Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University men's basketball team picked up its third consecutive win Friday with a 68-59 victory over Saint Peter's at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. The Dukes improved to 7-2 (.778) overall during the 2023-24 campaign, including 5-1 (.833) at home.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Two nights after a run in the first half bolstered the Dukes to a win at Marshall, Duquesne used a carbon copy Friday against the Peacocks to grab a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Brent Bland connected from beyond the arc for SPU to break a 9-9 tie, but the Dukes used a 12-0 run in which they converted five of their nine shots from the field to open up a 21-12 advantage. Twin brothers
Fousseyni Drame and
Hassan Drame were the spark for Duquesne, combining for six consecutive points.
Hassan Drame posted a pair of layups on the break on consecutive possessions to put the Dukes in front, while
Fousseyni Drame added another layup in transition at the 12:01 mark. Saint Peter's missed nine consecutive shots over an eight-minute stretch while also suffering a pair of turnovers.
CLOSING IN
Despite the drought, the Peacocks closed to within 25-22 with just over five minutes left before halftime after a three-pointer from Armoni Ziegler. Saint Peter's (3-5 / 2-0 MAAC) connected for a season-high eight three-pointers Friday, keeping within one possession of the Dukes the remainder of the first half before senior guard
Jimmy Clark III fed
Hassan Drame for a layup as time expired to give Duquesne a 35-30 edge at the break. In the first 20 minutes the Drame twins combined for 14 points, seven rebounds and a pair of steals while shooting 6-for-11 from the floor.
QUOTABLE
"I thought (Fousseyni and Hassan) played better than anybody we had, really," head coach
Keith Dambrot. "The one thing about them is they're going to put a lot of time into the game and play as hard as they can play every single minute that they're out there. I don't think there's any question they were the impetus for us winning. I asked both Drame's yesterday if they were tired and they said 'No, you know why.' That's a good thing. They want to play more and more and more. They played well, and they deserved it, because they put the time in every single day."
STARTING ANOTHER ONE
Senior guard
Dae Dae Grant garnered game-high honors Friday against Saint Peter's (3-5 / 2-0 MAAC), finishing with 19 points. A game after establishing a Duquesne record for consecutive free throws (43) but seeing that streak end after missing his final attempt against the Thundering Herd, Grant began a new streak against the Peacocks, knocking down all 10 of his opportunities at the free-throw line. In addition to being the most conversions in a game at the stripe without a miss in seven years under Dambrot, it's the best performance at the chalk since Derrick Colter (2012-16) went 11-for-11 in a 72-65 win over Robert Morris (12/19/15). Colter also scored 19 points in the victory over the Colonials.
JC PENNEY
Clark III posted a complete game for the Dukes against the Peacocks, contributing 12 points, grabbing four boards, handing out five assists and tying a career high with six steals. It marks the second game of Clark's career in which he finished with at least 10 points, five assists and five steals. In an 88-79 triumph over Massachusetts (3/1/23), Clark III tallied 18 points, eight dimes and five thefts. Clark III also finished with six steals at UMass (1/28/23).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sophomore forward
David Dixon continues to be a force around the rim, as he matched a career high in blocks (5) for the second consecutive home game and third time overall. He also scored six points, converting all three of his shots from the floor, while grabbing three boards. Joining Grant and Clark III in double figures in the win Friday was
Fousseyni Drame, who contributed 11 points, a game-high seven rebounds and a pair of steals off the bench.
QUOTABLE
"Brotherhood,"
Fousseyni Drame said. "I've never felt closer to any of my teammates in the locker room than what we've had here. For example, I had a brotherhood at Saint Peter's that I created over three years, but this, it was just instant. It didn't take that much time to create that bond here at all. When it comes to this team, they already have a winning culture. We're just here to complete them. Whatever the team needs us to do, we're just fitting into the puzzle and will do whatever it takes to win."
UP NEXT
Duquesne has 10 days off before returning to action. The Dukes will travel to Akron, Ohio, to take on Bradley at Lebron James Arena on the campus of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Monday, Dec. 18, with a 7:00 p.m. tip.
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