GAME 34
Duquesne (21-12) at Cleveland State (25-9)
Friday, Mar. 28, 2025 | 7:00 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio | Wolstein Center (13,600)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
- The Duquesne women's basketball team travels to Cleveland State on Friday, March 28, to battle the Vikings in the Super 16 of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) inside the Wolstein Center.

- Behind four Dukes in double figures, Duquesne held of a late rally by Miami (Ohio) on Sunday afternoon, securing a 73-66 victory in the second round of the WNIT at Millett Hall. Senior guard Megan McConnell and junior guard Jerni Kiaku paced the way for the Dukes.

- McConnell led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-23 shooting from the floor while totaling nine rebounds, six assists, and six steals. With her six takeaways, McConnell (368) became the program's all-time leader in steals, surpassing Jocelyn Floyd (2010-13), who held the record for over 12 years with 366 steals.

- Kiaku contributed 17 points on 46.2 percent shooting, adding three rebounds, one steal, and one block while going 4-of-6 from the free-throw line. Off the bench, Mackenzie Blackford provided a spark with 14 points, shooting an impressive 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) from the field, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.

- Andjela Matic rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. She knocked down two three-pointers and was flawless from the free-throw line, going 7-of-7—all in the fourth quarter.

- Entering the final 10 minutes, Duquesne held a 14-point advantage (61-47), but Miami quickly responded with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 61-53 with 8:47 remaining. Junior Jerni Kiaku halted the RedHawks' surge with a layup, but Miami answered with four straight points to trim the gap to seven.

- Both teams then endured a two-minute scoring drought before junior Andjela Matic sparked a 7-3 run, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line to extend Duquesne's lead to 70-59 with just over three minutes left. The RedHawks fought back once again, scoring seven consecutive points to make it a 70-66 game with 1:23 remaining in regulation.

- After a series of empty possessions, the Dukes turned the ball over with 49 seconds left, giving Miami a chance to close the gap. However, freshman Faith Walker came up with a crucial block and defensive rebound, securing possession for Duquesne with 33 seconds to go.

- Matic and Kiaku then sealed the victory at the free-throw line, combining to go 3-of-4 in the final 30 seconds. The Dukes were efficient from the stripe in the fourth quarter, shooting 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) and finishing the game at an impressive 77.8 percent (14-of-18).
 
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The Series vs. Cleveland State – It'll be the 12^th meeting between the Dukes and Vikings and the first matchup since the 2001-2002 season. Duquesne holds a 9-2 record in the all-time series while winning eight of the last nine contests, including an 85-71 victory in Cleveland. The Dukes took advantage of 19 Cleveland State turnovers while knocking down 10 three-pointers in securing the victory. Forward Beth Friday scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half to help Duquesne to its early lead. Sophomore guard Candace Futrell and senior guard Tionda Jennings both added career-highs with 20 and 19 points, respectively. The Dukes scored 13 points on 12 CSU first half turnovers to take a 39-28 lead into the locker room. The Vikings cut the lead to just six (53-47) at the 14:28 mark in the second stanza, but Duquesne knocked down three three-pointers over the next four minutes to push the lead back to 15.

Scouting The Vikings – A member of the Horizon League Conference, Cleveland State enters Friday's contest with a 25-9 overall record and are coming off a 72-70 overtime win against Coppin State on Tuesday night. The Vikings are led by Horizon League Player of the Year, Mickayla Perdue, who is averaging 20.2 points 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. She is shooting 42.7 percent from the field and has netted double figures in all but two games this season. Cleveland State features three other players in double figures, all in which received All-League status. Jordana Reisma is posting 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 68.1 percent from the floor. Destiny Leo is averaging 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 41.1 percent from behind the arc. Sara Guerreiro rounds out the Vikings, posting 10.6 points and a team best 7.5 rebounds.

