Nov. 24, 2007
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PITTSBURGH -- Duquesne got 17 points from Kojo Mensah and 10 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks from Shawn James, to move to 5-0 for the first time in 22 years with a 76-65 victory over previously unbeaten Niagara on Saturday afternoon.
Duquesne, whose last 5-0 start came during the 1985-86 season, outscored the Purple Eagles (2-1) 10-2 over the last two minutes to pull away for the win.
Charron Fisher scored 18 of his game-high 25 points in the first half to lead Niagara.
"I knew coming in that this was going to be a tough, hard-fought game," said Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart. "I love the way Niagara's guards play. They took it to us right from the start. Gary Tucker and Kojo Mensah did a good job of getting pressure on their guards late in the game and that really helped us."
Niagara, the first team to hold a second-half lead over the Dukes this season, led 57-56 following a Stanley Hodge 3-pointer at the nine-minute mark.
Duquesne regained the lead on the second of two Kieron Achara free throws 46 seconds later. DU built a five-point advantage before Tyrone Lewis hit a 3-pointer to make it 66-63 with 2:46 to go. Tucker and Mensah scored back-to-back field goals to make it 70-63. Mensah then hit one of two free throws with 1:03 left to put Duquesne up eight. James then blocked his seventh - and final - shot on Niagara's next possession to preserve the lead. DU converted 5-of-5 free throws in the final 46 seconds for the final margin.
James, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native who was playing in front of his parents for the first time, had 12 rebounds and six blocks in the second half to help the Dukes rally from a 39-35 halftime deficit.
"Shawn James is a difference-maker," said Everhart. "He kept us in it in the second half with his rebounding. He prevented some very good guards from getting easy baskets because of his length."
Niagara, which entered the game having won its first two games by an average of 11.5 points, took an early 13-3 lead by hitting three 3-pointers in the game's first five minutes. Duquesne battled back to take its first lead of the game on a Jason Duty 3-pointer at the 9:25 mark. There were four ties and eight lead changes in the opening 20 minutes that ended with an Andrew Patterson 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Purple Eagles a 39-35 lead.
Niagara, which shot 46.4 percent in the first half, was held to 8-of-31 shooting in the second half to finish at 35.6 percent. Duquesne finished at 46.3 percent.
Achara and Bill Clark scored 10 each for Duquesne. Hodge had 18 for Niagara.
Duquesne will be off until they head to Des Moines, Iowa for the Iowa Realty Invitational hosted by Drake University on November 30 and December 1. The Dukes will face Cal State Northridge in the opening round at 6:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday. Drake will take on North Carolina Central in the other opening round game.
NOTES
• James scored eight points, had 12 rebounds and blocked six shots in playing all 20 second-half minutes. He had two points, one rebound and one block at the half.
• Niagara is the fifth consecutive team the Dukes have held under 36 percent from the field. The Purple Eagles shot an opponent season high 35.6 percent.
• Duquesne outscored Niagara 26-9 in points off turnovers and 36-18 in the paint.• Duquesne's 76 points were a season low.
