Fairfax, Va. – The Duquesne women's basketball team concluded its regular season on Saturday afternoon, dropping an 86-63 decision at George Mason inside EagleBank Arena. The Dukes concluded its regular season with an 18-11 overall record and a 9-9 mark in conference play.
POINT OF EMPHASIS
Efficient shooting propelled the Patriots to an early 7-0 lead as they hit three of their first four attempts. The Dukes responded with freshman
Mackenzie Blackford sinking a three-pointer, followed by senior
Megan McConnell connecting from deep on the next possession to trim the deficit to one. However, George Mason answered with a 12-4 run over the next three minutes to extend their lead to 19-10. The teams exchanged baskets late in the quarter, but the Patriots maintained control, closing the period with a 28-15 advantage. Struggles on offense hurt the Dukes in the second quarter, as they managed just 3-of-14 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, George Mason continued their efficient play, shooting 58.3 percent (7-of-12) in the quarter to widen the gap. The Patriots' hot hand from beyond the arc proved crucial, as they connected on 10-of-19 three-pointers in the opening half while shooting an impressive 56.7 percent overall. Their first-half performance sent them into the break with a commanding 52-28 lead.
CONTINUE TO FIGHT
Duquesne came out strong to start the second half, scoring the first four points on a three-pointer from freshman
Nadia Moore and a free throw from graduate student
Gabby Hutcherson. Midway through the quarter, the Dukes found their rhythm, putting together their best offensive stretch of the game—a 17-4 run over five minutes—to cut the deficit to 65-51 with just over a minute remaining. Senior
Kiandra Browne ignited the surge with a three-pointer, followed by a layup and another triple from junior
Jerni Kiaku. After the Patriots responded with four straight points,
Megan McConnell added a bucket, and Hutcherson went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. Kiaku continued her strong play, converting a transition layup off a steal before sinking another free throw to bring the score to 65-48. Blackford capped the run with her second three-pointer of the afternoon, leaving Duquesne trailing 65-41 heading into the final quarter. The Dukes were highly efficient during this stretch, shooting 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
THE TRIO
Three Dukes finished in double figures, led by senior
Megan McConnell, who delivered a team-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting (53.3 percent), including three made three-pointers. She also contributed three rebounds, three steals, and two assists while going 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. This marked her 11th game of the season with at least 20 points and her 11th contest with three or more triples. Junior
Jerni Kiaku added 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting (43.8 percent), along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. She was particularly effective in the second half, scoring 12 of her 16 points while shooting 50.0 percent from the field. Freshman
Mackenzie Blackford rounded out the Dukes' double-figure scorers, tallying 11 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting (66.7 percent), including three three-pointers. She also grabbed two rebounds and recorded her 11th game of the season with three or more made triples.
NOTES
Graduate student
Gabby Hutcherson secured a team-high seven rebounds while freshmen
Nadia Moore and
Faith Walker combined for five steals. … George Mason featured five players in double figures, led by Zahirah Walton. She finished with 16 points and three triples while Kennedy Harris collected 14 points and five rebounds. … Ta'Viyanna Habib netted 12 points and three rebounds while Nalani Kaysia registered 21 rebounds and 10 points. … Paula Saurez was the final Patriot in double digits with 10 points. … George Mason held a 47-29 advantage on the boards while the Dukes collected 10 steals and forced 19 turnovers.
UP NEXT
Duquesne now turns its focus to the Atlantic 10 Championships, set to take place at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Henrico, Va. The tournament runs from Wednesday, March 5, through Sunday, March 9. Additional details will be provided.