Miami (Ohio) Remains - Duquesne jumped out to an early 6-1 lead, fueled by back-to-back three-pointers, but Miami quickly responded with a pair of triples of their own to trim the deficit to 8-7. Senior Megan McConnell then sparked a 10-2 run, extending the Dukes' lead to 18-9 with 5:05 remaining in the opening quarter. After Miami sank a pair of free throws, freshman Mackenzie Blackford drilled a long-range shot, followed by McConnell converting a four-point play. Duquesne closed the quarter strong, scoring five of the final nine points to take a 23-13 advantage. The Dukes' defense was dominant in the opening frame, holding the RedHawks to just 23.1 percent shooting (3-of-13) from the field. Miami, however, flipped the script in the second quarter, shooting an impressive 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the floor. The RedHawks opened the period with five straight points before junior Jerni Kiaku knocked down a left-wing three to halt their momentum, making it 26-18. The teams traded the next 10 points before Miami closed the half on a 13-8 run, narrowing Duquesne's lead to 41-36 at the break.

In A League Of Her Own - Senior guard Megan McConnell solidified her place in Duquesne history on Sunday afternoon, reaching yet another milestone in her already illustrious career. With six steals in the game, she became the program's all-time leader in takeaways, surpassing Jocelyn Floyd (2010-13), who held the record for over 12 years with 366 steals. McConnell now sits atop the leaderboard with 368 steals. Her historic day didn't stop there as the Pittsburgh native also climbed to second place on Duquesne's all-time scoring list after notching her 13th career 20-point performance. She led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-23 shooting, including three three-pointers, surpassing Wumi Agunbiade (2011-14) and her 1,776 career points. McConnell now has 1,784 career points. The senior guard stands on the brink of yet another historic achievement, needing just two more assists to become Duquesne's all-time leader. She currently trails Shiri Sharon (2001-04), who holds the record with 659 career dimes.

A Jerni Ahead – Junior guard Jerni Kiaku has cemented herself as one of the top guards in the conference, and the numbers back it up. In the postseason, she is averaging 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting an impressive 46.2 percent (25-of-54) from the field. The North Carolina native has also been efficient at the free-throw line, converting 11-of-13 attempts (84.6 percent), and has scored in double figures in three of the last four contests. Kiaku has set career highs across nearly every statistical category this season. She is averaging 13.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting a career-best 47.1 percent (164-of-348) from the floor. A consistent offensive force, she has posted double figures in 26 games, including four 20-point performances. She has led the team in scoring four times and is the third different Duke to register a double-double this season. With 968 career points, Kiaku is now just 32 points away from reaching the coveted 1,000-point milestone.

Freshman Phenoms - The Dukes boast one of the youngest teams in the league, yet they continue to deliver consistent performances night after night. Leading the charge among the rookies is Mackenzie Blackford, who is averaging 9.2 points per game while shooting an impressive 57.0 percent (13-of-23) from the field and 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from beyond the arc in the postseason. She has recorded two double-figure outings and knocked down four three-pointers in two separate contests. Against the RedHawks, Blackford was flawless from deep, going 4-of-4 and securing her fifth game with four or more made threes. The Ohio native has reached double figures in 13 games this season and has led the team in scoring twice. Fellow freshman Nadia Moore has also made an impact, contributing 5.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 35.6 percent from three-point range. Meanwhile, Faith Walker has been a key presence on both ends of the floor, making valuable contributions that don't always show up on the stat sheet. Defensively, she has played a crucial role in guarding both the post and perimeter, while offensively, she has helped the Dukes maintain their strong perimeter game, as they average 10.3 made three-pointers per contest.

Did You Know? – Duquesne's success this season has been driven by strong defensive performances and efficient scoring. The Dukes hold a 19-5 record when limiting opponents to under 70 points and are 15-2 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 10-0 when outrebounding their opponent. Offensively, Duquesne has shot over 40.0 percent in 16 games, boasting a 14-2 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 20 contests.

A Season Of Elevation – Senior guard Megan McConnell continues to elevate her game in her final season, steadily climbing the program's record books. Her 136 steals this season rank second in Duquesne history, trailing only Jocelyn Floyd's 149 takeaways in 2013. Offensively, McConnell has been just as dominant, scoring 615 points—fifth most in program history—while knocking down 222 field goals, also ranking fifth. Leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring, she is averaging a career-best 18.6 points per game, the sixth-highest single-season average at Duquesne. In addition to her scoring prowess, McConnell has dished out a career-high 169 assists and drained a career-best 73 three-pointers, both of which rank ninth in a single season.

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