Nov. 19, 2005

Box Score

The Duquesne women's basketball team opened its 2006 slate with a 62-60 victory over visiting East Carolina Saturday night at the A.J. Palumbo Center. Junior Loui Hall and senior Aiga Bautre led the game with 15 points each. Hall led the game with nine rebounds and shot 5-11 from the field. ECU was led by LaToya Horton with 13 points and Cheri Mills with seven rebounds.

Back-to-back three points goals from Brittany Warren and Bautre gave the Dukes a 10-7 lead at 15:05, but the Red & Blue went cold going 6:15 without a goal as the Pirates went on an 8-0 run to take a 15-13 edge with 9:04 to go in the first frame. Hall snapped the cold streak with a three pointer and sparked a 13-3 run over 4:20, giving the Dukes a 26-18 advantage with 4:30 ticking. ECU got within in a three-point reach (18-21) on two quick baskets in the final minutes, but Duquesne closed out the frame on an 8-2 run for a 35-26 half-time advantage.

Duquesne went up 40-28 early in the second frame on a three by Bautre and jumper from Carmen Bruce and would not let the Pirates closer than a nine-point reach. Hall hit back-to-back buckets to give the Dukes their largest lead of the game (45-31, 13 points). ECU rattled off a 5-1 run and cut the margin to a 46-36 DU lead, but a three-pointer from Bautre upped the Dukes' lead to 53-40 with 9:50 to go. The Dukes saw a four-minute scoring drought and the Pirates went on a 14-3 run to cut the lead to a 54-56 reach with 3:43 to go. Hall hit a jumper at 3:16 and Warren connected on two free throws for a 60-54 DU advantage with 2:45 ticking. The Pirates hit a 6-0 run converting two costly Duquesne turnovers to tie the contest 60-60 at 1:17. A held ball gave under the DU goal gave ECU possession with :48 ticking, but missed the bucket and chance for the lead. With time running out, ECU dimmed their chances as Hall was fouled with :08 ticking and just :02 on the shot clock. Hall connected on those two important free throws to give the Dukes a 62-60 edge. ECU drove down the court hard, but lost the ball on a quick dribble and time expired.

The Dukes shot .385 (20-52) for the game, which included a .435 (10-23) effort from three-point range. ECU held a 40-39 rebounding edge and out-shot the Dukes connecting on .371 (23-62) from the field.

The Dukes return home this Tuesday, Nov. 22, as they host Penn State at 5:00 pm at the Palumbo Center.