Duquesne Wins A-10 Opener; Fourth In A Row

The Duquesne Men’s Basketball Team opened A-10 play up with a 67-55 win over Rhode Island Tuesday afternoon at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse forcing the Rams to a season low in points in the process.

This victory is Duquesne’s fourth consecutive.

Duquesne men's and women's basketball on PSN is sponsored by Moon Golf Club.

Duquesne (6-8/1-0 Atlantic 10) was paced by Jahsean Corbett, who recorded his first double-double of the season with his 13 points and 10 rebounds. He was one of four to achieve double figures as Tre Dinkins III (11), David Dixon (11) and Cam Crawford (10) joined him.

The Dukes won the rebounding battle 41-30.

Rhode Island (11-2/0-1 A-10) saw Sebastian Thomas post a game high 20 points.

This game also saw Eli Wilborn make his first start in a Duquesne uniform. He took Chabi Barre’s place in the starting five, after the latter departed the Cleary game 58 seconds into that contest.

In the early going, Rhode Island utilized its transition game to success, opening with a 7-3 lead and having four assists against no turnovers prior to the first media timeout.

The game turned after that as Duquesne began to find its way in the game, after Kareem Rozier hit a three-point shot, tying to game at 11.

Hronsky would convert his first basket of the game with Dixon and Rhody’s Jaden House competing under the rim for the board. Dixon refused to let go and both sides got in each other’s face. Immediately assistant coach Chase Goldstein held the Duquesne bench back and the ruling was a double technical, a call upheld after review.

Rozier shouted at Dixon challenging him to “go be a dog” as the teams retreated to its respective benches.

What ensued after was a 14-0 Duquesne run as Rhode Island was held without a field goal for a 6:47 time period.

The Dukes ability to move forward after the double technical distinguished itself on the scoreboard and it was Dixon who scored the first basket after the run, off a Rozier pass.

Rhode Island was able to get back into the game after a series of fouls got it to the free throw line.

Dixon’s ability to get to a steal and layup, helped restore the lead from nine digits back to 13.

The Rams attempted another charge, this time placing themselves within seven points, but after Drissa Traore hit the backboard after a dunk, he was assessed a technical foul, allowing for Duquesne to get back into a flow.

After a chaotic 20 minutes, Duquesne led 34-26, shooting 45.2% from the field as eight the nine who saw the floor scoring.

As was the case in the first half, Rhode Island punched first, cutting the lead to three points. Wilborn responded with a potential and-one play, getting to his spot. While he missed the free throw, it allowed for Duquesne to reset.

The Dukes went on a 7-0 run and Crawford’s potential three-point shot could have made it more. Even so, it restored the lead back to double digits.

Dixon again made momentum plays for Duquesne later in the half, first with an alley-oop dunk off Rozier’s pass, and then defensively got a block and on a tie up was rewarded a rebound. As he came off the court, the fans gave him a loud ovation.

When Wilborn then was the recipient of an alley-oop dunk, the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse reached the highest noise level it had all season as Rhode Island spent a timeout.

Dinkins earned a technical foul after he was frustrated to not have a whistle charged to Rhode Island for contact initiated, and then his miscue and discussion with an official upgraded his miscue to a technical foul.

Duquesne led by 16 points, before Rhody had another surge scoring six consecutive points.

As play continued, both sides found it hard to score, but the game clock was on the Dukes side. Multiple offensive rebounds assisted this and then a corner three from Corbett activated the third Rams timeout of the afternoon.

Duquesne’s conference slate continues Saturday when they are at Davidson at 2 p.m. That contest will be carried by ESPN+.

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