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Duquesne Women's Basketball

Duquesne WBB Earns Third Consecutive Victory

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Photo credit: Pittsburgh Sports Now/Hunter Hensel

The Duquesne Women’s Basketball Team earned its third consecutive win, besting VCU 69-59 in a nationally televised Thursday night contest at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Mackenzie Blackford led Duquesne (14-6/5-4 Atlantic 10) with her 15 points, 10 of which came in the third quarter. Jerni Kiaku also contributed 12 points. Megan McConnell totaled 11 points, seven rebounds and five steals. McConnell moved into sixth place on the program’s all-time scoring list with this performance. Nadia Moore’s late free throws brought her to 10 points.

Reina Green set a career high with her seven rebounds. As a team Duquesne won the bench battle 29-6 and had 15 assists against eight turnovers.

VCU (10-12/4-6 A-10) had Mary-Anna Asare score 19 points, though she battled foul trouble for much of this contest. Both Zoli Khalil and Valentina Ojeda each amassed 14 points for the Rams in Thursday’s effort. Mykel Parham achieved 13 rebounds. Parham’s efforts helped VCU win the rebounding battle by a 47-35 mark.

The first quarter was an eventful one with four ties and five lead changes as neither team could break away from its opposition.

Duquesne would lead at the first quarter media timeout after a Nadia Moore three-point basket and McConnell sacrificed her body, getting rewarded with a charge.

VCU would go on a 7-0 run as the Dukes were held scoreless for 3:37 of game action. The Rams were determined to be out in front at the end of the quarter, but instead two Andjela Matic free throws, a deep jumper from Green and a Kiaku basket tied the contest at 18.

The Dukes opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run, but a game VCU would tie the contest shortly after. Gabby Hutcherson’s three pointer placed Duquesne back in front.

Duquesne would once again lead by five points with 1:37 left in the half but took a 37-34 lead into halftime.

Asare had a couple of physical fouls in the first half, but it was her third foul, which came early on in the third quarter which was ruled an intentional foul. Blackford was selected off the bench to take the free throws, the beginning of a 10-point quarter for her.

Blackford would hit a three-point shot soon after and that would follow, by a swarm of Rams sticking to her. With Kiaku open, she would hit a triple of her own. This gave Duquesne its first 10-point lead of the evening and would activate a VCU timeout.

VCU began to mount a comeback before Asare picked up her fourth foul. Though the Rams would score on their next offensive possession, they would never get closer than three points.

Duquesne led 56-49 after three quarters.

Faith Walker opened the fourth quarter with a jumper and Kiaku recorded an and-one play, restoring the advantage to double digits.

Though the Dukes went cold for over 5:30 of game action, its defense shut VCU down and Moore made free throws to secure the victory

Duquesne now begins a two-game road trip beginning with a 1 p.m. tilt Sunday at St. Bonaventure.

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Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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