GAME 20 | DUQUESNE (8-11, 3-4 A-10) vs LA SALLE (11-7, 4-2 A-10)
Sun. Jan. 30, 2022 • 2 p.m.
UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500), Pittsburgh, Pa.
TV: ESPN+

The Dukes and Explorers met three times during the shortened 2020-21 season. The visiting team won each regular-season game, before La Salle ended Duquesne's season with an overtime win in the first round of the A-10 Championship. All three meetings were decided by four points.


THE SERIES - vs. LA SALLE

• The Dukes and Explorers will play for the 43rd time - Duquesne's 10th most-common opponent all-time.
• Duquesne holds a slight 22-20 edge in the all-time series and has won 13 of the past 16 meetings.
• The two teams met three times last season, including a 72-68 La Salle victory in the first round of the A-10 Championship.
• Each of the three meetings last season was decided by four points.
• La Salle's win over Duquesne in the first meeting during the 2020-21 season snapped a six-game winning streak for the Dukes that dated back to 2015.
• Duquesne has not lost consecutive games to La Salle since losing three-straight from 2005-2007.

LAST MEETING - March 11, 2021

• La Salle went on an 8-1 run in overtime to deal Duquesne a 72-68 season-ending loss in the first round of the A-10 Tournament at VCU's Siegel Center.
• Duquesne erased a 10-point second half deficit to send the game into overtime.
• Libby Bazelak led four Dukes in double-figures with a season-high 19 points while Precious Johnson notched her first career double-double for Duquesne with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
• La Salle's Claire Jacobs led the Explorers with a game-high 27 points to go along with nine rebounds.
• Kayla Spruill finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

SCOUTING LA SALLE

• Offensively, the Explorers rank second in the A-10 and 28th in Division I with 8.5 three-point field goals per game.
• They also slot third in the league with 14.4 assists per game.
• Although La Salle defensively ranks 10th in the A-10 allowing 62.9 points per game, they lead the league with 18.06 turnovers forced per game and 9.7 steals per game.
• They have the second-best three-point defense in the league, holding opponents to 28.3 percent from long range.
• La Salle leads the A-10 and ranks 19th in the nation with a 77.7 free-throw shooting percentage.
• The Explorers had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 61-57 loss to St. Bonaventure Wednesday night.
• Kayla Spruill led La Salle with 22 points in the setback.
• She leads the Explorers and slots ninth in the A-10 with 15.3 ppg.
• Spruill has posted double-digit scoring in 13 games and over 20 points five times.
• She is the league's most-efficient three-point shooter at 44.7 percent and her 2.1 three-point field goals per game ranks fifth in the league.
• Spruill also leads the team and ranks sixth in the A-10 with 7.8 rpg.
• Molly Masciantinio finished with 11 points in the loss to St. Bonaventure.
• She ranks second in the A-10 with a 2.52 assist-turnover ratio and is top-five in both assists (4th/4.6) and steals (4th/2.17) per game.

LAST TIME OUT

• A 23-4 run between the third and fourth quarters lifted Duquesne to a 67-55 win over George Mason Wednesday night.
• The Dukes were led by four players in double figures, including a team high 15 points from Tess Myers.
• Myers, who had three points at the half, knocked down four of her last six attempts from long range to help Duquesne pull away late.
• Laia Sole finished with 14 points, while both Fatou Pouye and Precious Johnson finished with 12, apiece.
• Megan McConnell filled up the stat sheet with eight points and team highs of nine rebounds, seven assists, and four steals.
• The Dukes finished with a season-low six turnovers.