Box Score | Photo Gallery
Aaron Jackson, the only player on the current roster who has played for the Dukes before this game, also had 12 points, 11 rebounds (game high), 2 blocks and 1 steal. He shot 60.0 percent from the floor (6-10) which includes his two three-point misses. Jackson had a turnover for a one-game 6.00 assist / turnover ratio.
Robert Mitchell and Scott Grote each had nine rebounds. Grote tied Quin Humphrey with a game-high of 23 points (and tied Jackson's 11 rebounds). Mitchell added 14, Phillip Fayne and Stephen Wood 11, along with Reggie Jackson's 10 points. Five of these scorers played at least 30 minutes; Wood was in for 25.
Almamy Thiero, coming off ACL surgery, grabbed two rebounds in seven minutes.
Duquesne scored the first basket and kept control of the game before Youngstown State grabbed their first, one-point lead 17 minutes into play. (Please check our earlier report on first half action.)
Following the halftime break, the lead bouced between the two teams before the Penguins took over and moved up to an eight-point margin, 57-49. The last two: Keston Roberts' dunk at 11:14.
Many teams would get discouraged by that statement (dunk) but not this-season's Dukes. Scott Grote made two free throws and Robert Mitchell's jumper started the comback. The Dukes 16-8 run finally knotted the contest, 65-65, on another Mitchell basket.
Youngstown State responded but couldn't stay with the Dukes.
The Penguins started fouling each time Duquesne had the ball in final minute; DU made 5-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe during that period. Sandwiched between Fayne's two and Mitchell's two free throws, was a 1-6 stretch. YSU wasn't able to take advantage during those 32 seconds. The DU's free throw mark ended 18-of-27, 66.7 percent.
The Dukes were out-turnovered by the Horizon League team, 17-10 and were six shy of the Penguins 42 rebounds.
And, yeah, the Dukes are now 1-0, as Coach Ron Everhart runs this year's squad, as he rebuilds the program, with as many healthy players as possible. This game, nine guys played.
Next, North Carolina, Asheville on Saturday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m at Palumbo.