Dec. 6, 2011

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PITTSBURGH - An Alex Gensler block with nine seconds remaining in regulation followed by a defensive stand as time ran out lifted the Duquesne women's basketball team to a dramatic 64-63 victory over Miami University on Tuesday afternoon on Kids Education Day.

Wumi Agunbiade led DU with 16 points. Orsi Szecsi scored 14 and Gensler added 11 for Duquesne who improve to 6-1 on the season. Jocelyn Floyd tied a season-high with seven steals and three assists. Floyd also had a season-best six rebounds.

Kirsten Olowinski and Courtney Osborn each scored 18 points for the RedHawks (4-3). Olowinski added a game-high 11 rebounds for MU. Lillian Pitts pulled down 10 boards for Miami.

Duquesne started out cold from the floor missing 11 of its first 12 shots including a span of 10 straight. Vanessa Abel's driving layup ended the drought at the 12:11 mark of the first half to tie the game at 8-8.

Miami countered with a 7-0 run over the next 1:11 to take a 15-8 lead midway through the half. The Dukes would tie the score at 19-19 on a Floyd turnaround jumper with 5:08 left in the half. The score would be tied three more times until Szecsi closed out the scoring with a 3-pointer to give DU a 29-26 lead heading into halftime.

It only took 1:45 for Duquesne to build a 10-point lead early in the second half. Floyd found Szecsi for a driving left handed layup to make the score 37-27 at the 18:15 mark.

The RedHawks would slowly chip away at the deficit and with 9:41 left, an Olowinski jumper made it a two-point game at 50-48.

DU would increase its lead to seven points at 64-57 with 3:17 to play, but MU would score three consecutive baskets making it a one-point contest at 64-63 with 1:19 remaining in regulation.

Duquesne had the ball, but Gensler's pass in traffic was picked off by Osborn. The Dukes deflected a pass out of bounds as the RedHawks were coming off a fast break with 30.7 seconds to play. DU would call a time out.

With 11 seconds left, Osbourn missed a layup, which was rebounded by both Agunbiade and Olowinski resulting in a jump ball with the possession arrow in favor of Miami.

Maggie Boyer would inbound the ball and find Osborn coming off the left side, but Gensler would block the shot with nine seconds to go. Hannah Robertson would grab the rebound and find Boyer on the right side, but her shot went in-and-out. Floyd and Robertson battled for the loose ball as time expired.

"We found a way to get it done," said head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio. "I credit our players for believing in our defense and communicating to find a way to get a stop at the end."

"Miami is a very good team. Offensively, they have so many weapons and defensively they disrupt what you are trying to run," added Coach Serio.

Duquesne continues its six-game home stand with Morehead State on Sun. Dec. 11th. Tipoff will be at 2:00 p.m.

GAME NOTES

• A season-best crowd of 1,205 attended this game which was represented by over 20 local elementary schools
• Duquesne had a season-best five blocks
• Duquesne gave up a season-high 44 rebounds and were outrebounded for the sixth time in seven games this year
• The Dukes' 64 points, 26 field goals and 16 assists were all season-lows