GAME 15
Duquesne (9-5, 0-3) at Saint Joseph's (12-2, 3-0)
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 | 7:00 p.m.
Philadelphia, Pa.| Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena (4,200)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
-The Duquesne women's basketball team opens a two-game road trip on Wednesday, Jan. 8, traveling to Philadelphia to battle conference leading Saint Joseph's inside Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena.

- The Dukes are coming off a heartbreaking loss, falling at the buzzer on Sunday to Fordham, 64-62, during Atlantic 10 action. Senior guard Megan McConnell paced the way with her third straight 20-point performance and a near triple-double. She ended with 26 points, nine steals, and eight rebounds.

- Freshman Mackenzie Blackford was the second Duke to finish in double figures, posting 10 points, tying a season-high three steals, while hitting a pair of three pointers. Sophomore Reina Green finished with a season-best nine points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals off the bench.

- Freshman Nadia Moore chipped in eight points, three boards, and a steal on Sunday. Taylor Donaldson went one-of-two from the line to extend the Rams lead to three (62-59) with 1:13 remaining.

- After a pair of empty trips from both teams, senior Megan McConnell drove baseline and found freshman Nadia Moore who buried a three-pointer to knot the game at 62, with 42.0 seconds remaining.

- The Dukes would get a stop on the following possession and have the ball with 22.0 seconds remaining. Fordham would force a jump ball and have the arrow favored in their possession with just 3.0 ticks left.

- Out of a timeout, the Rams threw it in to Murua who scooped a layup over the front of the rim as time expired to give Fordham the win.

- Fordham featured four players in double figures, led by Taylor Donaldson. She finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and four steals. Anastasija Veljovic finished with 13 points while Irene Murua posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

- Duquesne held a 27-16 advantage in bench points … It's the ninth time this season the Dukes have forced a team into 20+ turnovers, forcing 29 on Sunday … Duquesne tallied 18 steals while carding 27 points off turnovers … Fordham held a 45-35 advantage on the boards.

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The Series vs. Saint Joseph's – A series that dates all the way back to 1984, Wednesday's contest will be the 63^rd meeting between the Dukes and Hawks. Saint Joseph's holds a 49-13 advantage in the all-time series while winning the last six meetings, including a 77-73 decision last March. Five Dukes finished in double figures, led by Ayanna Townsend and Megan McConnell. Townsend tied a season-high with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting (50.0 percent) while collecting seven rebounds. She also finished 4-for-5 at the charity stripe. McConnell posted 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting (53.3 percent) while also totaling seven rebounds and dishing out dive assists. She netted 14 of her 18 in the first half, shooting 6-for-10, with a pair of triples. Lauren Wasyslon finished with a season-high 12 points, all coming from three-pointers where she was 4-of-7 from long range. She collected three rebounds and a steal while Precious Johnson and Jerni Kiaku each tallied 11 points. Johnson tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and three assists while Kiaku collected a pair of steals. The five combined for 70 of the Dukes 73 points this afternoon.

Scouting The Hawks – Sitting at the top of the Atlantic 10 conference, Saint Joseph's is riding a seven-game winning streak while posting a 12-2 overall record and a perfect 3-0 mark in league action. The Hawks are most recently coming off a dominating 85-49 victory at La Salle on Sunday. Saint Joseph's features a trio of players that are all averaging over 16.0 points per game. Laura Ziegler paces the Hawks with 17.7 points and 11.6 rebounds while dishing out 4.5 assists. She ranks second in the country with 11 double-doubles while ranking sixth in rebounds per game. Mackenzie Smith is producing 16.5 points, 3.9 boards, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from behind the arc. Talya Brugler is the final Hawk in double digits, netting 16.4 points 5.7 caroms, and 3.2 assists per game. She's shooting a team-best 55.6 percent from the field while scoring in double figures in 13 of 14 contests.

Fordham Remains - It was a stagnant start for Duquesne to open the contest as the Rams jumped out to an early 8-2 lead. McConnell would spark a 6-0 stint with a layup, followed by a pair of free-throws from Moore. Sophomore Reina Green collected a steal and found freshman Mackenzie Blackford to cap the stint, 8-8. Both teams would trade the last six points as it was tied 11-11 after one. Duquesne opened the second quarter on a 14-2 surge to grab its largest lead of the contest, 25-13. A McConnell triple started the run, followed by a layup from junior Jerni Kiaku and another long ball from McConnell. The senior guard would complete an old-fashioned three-point play to extend its lead, 22-13, before Blackford capped the run with a trey. Fordham responded with a 9-5 boost to end the quarter and trim the deficit as the Dukes held a 30-22 advantage at the break.

20 Piece For 600 Alex – Senior Megan McConnell has been a consistent force for Duquesne, delivering standout performances in three consecutive games. Most recently, she led the team with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting (50.0 percent) from the field, along with nine steals and eight rebounds against the Rams. At VCU, the Pittsburgh native tallied 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting (50.0 percent), including two three-pointers, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. She opened conference play in dominant fashion, scoring 29 points on 12-of-23 shooting (52.2 percent), while adding six rebounds and three assists. McConnell currently leads the Atlantic 10 in scoring (20.3) and paces all of NCAA Division I in steals per game (4.14), ranking second nationally in total steals (58). Her league-leading 5.5 assists per game and 77 total assists further highlight her impact, as she remains one of just three players nationwide with multiple triple-doubles this season.

The Splash Mob - Duquesne has been at its best this season when knocking down shots from behind the arc, which is evident in the statistics The Dukes lead the Atlantic 10 and rank 12th nationally in three-pointers per game (9.9) while sitting fifth in NCAA Division I in three-point attempts per game (30.4). Their ability to connect from deep has been a key to victory, as they hold a 7-1 record when hitting 10 or more triples, including five games with 13 made threes. Six different players have reached double figures in made three-pointers this season, led by senior Megan McConnell with 37. Freshmen Mackenzie Blackford and Nadia Moore follow with 23 and 17 triples, respectively, while junior Andjela Matic has also contributed 17. Senior Kiandra Browne (14) and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson (10) have added to the Dukes' perimeter scoring, further showcasing the team's depth from international waters.

Break Their Rhythm – The Dukes have embraced an aggressive, high-pressure style of play that has fueled their early success this season. Duquesne leads the Atlantic 10 and ranks 17th nationally in turnovers forced per game (23.36), while also sitting 21st in NCAA Division I and first in the league in steals per game (12.4). This defensive intensity has led to nine games with 20 or more forced turnovers and 10 contests with double digit steals. When the Dukes force 20-plus turnovers, they boast a 6-3 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 4.2 takeaways per game. Juniors Jerni Kiaku and Andjela Matic contribute 1.3 steals each, while freshmen Mackenzie Blackford (1.2) and Nadia Moore (1.1), along with sophomore Reina Green (1.0), consistently add to the team's defensive efforts.

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