Game Wrap Up - Dukes lose at Rhode Island 80-78

That look says it all

The Dukes lost a heart breaker this afternoon at Rhode Island. This isn't easy to write I'll be totally honest. Duquesne played a strong game overall but they just couldn't get it done when it counted, in the final minute.

Why did the Dukes lose today?
1. The Dukes haven't learned how to win the tough games yet. Great teams like Duke and North Carolina play in big games every year and have learned to win those big games. This season is the first time in a long time that Duquesne has been in a big game like this. The Dukes have lost their other tough close games this season against Drake, Pitt, and Rhode Island.

2. Bad free throw shooting. 8-16 from the FT line is not good enough to beat a ranked team.

3. Inability to stop Will Daniels. Daniels had 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was 10-14 from the field, and 7-10 from the free throw line. In the last 2 games the Dukes have not been able to stop their opponent's big guy.

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Duquesne had a number of strong individual performances:

Kojo Mensah - 14 points - 7 assists - 5 rebounds - 2 turnovers
Reggie Jackson - 19 points - 4 assists - 4 rebounds - 3 turnovers and a huge shot to give the Dukes the lead with 11 seconds left.
Shawn James - 12 points - 7 rebounds - 4 blocked shots - James now holds the record for most blocked shots in one season at Duquesne.
Gary Tucker - 14 points - 50% shooting from the field - 4 assists - 4 rebounds - 1 turnover

Individual performances don't win big games.

Knowing Ron Everhart he will use this game as a learning experience for Duquesne. The Dukes will take what they learned today in defeat and use it to help them win a big game later this season.