minutes, made a basket, grabbed two rebounds and earned one block.

Duquesne committed 19 fouls in this contest, just below its season average as five Dukes were called for three or more fouls in this contest.

South Dakota State (5-1) had Kalen Garry take top scoring honors with his 20 points on a 7-for-10 shooting performance. The Jackrabbits had three additional double-figure scorers in Oscar Cluff (double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds), Matthew Mors (15) and Owen Larson (11).

In this contest, South Dakota State shot 49% from the field, 47.6% from three-point range and outrebounded Duquesne 37-28.

Prior to the Jackrabbits decisive run, there were nine ties and that barrage created the 10th lead change.

The largest first half lead either side had was when Mors buried a three-point shot, placing South Dakota State in front by six points with 7:45 remaining in the period.

Duquesne’s response was to the tune of a 10-3 run, paid off by a Jakub Necas three-point field goal from a Dinkins pass.

This advantage would last all of 13 seconds, before South Dakota State responded by scoring six of the next seven points, seizing back control.

Ultimately the Dukes would rally and a Dinkins three-point basket with 33 seconds remaining in the first half appropriately had the teams tied at 33 heading into the locker room.

Duquesne had a strong start to the second half, scoring the first six points and extending the run to 9-0. This run ended with Edwards finding David Dixon for a dunk.

South Dakota would respond by scoring on its next two trips down the court.

Both teams would continue battling back and forth, until the 13-0 run took the wind out of Duquesne’s sails.

During three of the possessions the Dukes committed a turnover, two of which were offensive fouls. The run occurred of 3:40 of game action.

Duquesne will next face Hampton in the second of three Cayman Island Classic Games in a contest which will tip off at 11 a.m.