GAME 10
Canisius (1-7) vs. Duquesne (7-2)
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 | 2:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
- The Duquesne women's basketball team continues its homestand on Sunday afternoon, welcoming Canisius to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse for a non-conference matchup beginning at 2:00 p.m.

- Stretching its winning streak to five consecutive games, the Dukes claimed a 65-48 victory over Bucknell on Tuesday night during non-conference action. A trio of players finished in double figures, led by graduate student Gabby Hutcherson.

- She posted a game-high 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting (.700 percent) from the floor with a pair of threes. Hutcherson collected six rebounds and a steal while totaling 12 of her 16 points in the second half.

- Senior Megan McConnell ended with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals while knocking down two three-pointers. Junior Jerni Kiaku was the final Duke in double digits, recording 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal while going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. The trio combined to shoot .538 percent (14-of-26) from the field while totaling 17 rebounds.

- It went back-and forth to begin the contest until the Bison jumped out to a 12-8 lead heading into the first media timeout. Out of the break, the Dukes ended the quarter on a 7-2 stint to take a 15-14 lead after one.

- Freshman Mackenzie Blackford started the run with a triple, followed by a pair of free-throws from junior Jerni Kiaku and senior Kiandra Browne.

- Duquesne held Bucknell scoreless for the final 3:32 of the quarter while causing three turnovers. It was a blistering start for the Dukes in the second quarter, opening the stanza by scoring 11 consecutive points while forcing four Bison miscues.

- Senior Megan McConnell started the run with a long ball while Kiaku and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson converted layups. Hutcherson registered another bucket before McConnell stretched the Duquesne lead with a layup, 26-14.

- The script would flip as Bucknell responded with 11 straight points to cut the deficit to one (26-25) with under a minute to go. Browne would go 1-of-2 at the line before Kiaku buried a pair at the chalk to take a 29-25 lead into halftime.

- Duquesne concludes in's non-conference schedule when it hosts Bowling Green on Saturday, Dec. 12, inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, beginning at 12:00 p.m.

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DUQ Game Notes
Canisius Game Notes

The Series vs. Canisius – Sunday afternoon will mark the eighth meeting in program history between Duquesne and Canisius, and the first matchup since the 2021 season. Duquesne holds a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series, having won the most recent contest 69-60 on December 1, 2021. The Dukes were led by strong performances from Precious Johnson and Fatou Pouye, who each recorded 19 points and six rebounds. Johnson was an efficient 8-of-9 from the field, while Pouye shot 8-of-16, adding four assists and two steals. Megan McConnell nearly posted a double-double, finishing with nine points and a career-high 10 assists. As a team, Duquesne registered a season-high 20 assists on 27 made field goals. Despite Canisius trimming the lead to 57-47 with three straight three-pointers midway through the fourth quarter, Duquesne responded with a 9-3 run to extend the lead to 66-50 with four minutes remaining. Canisius made a late push to bring the deficit back into single digits, but time ran out, allowing the Dukes to secure their third consecutive victory.

Scouting The Golden Griffins – A member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), enters Sunday's matchup with a 1-7 record, having lost its last five games. Most recently, the Golden Griffins fell 82-43 at Akron on December 7. Jaela Johnson leads the team, averaging 9.6 points, 3.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. She has reached double figures in five games and recorded 4+ assists in four contests. Johnson also leads Canisius with 14 three-pointers, shooting .350 percent from beyond the arc. Franka Wittenberg and Shariah Gailes are both contributing 7.4 points per game, with Gailes leading the team in rebounding at 7.9 boards per contest. The Golden Griffins are guided by first-year head coach Tiffany Swoffard, who was appointed in April of 2024. Swoffard brings 14 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience, having worked at both Power 5 and mid-major programs. Prior to taking the helm at Canisius, she spent the 2023-24 season as a member of the Penn State women's basketball coaching staff.

Bucknell Remains - The two teams went scoreless to start the second half before Duquesne erupted with a 9-0 run in just two minutes, extending its lead to 38-25. A three-pointer from Browne sparked the stretch, followed by a layup from Hutcherson. Browne added a free throw before junior Andjela Matic drilled a triple from the right wing to further increase the advantage. Bucknell responded by scoring 11 of the next 14 points, trimming the Dukes' lead to 41-36 as they entered the final quarter. The Bison connected on three triples while forcing four Duquesne turnovers. However, the Dukes quickly reasserted control, opening the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to push their lead back to 14 at 50-36. Kiaku led the charge with two layups, while freshman Mackenzie Blackford knocked down a three-pointer and McConnell hit buried a pair of freebees from the charity stripe. Bucknell mounted a brief comeback, putting together a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to nine, but that was as close as they would get.­

Triple Crown – After losing four of its five starters from last season, Duquesne has seamlessly filled the void with a trio of standout players. Megan McConnell, Jerni Kiaku, and Gabby Hutcherson are each averaging double figures, propelling the Dukes to a 4-1 record when all three finish with double digits. McConnell leads the team and ranks second in the conference with 17.7 points per game, while Kiaku contributes 14.8 points per contest. Hutcherson adds 10.9 points per game. Beyond scoring, McConnell shines with averages of 7.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.9 steals per game. Kiaku has been solid on the boards, averaging 3.6 rebounds, while also contributing 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Hutcherson provides a strong defensive presence, ranking third in the conference with 1.1 blocks per game, along with 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Did You Know – Duquesne has enjoyed remarkable success against teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), compiling a 25-3 all-time record. The Dukes are currently riding a 17-game winning streak over MAAC opponents, a run that dates back to 2006 when they defeated Niagara 58-41 to start the stretch. This season, Duquesne already dominated Niagara with a 100-65 victory on November 16. The Dukes have averaged 73.7 points per game against MAAC teams while limiting their opponents to just 60.5 points per game.

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