GAME 12
Davidson (5-7, 0-0) vs. Duquesne (9-2, 0-0)
Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 | 12:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
-The Duquesne women's basketball team concludes its five-game homestand while opening Atlantic 10 action on Sunday afternoon, hosting Davidson inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse for a 12:00 p.m. tip.

- The Dukes extended its winning streak to seven as they wrapped up non-conference play against Bowling Green on Saturday, Dec. 21, collecting a 67-59 victory inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Junior Andjela Matic and senior Kiandra Browne each posted career days as senior Megan McConnell carded her second triple-double of the season to pace the Dukes.

- Matic led the team with a career-best 20 points on 4-of-8 (50.0 percent) shooting from behind the arc while collecting a personal best nine rebounds. The native of Serbia scored 11 of her 20 points in the first half, knocking down 4-of-7 shots from the field, including three long balls.

- Browne tallied 15 points of 4-of-8 (50.0 percent) shooting from the field while burying three three-pointers. Browne also went 4-of-5 from the charity stripe while tallying four rebounds. The Canada native netted 10 of her 15 in the second half, shooting 50.0 percent from the floor, with two triples. The duo combined for 35 points, seven three pointers, and went 8-of-9 from the foul line.

- For the second time this season and the fourth time in her career, McConnell registered a triple-double. She finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the victory. McConnell is just one of three players in NCAA Division I to record multiple triple-doubles this season.

- A pair of free-throws from Amy Velasco trimmed the Dukes lead to 11 with 6:08 to go in the third quarter before the home team bolstered an 11-2 stint to end the frame and grab its largest lead of the contest (54-33).

- Browne paced the charge with eight points during the run while sophomore Raymi Coueta also produced a bucket. Bowling Green responded in a big way to start the fourth, opening the final frame on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit, 54-43, with 5:56 to play.

- A driving layup from Matic halted the run before the Falcons mounted a 10-4 stretch to close the gap to seven (60-53) with 1:56 remaining. Matic scored four consecutive points from the charity stripe to extend the lead back to double figures but Paige Kohler buried a triple to cut the lead to eight, with less than 40 seconds remaining.

- Sophomore Reina Green went one-of-two from the chalk before Lexi Fleming cut the lead to six with a long ball. Browne would step to the line with 18 seconds remaining to seal the win with a pair of free-throws.

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The Series vs. Davidson – It'll be the 13^th meeting when the Dukes and Wildcats take the floor on Sunday afternoon, with Duquesne holding a 7-5 edge in the all-time series. The Dukes snapped a four-game losing streak against Davison, earning a 66-59 victory in North Carolina last season. Former Dukes Amaya Hamilton and Tess Myers each surpassed 1,000 career points in leading Duquesne to the victory. After a stagnant third quarter that led the Wildcats to hold a 47-45 lead, the Dukes made key defensive stops down the stretch. Duquesne held Davidson to just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from the floor and 0-of-5 from behind the arc in the final quarter. After a scoreless two minutes, the Dukes mounted a 7-2 spurt, to take a 52-49 lead. Hamilton registered five points during the run while Townsend found the bottom of the net. The Wildcats would take the lead after four straight free-throws before Hamilton sparked another 7-2 stint for the Dukes. She led the way with four points while McConnell netted the rest. After consecutive empty positions by Davidson, McConnell connected on a long ball to stretch the Dukes lead (62-55) with 2:05 remaining. The Wildcats answered with a layup before McConnell converted a driving layup with 1:19 remaining. Davidson wouldn't have an answer as Myers buried a pair of free-throws to seal the deal.

Scouting The Wildcats – Coming in on a two-game win streak, Davidson holds a 5-7 record after non-conference play. It most recently defeated UNC Pembroke 84-53 (Dec. 18) before taking down Charlotte 82-55 on Saturday, Dec. 21. Katie Donovan netted a career-high 24 points while Charlsie Dunn chipped in 14 points and five rebounds. Issy Morgan and Candice Lienafa each finished 11 points in the win. Davidson is led by Gayle Fulks, who is in her eighth season at the helm and is coming off one of the most successful seasons last year. They posted an 18-8 record in games played during 2023-24 to go along with a .692 winning percentage that ranked the third best in program history, while the 18 wins were tied for the most in a season since 2013. The Wildcats feature three players averaging double figures, led by Donovan and Dunn. Both are averaging 10.3 points per game while averaging over 4.5 rebounds per contest. Lienafa is the final player averaging double digits, posting 10.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and shooting .608 percent from the field.

Bowling Green Remains - From the 2:16 mark in the first quarter to the 2:32 mark of the second quarter, Duquesne put together a 21-4 run that boosted them to its 40-21 halftime lead. Browne sparked the run with a four-point play before graduate student Gabby Hutcherson buried a pair at the chalk. After a bucket from the Falcons, Matic buried a right-wing triple as time expired, to give the Dukes a 20-15 after one. After both teams went scoreless for over two and a half minutes to begin the second stanza, Keiryn McGuff hit a free-throw to end the drought. Freshman Mackenzie Blackford drilled back-to-back three pointers before Matic connected on a pair of long balls to cap the stint, 32-17. Defensively, Duquesne put together its best performance in a quarter this season. The Dukes held Bowling Green to just six points and 1-of-10 (10.0 percent) shooting from the field while forcing four turnovers. The Falcons hit its lone field goal at the 1:02 mark of the second quarter while going just 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) from the foul line.

The Triple-Double Queen Is Back – For the second time this season and the fourth time in her career, senior guard Megan McConnell registered another triple-double. She finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over Bowling Green. The Pittsburgh native did most of her damage in the first half, producing eight points, eight assists, and six rebounds, with three steals in the opening 20 minutes. McConnell is just one of three players in the country to record multiple triple-doubles this season, tied with Laura Ziegler of Saint Joseph's and Olivia Miles of Notre Dame. The senior guard continues to dominate the stat sheet, leading the conference in eight statistical categories. She ranks second in the country in steals per game (4.18) while sitting third in total steals (46). McConnell is averaging 6.1 assists and has dished out a total of 67 assists this season, both ranking 12^th and 24^th in NCAA Division I.

Perfect At The Coop – Duquesne is wrapping up its five-game homestand on Sunday while beginning Atlantic 10 play. The Dukes concluded non-conference action last Saturday (Dec. 21) and posted a perfect record inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Duquesne has recorded a perfect 8-0 mark on its home floor against non-conference foes, which is just the fourth time in program history. The Dukes held undefeated records in non-conference play during the 2011-12 season while staying unbeaten during the 2015-16 and 2017-18 campaigns. As a team, Duquesne is netting over 82.0 points per game inside the Coop while holding its opponents to just 61.8 points.