GAME 33
Duquesne (20-12) at Miami (Ohio) (19-11)
Sunday, Mar. 23, 2025 | 1:00 p.m.
Oxford, Ohio | Millett Hall (6,400)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
-The Duquesne women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), traveling to Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, March 23, with the opening tip scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

- After erasing a 12-point second-half deficit, junior Jerni Kiaku drilled a one-footed jumper to propel the Duquesne women's basketball team to a thrilling 70-68 victory over Longwood in the opening round of the WNIT on Thursday night at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

- With 1:15 remaining, Longwood's Kiki McIntyre buried a right-wing three to tie the game at 66-66. Moments later, senior Megan McConnell sank two clutch free-throws, putting Duquesne ahead 68-66 with 40 seconds left.

- Following a Lancers timeout, Frances Ulysse grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback attempt, calmly sinking both free throws to even the score at 68-all with 24 ticks remaining.

- The Dukes then called timeout, advancing the ball to the 28-foot mark for one final possession. After the inbound to McConnell, Kiaku took a handoff and drilled a step-back, one-footed jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining. Longwood had one last opportunity but couldn't get a shot off in time, sealing the victory for Duquesne.

- Senior Megan McConnell and junior Jerni Kiaku have established themselves as one of the nation's top backcourts, and they delivered another standout performance tonight. McConnell led all scorers with 25 points, adding eight rebounds, seven steals, and three assists.

- She knocked down five three-pointers while shooting 42.9 percent from the field, including 15 first-half points on 6-of-12 shooting with three triples.

- Kiaku recorded her first career double-double, contributing 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. She shot 41.2 percent from the floor, dished out five assists, and collected two steals. The junior guard came alive in the second half, scoring 13 of her 17 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. She shot an efficient 6-of-10 from the field over the final 20 minutes while grabbing seven rebounds.

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The Series vs. Miami (Ohio) – Sunday's matchup marks just the sixth meeting between the Dukes and RedHawks and their first since the 2018-19 season. Duquesne holds a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series, including a 69-56 victory in the first round of the 2018 WNIT. In that game, the Dukes had three players score in double figures, led by Chassidy Omogrosso, who posted a career-high 31 points, including five three-pointers and a perfect 8-of-8 performance from the foul line. Paige Cannon contributed 14 points and six rebounds, while Conor Richardson added 10 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Omogrosso sparked a 14-4 third-quarter run with a three-pointer, putting Duquesne ahead 41-32. Miami responded with a 9-0 surge to tie the game at 41-all. A three-point play by Cannon extended Duquesne's lead to double digits at 57-46 with 5:22 left in the fourth quarter. The RedHawks fought back, as McCoy scored three quick layups in just over a minute, cutting the deficit to 57-52 with 3:47 remaining. However, Duquesne's defense tightened, allowing just two field goals over Miami's final 11 possessions to secure the win.

Scouting The RedHawks – A member of the Mid-American Conference, Miami enters Sunday's contest with a 19-11 overall record after earning a first-round bye in the WNIT. The RedHawks last took the court in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals, where they fell 68-61 to Kent State. Offensively, Miami is led by Enjulina Gonzalez, who averages 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. Maya Chandler and Amber Tretter also contribute double figures, with Chandler averaging 11.4 points and Tretter adding 11.2 points while leading the team with 9.1 rebounds per game on 47.1 percent shooting. From beyond the arc, Miami ranks sixth in the MAC with 7.3 three-pointers per game while shooting 32.4 percent from deep, the fifth-best mark in the conference. Chandler and Gonzalez pace the RedHawks from long range, combining for 95 triples this season.

Longwood Remains - With 38 seconds left in the third quarter, Longwood's Malea Brown drilled a three-pointer, giving the Lancers their largest lead of the game at 54-42. They carried a nine-point advantage into the final quarter. Early in the fourth, Amor Harris extended Longwood's lead back to double digits before McConnell responded with a three-pointer. Kiaku followed with a foul-line jumper and an old-fashioned three-point play, cutting the deficit to 56-53 with 8:15 remaining. Longwood answered with two free throws and another three from Brown, pushing its lead back to 61-53 with just over six minutes to play. Senior Kiandra Browne then sank a pair of free throws, but both teams went scoreless for more than two minutes. At the 3:52 mark, Browne found a cutting McConnell, igniting an 8-0 run that gave the Dukes a 63-61 advantage. After McConnell's layup, Kiaku set up sophomore Raymi Coueta for back-to-back buckets, capping the surge and putting Duquesne in front.

Leaving a Lasting Mark - Senior guard Megan McConnell continues to leave her mark in Duquesne's record book. With her start and appearance in Thursday's contest, she now holds the program records for most games played (142) and most career starts (134). The Pittsburgh native is also closing in on two more milestones, needing just five steals (362) and eight assists (652) to become Duquesne's all-time leader in both categories. Her 25-point performance against Longwood pushed her career total to 1,760 points, putting her just 17 points shy of moving into second place all-time, surpassing Wumi Agunbiade (2011-14 | 1,776). This season, McConnell has recorded a career-best 591 points—the sixth-most in program history—while leading the team with 70 made three-pointers, ranking ninth all-time. Her 18.5 points per game currently stand as the sixth-best single-season scoring average in Duquesne history, further solidifying her place among the program's greats.

Backcourt Brilliance – Senior Megan McConnell and junior Jerni Kiaku have established themselves as one of the top backcourts in the country. This dynamic duo has both scored in double figures in the same game 25 times this season, showcasing their consistency and impact. In the postseason, Kiaku has elevated her play, averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and shooting 46.3 percent (19-of-41) from the field. The North Carolina native notched her first career double-double against Longwood, finishing with 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, tying for the team's season-best mark. Meanwhile, McConnell has been just as impressive, averaging 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 steals, and 4.3 assists per game in the postseason. She has also recorded her fifth game with seven or more steals while shooting 36.1 percent from the floor. This season, McConnell has tallied 12 games with 20 or more points, bringing her career total to 17. Together, the backcourt duo has combined for 954 points while both are shooting over 47.0 percent from the field.

Bench Production - Duquesne continues to excel, fueled by strong contributions from its bench, which leads the Atlantic 10 in bench scoring at 22.4 points per game—ranking 53rd nationally. The Dukes have recorded 20 or more bench points in 20 games this season, posting an impressive 15-5 record in those matchups. In February, Duquesne's reserves maintained their impact, averaging 22.9 points per game and surpassing the 20-point mark in five contests. The team delivered its third-highest bench output of the season on Feb. 2, scoring 42 points in an 80-46 win at St. Bonaventure. Earlier in the season, the Dukes put up 44 bench points in a commanding 100-65 season-opening victory over Niagara (Nov. 16) and set a season-high with 47 points in a dominant 97-55 win at George Washington (Jan. 11).

Did You Know? – Duquesne's success this season has been driven by strong defensive performances and efficient scoring. The Dukes hold a 18-5 record when limiting opponents to under 70 points and are 14-2 when scoring 71 or more. Defensively, they thrive on disrupting opponents, posting a 17-5 record when holding teams below 40.0 percent shooting. Their dominance on the boards has also been a key factor, as they remain undefeated at 9-0 when outrebounding their opponent. Offensively, Duquesne has shot over 40.0 percent in 15 games, boasting a 13-2 record in those matchups. The Dukes also lead the Atlantic 10 and rank 34^th nationally in steals per game (10.4), while sitting 21st in NCAA Division I in turnovers forced (20.3). They have forced double-digit turnovers in all but one game this season and have recorded 10 or more steals in 19 contests.

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