Jan. 18, 2012

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PITTSBURGH - B.J. Monteiro scored 23 points and Sean Johnson added 20 points and a career high 10 rebounds as Duquesne forced 29 turnovers in an 80-69 Atlantic 10 win over Massachusetts at the Palumbo Center.

T.J. McConnell added 15 points, 6 assists and 4 steals for the Dukes who moved to 12-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play. UMass, which had won eight of its previous nine games, fell to 14-5 and 3-2.

Jesse Morgan led the Minutemen with 14 points. Sean Carter added 12 points and 14 rebounds for UMass.

Duquesne led 65-61 when Monteiro hit a free throw and layup before Jerry Jones gave the Dukes their first double-digit lead on a deep 3-pointer from the right corner. McConnell then stole a pass in transition near midcourt and hit a 12-footer to make it 73-61 with 4:32 to go.

UMass never got closer than eight the rest of the way.

"We like the game to go fast and it did," said Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart. "We decided at halftime to play `small ball.' Early in the second half it backfired on us, but our kids stayed with it and consequently we were able to beat a really good basketball team tonight."

Neither team led by more than four in a first half that featured seven ties and 13 lead changes. Mike Talley's 3-pointer with 50 seconds left broke tie number seven and gave Duquesne a 41-38 lead at the end of the opening 20 minutes.

UMass went on an 8-0 run to take a 46-43 lead less than three minutes into the second half. There were two ties before Johnson gave the Dukes the lead for good on a layup with 14:20 left.

Duquesne forced the starting UMass backcourt of Chaz Williams and Jesse Morgan into 15 turnovers. Williams, who entered the game averaging 16.2 ppg., was held to a season low-tying 8 before fouling out with 1:56 left.

"We did as good a job on him as anyone all year," said Everhart. "Mike [Talley] and Eric [Evans] and T.J. at times did a great job collectively on Williams. We had our concerns because he is that good."

DU outscored UMass 32-12 off turnovers to negate a 48-32 rebound deficit.

The Dukes, who were outshot 48.4 percent to 40.9 percent, hit eight 3-pointers led by Johnson who hit a career-high four in five attempts. Duquesne outscored Massachusetts 18-4 from the foul line.

Duquesne continues Atlantic 10 play at Saint Louis (14-4, 2-2) on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

NOTES

• Duquesne has now won four of the past five against the Minutemen ... UMass had won 19 of 22 meetings prior to Ron Everhart's arrival at DU prior to the 2006-07 season.

• The Dukes held UMass leading scorer Chaz Williams (16.2 ppg.) to a season low-tying 8 points ... Williams, who had scored in double digits in 16 of 18 games, fouled out with 1:56 left ... he finished with 8 points, 4 assists and 7 turnovers in 27 minutes.

• The 29 turnovers forced were the most since the Dukes turned St. Bonaventure over 31 times in a 74-68 home win on Jan. 31, 2009.

• Sean Johnson hit a career high four 3-pointers (4-of-5) on the way to posting his fourth career 20-point game (all four have come this season) ... the junior guard tied his previous career high (done three times, including earlier this season at George Mason) with three 3-pointers in a 2:13 span of the first half ... Johnson also set a new career high with 10 rebounds in posting his first career double-double.

• T.J. McConnell upped his career steals total to 148 with four thefts against the Minutemen ... the sophomore, who has played in 51 career games, ranks tied for ninth on DU's career steals list with Andy Sisinni (148 in 112 games from 1981-84).

• DU started its eighth lineup in the past 10 games (Monteiro, Jones, Johnson, Evans & McConnell) ... it was the first time Monteiro and Jones started together.

• Duquesne was without second-leading rebounder Andre Marhold (5.7, 4.4) who was on the bench in street clothes ... Marhold was elbowed in the head during Saturday's game at Rhode Island and showed symptoms of a head injury early in the week ... as per protocol, he will not be cleared until he is symptom free ... Marhold had a streak of 20 consecutive games - including all 18 games with 12 starts this season - snapped.