PITTSBURGH – Despite combining to outscore La Salle, 57-53, in the second, third and fourth quarters, the Duquesne women's basketball team could not overcome a slow start, falling to the Explorers, 67-63, on Sunday afternoon at La Roche University's Kerr Fitness Center. The Dukes fall to 2-7 and 1-4 in the Atlantic 10, while the Explorers improve to 6-7 and 2-4 in A-10 play.

Megan McConnell led the Dukes in scoring for the third time over the past four games, scoring 15 points. The Steel City native also grabbed six rebounds and distributed four assists without turning the ball over in 38 minutes on the floor. The freshman leads the Dukes with 13.2 points per game in conference games this season.

Diamond Bragg reached double-figures for the second consecutive contest, posting 11 points. She led the charge off the glass with nine rebounds and  contributed a team-best five assists in the near double-double performance.

Precious Johnson (9 pts., 4 reb.), Amaya Hamilton (8 pts., 5 reb.) and Tess Myers (8 pts.) also contributed on the scoreboard and on the glass.  

Kayla Spruil led La Salle with a game-best 24 points. Claire Jacobs added 15 points, while Haleigh Hill grabbed five rebounds to lead the Explorers.
 

FIRST QUARTER

• The Dukes were held to shoot 2-of-12 (16.7 %) in the first frame, with McConnell leading the Dukes with four points.
• La Salle built a 14-6 early advantage, finishing the opening quarter on a 7-2 sprint.

SECOND QUARTER

• Duquesne quickly cut the deficit to just three points at 16-13, after a combined 7-0 run from Johnson (5 pts.) and Lindsey Linard (2 pts.).
• After McConnell sliced La Salle's lead to two points at 23-21 with 2:36 left following a pair of triples, the Explorers responded with a 5-0 run to take a seven-point lead into the locker room at 28-21. Johnson led the Dukes with seven points.
• McConnell posted her third double-figure scoring game over her past four games by halftime, leading the Dukes with a game-high 10 points.  
• The Dukes recovered offensively in the second quarter, shooting 55.4 percent (6-11). Duquesne outscored La Salle 15-14 in the quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

• After the break in action, the Explorers went on to build a game-best 13-point lead at 46-33 with 1:45 left in the period. Duquesne finished the quarter strong, however, with treys from Hamilton and Myers to cut the deficit to seven points at 46-39.
• Both teams scored 18 points in the third frame, as Duquesne could not make any head way into La Salle's advantage on the scoreboard.  

FOURTH QUARTER

• La Salle increased its advantage to double-figures to begin the final quarter at 56-46. The Dukes would not go down quietly, effectively clawing back into the contest. A 17-8 run made it a one possession game at 64-61 following a Myers 3-pointer with 23 seconds left. Jacobs would make one of two free throws  to make it a four-point contest.
• Kiersten Elliott laid in two points on the next possession to make it a two-point affair. With the Dukes forced to foul, Jacobs would sink both free throws to put the game on ice with 11 seconds left.
• The Dukes outscored La Salle 18-15 in the final quarter.

NOTES: The win was just the second for La Salle against the Dukes since 2009 … Duquesne now leads the all-time series 21-19 with the loss snapping a six-game winning streak against La Salle … After missing the first eight games of the season due to recovering from surgery, Preseason Atlantic 10 First Team selection Libby Bazelak made her season-debut, playing 11 minutes. The Kettering, Ohio native tallied a rebound and an assist ... The Dukes have now fallen in five games this season by seven or less points. 

UP NEXT

• The Dukes are scheduled to play Davidson on Friday, Jan. 22 at 6:00 p.m. in North Carolina. Stay tuned to goduquesne.com for the latest schedule updates.