Dukes lose a heart breaker 80-78 at Rhode Island

Final Box Score

Duquesne shot 8-16 from the free throw line, that was the difference.

Live Game Blog:

• Rhode Island started the game shooting horribly. 10 minutes into the first half RI was shooting 23% from the floor.
• RI started the game playing man to man defense but quickly switched to a 2-3 zone 5 minutes into the game to try and slow down the Dukes early. Late in the first half RI went back to the man to man and it was able to slow down the Dukes.
• Damian Saunders picked up two quick fouls to start the game and saw limited action in the 1st half, in fact he only played 2 minutes in the 1st half. Bill Clark played well in place of Saunders.
• Gary Tucker had a fantastic first half. He played tough defense and scored 12 points including 2 three pointers and he had 2 rebounds.
• Will Daniels not surprisingly had a great first half for RI with 11 points and 5 rebounds
• Duquesne shot 55% in the first half, RI shot 44%
• RI shot 12-14 from the free throw line in the first half

Score at half time Duquesne 38 - Rhode Island 37

• Rhode Island came out strong to start the 2nd half
• Duquesne answered with a 15-3 run of their own midway through the 2nd half
• The game was back and forth for the last 10 minutes

76-75 Dukes lead 1:18 to go

Dukes possession

Mensah missed a jumper RI rebound

76-75 Dukes lead final minute

RI on the line for 1-1

76-76 game tied

77-76 RI leads 50 seconds left

77-76 RI leads - Duquesne possession with 9 on the shot clock 30 second on the game clock

78-77 Duquesne leads on a Reggie Jackson layup!!! 11.1 seconds left. Jackson to shoot 1, he was fouled.

he missed the free throw

79-78 RI leads - Baron just hit a jumper from the baseline. 3.2 seconds left Duquesne possesion.

Duquesne has to inbound from under their own hoop. 3.2 seconds left Dukes ball, they trail by 1.

Aaron Jackson threw it out of bounds, RI ball.

3.2 seconds left.

Duquesne fouls Jimmy Baron, no time went off the clock, Baron to shoot 2. Now there is a conversation about who was fouled and who should be shooting the free throws. Baron made the first free throw but now the officials are looking at the monitors to see who the foul was on. Duquesne has no more timeouts.

Now the refs have taken Barons 1st made free throw off the scoreboard and they are giong to make another RI player shoot the free throws. it will be 1-1.

3.2 second left RI leads 79-78

1st free throw good. 80-78 RI leads

missed 2nd free throw, rebounded by Duquesne, Mensah passes to Bill Clark. Clark shoots a 25 footer to win...

Clark missed it.

Dukes lose 80-78.