Feb. 7, 2007
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Aaron Jackson scored 15 of his career high-tying 22 points in the final 2:34 to help Duquesne overcome a seven-point deficit and extend its winning streak to five with a 111-105 win at La Salle.
Duquesne (10-11, 6-4), which tied the school road scoring record it set in a 111-92 win at St. Bonaventure on Saturday, has won five in a row for the first time since 1985-86. The Dukes also tied the school record for consecutive Atlantic 10 victories - also five - set in 1980-81.
The loss dropped La Salle to 9-15 overall and 2-8 in the Atlantic 10.
Reggie Jackson, who combined with Aaron Jackson to score Duquesne's final 19 points, scored a career high 23. Kieron Achara added 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. Jimmy Sherwood went 5-of-6 from the 3-point arc in adding a career-best 15 points. Gary Tucker (13 points) and Scott Grote (11 points) also scored in double digits as the Dukes had six double-digit scorers for the second consecutive game.
Darnell Harris hit five 3-pointers in leading La Salle with 20 points. Kimmani Barrett and Rodney Green added 18 each for the Explorers who led for the first 26:55 of the game.
"I'm very, very proud of our basketball team," said Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart. "There were times when everybody in this building thought we were going to lose that game ... except for the guys on our bench. Our guys never stopped believing."
Duquesne, which trailed by as many as 12 in the first half and 10 in the second, was down 101-94 with 2:25 to go when Aaron Jackson hit a 3-pointer from the corner to cut the lead to four. Rodney Green hit one-of-two free throws 15 seconds later to push the lead to five, and it looked as though La Salle was going to make it seven when Mike St. John saw a clear path to the basket but missed a dunk contested by a fast-closing Achara with just under two minutes to go. Aaron Jackson made the Explorers pay by hitting another 3-pointer to cut the lead to 102-100 with 1:43 on the clock.
St. John hit one of two free throws and Reggie Jackson made two-of-two to from the line to cut the lead to one. On the ensuing possession, Reggie Jackson made his fourth steal of the game and found Aaron Jackson for a breakaway dunk to give the Dukes their first lead since the 10 minute mark of the second half at 104-103.
Harris answered with a floater in the lane to give La Salle a one-point lead with 46 seconds left.
Reggie Jackson, who scored 15 in the second half, was fouled on a drive and made both free throws to put the Dukes up 106-105.
Achara rebounded a Harris miss and passed to Aaron Jackson who was fouled and converted both to put the Dukes up three. Harris then had a potential game-tying 3-point attempt rim out with 11 seconds left that was rebounded by Aaron Jackson, who hit one-of-two free throws to put DU up four. Aaron Jackson also rebounded a Ruben Guillandeaux miss with four seconds left and hit a pair of free throws for the final margin.
"Both of those guys [Aaron and Reggie Jackson] down the stretch were phenomenal," said Everhart. "We had some guys foul out and had to play with a lot of different lineups. I can't give our guys enough credit. They just kept fighting and got some big turnovers and made some big free throws down the stretch."
Duquesne finished 26-of-29 from the foul line and 13-of-30 from the 3-point arc. La Salle, which made 9-of-13 3-point attempts, shot 50.7 percent for the game.
Duquesne's 111 points were its most ever in the 59-game series with La Salle and also marked the first time since 1988-89 that a DU team has posted back-to-back 100-point games. The Dukes also extended their school record for consecutive 90-point games to five.
Duquesne returns to action on Sunday when league-leading Rhode Island (14-9, 7-2 entering Thursday night's game at UMass) visits the Palumbo Center. The Department of Athletics is planning a "Red Out" as all fans are encouraged to wear red for the game. To help get things started, the first 2,000 fans will receive a red t-shirt compliments of UPMC and Barnes & Noble. Tip time is 2:00 p.m.
