GAME 24
Massachusetts (13-11, 8-5) vs. Duquesne (15-8, 6-6)
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 | 6:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
-The Duquesne women's basketball team closes out its two-game homestand, hosting Massachusetts on Wednesday, Feb. 12 inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse for an Atlantic 10 matchup, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

- The Dukes battled conference-leading Richmond on Sunday afternoon, dropping an 82-58 decision inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Senior Megan McConnell led the Dukes with a well-rounded performance, recording 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and a steal while knocking down three three-pointers. She shot an efficient 6-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

- Junior Jerni Kiaku was the only other Duke to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds, two steals, and a block. Freshman Mackenzie Blackford and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson each contributed eight points, with Hutcherson also adding three rebounds, three assists, and three steals to round out a balanced effort.

- Both teams struggled offensively at the start, combining for just 3-of-18 shooting from the field as Richmond jumped out to an early 8-0 lead. Duquesne remained scoreless for the first four minutes until freshman Faith Walker knocked down a right-corner three-pointer to halt the drought.

- The Dukes added a free throw but still trailed 8-4 heading into the first media timeout. Out of the break, the Spiders responded with a 12-4 run, extending their lead to 20-8 with 2:15 left in the quarter.

- Senior Megan McConnell converted one of two free throws, and junior Jerni Kiaku finished a layup to close the period with Duquesne trailing 20-11. The Dukes' offensive struggles persisted into the second quarter, where they managed just 6-of-16 shooting from the field. Richmond capitalized, opening the frame with a dominant 16-3 run to push its advantage to 34-14.

- The Spiders maintained control and took a 40-17 lead into halftime. Richmond featured four players in double figures, led by Rachel Ullstrom. She netted 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting while collecting eight rebounds. Maggie Doogan finished with a double-double, 17 points and 12 rebounds while Anna Camden (11) and Addie Budnik (10) each tallied double figures

- Richmond held a 25-20 advantage in points off turnovers … Spiders netted 32 points in the paint while the Duke registered 14 … Richmond held a 45-33 rebounding advantage … The Dukes caused 12 turnovers while collecting eight steals.

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The Series vs. Massachusetts – A series that dates back to 1984, Wednesday's contest will be the 58^th meeting between the Dukes and Minutewomen. Duquesne leads the all-time series with a 31-26 record while winning both meetings last season, most recently an 81-57 victory in second round of the Atlantic 10 Championships. Besides Johnson, two other Dukes finished in double digits, led by Megan McConnell. She finished with her eighth double-double of the season, ending with 21 points and 13 rebounds. She shot 8-of-13 from the floor, including three triples while dishing out six assists and collecting three steals. Tess Myers registered 11 points off three three-pointers while distributing three assists. Naelle Bernard, Amaya Hamilton, and Jerni Kiaku all recorded eight points while Hamilton tallied eight rebounds and two assists. Kiaku corralled six boards and a pair of steals for the Dukes. As a team, Duquesne led in almost every statistical category. They netted 21 points off 17 UMass turnovers while registering 36 points in the paint. The Dukes dominate the glass, holding a 44-29 advantage while carding a 17-1 advantage in second chance points.

Scouting The Minutewomen – UMass enters Wednesday's matchup with a 13-11 overall record and an 8-5 mark in Atlantic 10 play. The Minutewomen's four-game winning streak was recently snapped in a 56-38 loss to Davidson on Saturday. Yahmani McKayle led the offense with 14 points and recorded 4 steals, while Chinenye Odenigbo grabbed a team-high six rebounds. The Minutewomen are led by three players in double figures, starting with Megan Olbrys. Olbrys is averaging 13.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting an impressive .561 from the field. McKayle follows closely, contributing 13.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. She was recently named A-10 Rookie of the Week by the league office on Monday. Rounding out the trio is Allie Palmieri, who averages 12.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Richmond Remains - Richmond (20-5 |11-1 A-10) entered Sunday's contest as the most efficient shooting team in the nation, boasting a .510 field goal percentage, and they continued that efficiency against Duquesne. The Spiders shot .467 percent (7-of-15) in the second quarter, draining four three-pointers, before carrying their momentum into the second half with a 9-of-19 (.474) shooting performance. Meanwhile, Duquesne struggled offensively in the first half, managing just 6-of-29 from the field. However, the Dukes found their rhythm after the break, shooting 15-of-33 (.455) in the second half, including nine made three-pointers. Duquesne's best offensive stretch came in the fourth quarter when they put together a 14-2 scoring run over a two-and-a-half-minute span. Jerni Kiaku ignited the surge with back-to-back baskets before Blackford followed with consecutive three-pointers and a pair of free throws. McConnell capped off the run with a jumper.

On The Verge Of 1K - Senior Megan McConnell continues to exemplify consistency for the Dukes, with her impressive statistics speaking volume. The Pittsburgh native is on the brink of making history, striving to become only the second player in program history to achieve both 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. Heading into Wednesday's game, she is just one rebound away from the milestone (999), a feat previously accomplished only by Beth Friday (2000-03). Friday remains Duquesne's all-time leading rebounder with 1,160 boards and over 1,400 career points. McConnell is also making her mark in other statistical categories. With five steals against Rhode Island, she climbed to third place in career takeaways (325), surpassing Darcie Vincent (1995-98, 323). She now sets her sights on overtaking Korie Hlede (1995-98, 334) for second place.

The Jet – Junior Jerni Kiaku has taken on a larger role this season, forming one of the best one-two punches alongside senior Megan McConnell. Kiaku ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.7 points per game, while also contributing 1.2 steals per contest—both second-best marks on the squad. She leads the team in field goal percentage at an impressive .498, which ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10. Kiaku has scored in double figures in 21 games this season, including eight consecutive outings, and has recorded three 20-point performances. She has led the team in scoring three times and adds 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Over the last eight games, she has elevated her play, averaging over 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game.

Rise Of Reserves – A key factor in the Dukes' success this season has been the impressive production from their bench. Duquesne's reserves lead the Atlantic 10, averaging 24.6 points per game. The bench has been particularly dominant over the past eight games, posting an average of 30.0 points per contest, including two 40-point performances. The Dukes notched a season-high 47 points at George Washington before recording 42 in a win at St. Bonaventure. Freshman Mackenzie Blackford and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson have been standout contributors off the bench. Blackford is averaging 8.0 points per game while shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc, ranking fourth in the conference. She is also knocking down over two three-pointers per game, good for eighth in the A-10. Hutcherson adds 7.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, ranking seventh in the conference with 24 total blocks this season. Additionally, sophomore Raymi Coueta and freshman Faith Walker continue to provide valuable minutes, particularly with their strong defensive presence.

One Of One - Senior guard Megan McConnell remains the driving force for the Dukes this season, earning well-deserved recognition for her outstanding performances. Her impressive resume continues to grow, with multiple appearances on prestigious watch lists. Most recently, McConnell was named to the 2025 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List—one of just 15 players selected and the only mid-major representative across both the men's and women's lists. She has also secured spots on the midseason watch lists for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and the 2025 Women's College All-Star Game. Adding to her accolades, she was named to the midseason watch list for the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, as announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

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