Nov. 23, 2003
Box Score
The Duquesne women's basketball team opened the 2003-04 home season with a 66-63 victory over visiting Robert Morris Sunday afternoon at the Palumbo Center. The win puts the Dukes at 2-0 on the season while the Colonials drop to 0-2 overall.
Candace Futrell (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) led the Dukes and tied the game-lead with 24 points while Maria Stankevich (St. Petersburg, Russia) added 10 points and a game- and career-high 11 rebounds. Nicole Sinclair (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) added 10 boards and Shiri Sharon (Jordan Valley, Israel) dished out a team-best five assists.
Brittany Warren led Robert Morris with 24 points followed by Jenna Burkett with 23 markers. Warren went 11-12 from the free throw line on the day.
The game began with a 5-2 Duquesne edge before Burkett lit up three 3-pt goals as RMU out-scored the Dukes 18-9 to take a 20-14 edge with 11:30 ticking. Duquesne got within in 20-24 reach as Loui Hall (Masontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) hit two free throws at 8:42, but a Colonial three pointer followed to give the visitor a 27-20 advantage with7:58 ticking. Omega Harrington (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) hit a three-point goal for the Dukes to spark a 10-0 run as DU took a 30-27 margin at the 2:48 mark. Robert Morris closed out the half out-scoring the Dukes 7-2 to take a 34-32 edge into halftime.
Duquesne regrouped the opened the second frame on a 10-2 run led by Futrell's eight-points for a 44-36 edge with just under three minutes off the clock. The Dukes grabbed their largest lead of the game on two made free throws from Futrell for a 48-39 advantage with 14:21 remaining. Robert Morris hit five unanswered points to close the gap to a 44-48 reach before Duquesne went up 54-47 on a three-pointer from Futrell and free throw from Harrington. An 8-0 RMU run followed to give the Colonials a 60-57 edge, but Stankevich hit a three-point goal to tie the game 60-60 at 3:58 followed by an extra-point goal from Ashley Reed (Barrackville, W. Va./Fairmont) and Futrell lay-up for a 65-60 lead. The Colonials cut the lead to 65-63 with 1:51 ticking before Sharon hit one of two from the foul line for a 66-63 cushion with :14 left in the game. Robert Morris had possession with :09 at their basket, but a three-point attempt was high and short for the Duquesne final.
The Dukes next travel to Toledo on Tuesday, Nov. 25 for a 7:00 pm non-conference tip. It will be the Dukes' third game in five days before a trip to San Francisco for the USF Tournament with the host Dons, Kentucky and Davidson.
