GAME 16
Duquesne (10-5, 1-3) at George Washington (8-7, 1-3)
Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 | 12:00 p.m.
Washington, D.C.| Charles E. Smith Center (5,000)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
- The Duquesne women's basketball team concludes its two-game road trip on Saturday, Jan. 11, when it travels to Washington, D.C., to battle George Washington in Atlantic 10 action at 12:00 p.m.

- Leading for the entire contest, the Duquesne women's basketball team battled to a 67-64 victory over conference-leading Saint Joseph's on Wednesday night at the Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Dukes and ended a six-game losing streak against the Hawks while marking their first win in Philadelphia since the 2019-20 season.

- Four Dukes finished in double figures on Wednesday night, led by senior Megan McConnell. She finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, six steals, five assists, and a pair of blocks. McConnell finished 6-of-10 (60.0 percent) from the floor while going 6-of-7 (85.7 percent) from the charity stripe.

- Freshman Mackenzie Blackford netted 13 points, three triples, and four rebounds while going a perfect four-of-four from the chalk. Junior Jerni Kiaku and senior Kiandra Browne each tallied 10 points while Browne was rebound shy of double-double, ending with nine while Kiaku collected three caroms. The quartet accounted for 52 of the Dukes 67 points while netting six triples and going 12-of-16 from the free-throw line.

- Entering the fourth quarter with a 51-44 lead, Duquesne quickly extended their advantage to 10 with a driving layup and a deep three from senior Megan McConnell. However, a two-minute scoring drought allowed Saint Joseph's to rally with a 10-1 run, narrowing the gap to 57-56 with 3:26 left in regulation.

- Following a Dukes timeout, freshman Mackenzie Blackford drained a clutch three-pointer from the right wing, pushing the lead back to four. The Hawks answered with a driving layup, but freshman Nadia Moore responded by sinking a pair at the chalk, extending the lead to 62-58 with 1:48 remaining.

- Saint Joseph's Mackenzie Smith went one-for-two at the line, but graduate student Gabby Hutcherson delivered a crucial three-pointer from the top of the key to restore the Dukes' six-point cushion. The Hawks trimmed the deficit to four with 51 seconds left, but Blackford sealed the game by sinking two free-throws with just three seconds remaining.

- Duquesne held Saint Joseph's to its third lowest scoring out of the season … As a team, the Dukes forced the Hawks into 20 turnovers, just the third time Saint Joe's has done that … Freshman Nadia Moore ended with seven points and three rebounds in her first collegiate start.

- Saint Joseph's had one player in double figures, Aleah Snead, who finished with 10 points off the bench … Duquesne outrebounded the Hawks, 38-34 while tallying nine steals

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George Washington Game Notes

The Series vs. George Washington – A series that dates back to 1983, the Dukes and Revolutionaries will square for the 77^th time on Saturday afternoon. George Washington holds a 59-17 advantage but Duquesne has won the last two meetings, including a 79-69 victory last season. For the second straight game, the Dukes finished with five players in double-figures, led by Megan McConnell. She finished with 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 7-for-9 from the charity stripe. McConnell collocated eight rebounds while dishing out four assists. Jerni Kiaku finished with 13 points and a season-high seven rebounds, on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor. Amaya Hamilton and Ayanna Townsend each posted 12 points while Townsend tallied five boards, three assists, and a block. Hamilton recorded three rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal in the win. Precious Johnson was the final Duke in double-figures, ending with 10 points, three caroms, one block, and one steal. She netted nine of her 10 points in the fourth quarter, where she was 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Scouting The Revolutionaries – George Washington comes into Saturday's contest on a two-game skid, holding an 8-7 overall record and a 1-3 mark in Atlantic 10 play. The Revolutionaries most recently dropped a 61-53 at Fordham on Wednesday. Gabby Reynolds led the way offensively for GW, recording 14 points and grabbing four rebounds. Paige Mott fell short of a double-double, finishing with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Morgan Matthews chipped in seven for George Washington, while Maxine Engel finished with six. Makayla Andrews paces the team with 12.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Gabby Reynolds is the second player in double figures, finishing with 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 takeaways per game. As a team, George Washington is the best rebounding team in the conference, averaging 43.0 rebounds per conference, including 14.3 offensive boards.

Saint Joseph's Remains - Saint Joseph's (12-3, 3-1 A-10) entered Wednesday's matchup boasting three of the league's top scorers, each averaging over 16 points per game. However, Duquesne's defense rose to the challenge, holding all three players to single digits and well below their season averages. The Dukes dominated defensively in the third quarter, limiting Saint Joseph's to just nine points on 2-of-12 shooting (16.7%). Duquesne opened the second half with a 6-0 run, fueled by layups from junior Jerni Kiaku and McConnell, along with a pull-up jumper from Bronwe, extending their lead to 44-35. The teams then traded baskets before Duquesne strung together four unanswered points, building a 51-38 advantage with 2:43 left in the quarter. Saint Joseph's responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Laura Ziegler and Talya Brugler to close the quarter, trimming the deficit to 51-44 heading into the final stanza.

Pittsburgh Stealers – The Dukes have embraced an aggressive, high-pressure style of play that has fueled their success this season. Duquesne leads the Atlantic 10 and ranks 17th nationally in turnovers forced per game (23.13), while also sitting 24th in NCAA Division I and first in the league in steals per game (12.2). This defensive intensity has led to 10 games with 20 or more forced turnovers and 10 contests with double digit steals. When the Dukes force 20-plus turnovers, they boast a 7-3 record, while being 7-3 in games with 10 or more steals. Six players average at least one steal per game, with senior Megan McConnell leading the nation at 4.3 takeaways per game. Juniors Jerni Kiaku and Andjela Matic contribute 1.2 steals each, while freshmen Mackenzie Blackford (1.1) and Nadia Moore (1.0), along with sophomore Reina Green (1.0), consistently add to the team's defensive efforts.

Becky Hammon POY Watchlist – Senior Megan McConnell is making a strong case for inclusion on the 15-player watchlist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, set to be released this January. McConnell currently leads the league and ranks 21st nationally in points per game (20.2). She also ranks second in the country in total steals with 64. The Pittsburgh native has accumulated 82 total assists this season, placing her 22nd nationally, while her 5.5 assists per game rank 28th. Notably, McConnell is one of only three players in NCAA Division I to record multiple triple-doubles this season. Consistently impressive, McConnell has scored in double figures in all 15 games, including six 20-point performances and a career-high 35-point outing in a win over Canisius. Her five double-doubles this season rank second in the Atlantic 10 Conference. A reliable leader for the Dukes, McConnell has been the team's top scorer in 10 games this season and has posted a team-high in rebounds in 12 contests. Her all-around performance underscores her impact and strengthens her case as one of the best players in the mid-major ranks.

Steel Curtin – Duquesne has excelled at applying defensive pressure, consistently holding opponents to minimal outputs. The Dukes boast a 6-2 record when limiting opponents to fewer than 70 points and a 7-2 mark when holding teams to under 40.0 percent shooting from the field. Their defensive prowess is evident in recent games, as Duquesne has held eight of its last nine opponents under 70 points and limited six of those teams to below 40.0 percent shooting. Rebounding has also been a key factor in their success—when the Dukes outrebound their opponents, they are undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record this season. Senior Megan McConnell leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.3 boards per game, which ranks 8th in the league. Graduate student Gabby Hutcherson (4.2) and senior Kiandra Browne (4.0) also contribute over four rebounds per game each. The Dukes have also proven their ability to maintain momentum, holding a 10-3 record when leading at halftime and a 9-2 mark when entering the final quarter with the lead.

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