Dukes Take Bowling Green, 96-78, for 10th Win

Duquesne made 16 of 20 free throws in the final two-and-a-half minutes and secured their 10th win of season, a 96-78 victory at Bowling Green Wednesday night at the Anderson Arena. The 10-3 Dukes already have equaled their win total from last season.

Duquesne led by as many as 12 points in the opening period only to see Bowling Green (5-7) cut the halftime margin to 36-32. The Falcons hit the first basket of the second half to get within two but the Dukes were able to hold BGSU back for the 18-point victory.

DU was led by Reggie Jackson with a career-high 19 points. Kojo Mensah had 18, and the two guys who stayed for Coach Ron Everhart's first season, Aaron Jackson and Kieron Achara, scored 12 points apiece. Bill Clark led DU, who were outrebounded 42-33, with seven rebounds. Reggie Jackson and Damian Saunders each had four assists.

The news that Duquesne would be abandoning their two-platoon, 10-40 style of play was at least premature, as the Dukes used that program for the first 35 minutes.

The squads subbed for each other about every 2.5 minutes. With BGSU's size, 6-foot-8 David Theis replaced 6-foot-3 guard Phillip Fayne (3 minutes) in the rotation.

Duquesne ran out to a early 15-4 lead. DU forced the Falcons into nine turnovers with seven steals in the first seven minutes and assisted on every basket (6) except one - a steal and fastbreak layup by Reggie Jackson for that 15th point.

Bowling Green took advantage of some Red and Blue miscues, and with a 7-0 run, got to within six at 19-13. The Dukes got their back on track and were got the lead back to 12, 36-24.

Duquesne hit another dead period in the final two minutes, three turnovers and a pair of missed shots while BG got the halftime score to 36-32.

Duquesne was outrebounded 23-17 and had a lot of trouble with 6-foot-9, 285 pound (gained 5 during the season?) Otis Polk The other 6-9er, Marc Larson, had less success. Chris Knight, a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman, had eight rebounds by the break.

After missing their six three-pointers in a row, Bill Clark hit the first of Duquesne's three straight treys for a 24-17 edge with 7:21 left in the first half.

BGSU's Nate Miller hit the first basket of the second half to cut the deficit to two at 36-34. Reggie Jackson answered with a 3-pointer to get DU re-started and a 13-point lead, 57-44, on Damian Saunders fastbreak dunk off an Aaron Jackson steal and Reggie Jackson's dish.

The Falcons got within four on Brian Moten's fastbreak layup, 64-60, with 7:35 left. No closer would Duquesne allow.

First year head coach Louis Orr had five players in double digits, led by Otis Polk's 17, and the top two scorers on the team, Nate Miller and Chris Knight, adding 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Game highs for BGSU: Knight, a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman, had 14 rebounds. Joe Jakubowski handed out seven assists.

Duquesne has a week off before getting into the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule. On Wednesday, January 9, 2008, the Dukes host Fordham (6-6) at 7:00 p.m. in the Palumbo Center.

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Notes

• The win (from DU pregame release)
  • DU's first win at BGSU since Feb. 5, 1955 (Bowling Green has won the past six in a row at home against the Dukes).
  • Duquesne's first win on the road against a MAC school since a 76-75 (OT) win at Akron on Dec. 31, 1995. DU has lost nine in a row in MAC arenas.
  • Matches last season's win total (10-19).
  • Marks the earliest a DU team has won 10 games since 1953-54 when the Dukes posted victory No. 10 on Dec. 30.
  • Puts Ron Everhart's career coaching record at an even 194-194 in 14 seasons.
• The win, also, is the fourth straight since the break for finals. So far, the Dukes won six, lost three, and won four.
• The Dukes moved up one to No. 57 in the RPI since Monday. An online website showed DU favored by 5 1/2 points against the Falcons.
• Kojo Mensah missed his second free throw attempt (1-and-1) at 4:22 of the first half. That stopped his streak of 18 straight successful attempts from the line.
• Reggie Jackson set two career marks in six days: 8 assists against St. Francis and 19 points tonight.
• Bill Clark's stats at halftime: 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 12 minutes of action. For the game, those numbers grew to 8 pts, 7 rebs, 4 ast, and 3 steals.
• Shawn James, who didn't practice this week due to back spasms, had eight points, four rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes on the court.
• The Dukes had 16 steals, three each by four players (Clark, R, Jackson, Mensah and Saunders). BG had six.
• The turnover battle went to Duquesne 24-12. Twenty-nine points was the result from this defensive play.
• Duquesne made 8-of-12 treys (41.1%). The hosts hit 4-of-17 (23.5%)
• Ryan Sims hit the Falcons' first trey with 1:26 left in the opening period.
• Brian Moten, a 6-foot-4, 175 pound guard who averages 3.5 ppg, scored 12 points.
• Nate Miller's 15 points (13.0 avg.) came on 5-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-10 from the charity stripe. He normally makes 47 percent and 61%, respectively.
• Polk, who averages 4.5 ppg and 3.9 rpg, had 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.