Feb. 18, 2007
Box Score
NEW YORK - Duquesne, down eight with just over four minutes remaining, had two chances to tie or take the lead in the game's final 30 seconds only to come up empty in an 86-83 loss at Fordham.
Brenton Butler came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers in scoring a career-high 28 points to lead the Rams (14-11, 7-6). Kieron Achara led Duquesne (10-14, 6-7) with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.
Duquesne, trailing 84-83, used its pressure defense to force a Marcus Stout turnover at midcourt with 23 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Fordham's Sebastian Greene double-teamed a driving Reggie Jackson at the foul line and knocked the ball away with under 10 seconds left. Michael Binns corralled the loose ball and was fouled with 7.8 seconds remaining. Binns hit both free throws to give the Rams a three-point cushion.
The Dukes had time for one final shot, but Achara was unable to find an open teammate and was forced to take a contested 3-pointer that was off target as time expired.
"Our kids have been making the plays all year in those situations," said Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart of the final minute. "That makes this a little disappointing. We took Fordham's best punch all day long. I was excited we put ourselves in position to win. You have to give credit to Greene. He stepped in there and got hand on it."
Bryant Dunston and Marcus Stout added 19 and 16 points for Fordham. Robert Mitchell and Scott Grote came off the bench to score 16 and 13 apiece for the Dukes.
Butler, who entered the game averaging 8.7 points per game, scored 14 in each half.
Fordham took its largest lead on a Kevin Anderson layup with 2:38 left in the first half, but Duquesne answered with an 8-0 run - capped by an Achara 3-pointer with three seconds left - to cut the lead to 47-44 at the half.
DU took its first lead since the midway point of the first half on an Achara jumper with 14:21 to go and regained the lead a second time on a Jimmy Sherwood jumper just under a minute later. Fordham scored on its next possession and managed to hold the lead until Jason Duty tied the game with 9:28 left. Fordham built its lead to eight before DU rallied again - behind five points from Mitchell - to pull within two on a pair of Achara free throws with 2:34 left. Neither team led by more than two until Binns' second free throw in the game's waning moments.
Duquesne outshot Fordham 49.2 percent to 45.3 percent, but turned it over 13 times to 10 for Fordham. Fordham, which shot a Palumbo Center record 69 percent in a 71-59 win over Duquesne at Pittsburgh on Jan. 14, came into the game averaging 62.7 points per game.
"When we played these guys at our place they whipped us," said Everhart of the first meeting. "They were much more physical. We weren't too successful forcing turnovers today, but we were able to play at our tempo and it helped us. At the end of the day, Butler was the difference. He hit big shots all day long."
Duquesne's 83 points were the second-most scored against Fordham this season. Only nationally-ranked Texas A&M scored more in an 84-61 win over the Rams at College Station on Dec. 12.
Duquesne begins a stretch of three home games in six days on Wednesday versus Charlotte (12-13, 5-7). The Dukes host St. Bonaventure on Saturday before completing the home schedule with a non-conference game against Akron on Monday, Feb. 26. DU completes the Atlantic 10 regular season at George Washington on Mar. 3.
