Dayton defeats Duquesne 65-71
Dayton Edges Duquesne in Conference Showdown
In a tightly contested conference matchup, Dayton (15-7, 6-4 Atlantic 10) emerged victorious over Duquesne (8-14, 2-8 Atlantic 10) with a 71-65 win at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. The visiting Flyers' balanced attack and stifling defense proved too much for the home Dukes to handle.
At halftime, Dayton led by a slim margin of 24-33, but the away team's momentum continued to build in the second half. Duquesne struggled to contain Dayton's pace, which led to an impressive 25 fast-break points. The Flyers' bench also contributed significantly, outscoring the Dukes' reserves 15-7.
Keonte Jones paced Dayton with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range. Bryce Heard added 7 points and six rebounds off the bench, while Jacob Conner chipped in with 7 points and five assists.
Jimmie Williams led Duquesne with 15 points, but the Dukes struggled to find consistency on offense. David Dixon grabbed nine rebounds and scored nine points for the home team, but Tarence Guinyard's six assists were a lone bright spot in a otherwise stagnant performance.
The Flyers' strong defensive effort limited Duquesne to just 41% shooting from the field and forced 12 turnovers. Dayton, meanwhile, shot an efficient 52.2% from the floor and held the Dukes to just 28% three-point shooting.
In the end, Dayton's balanced attack and stifling defense proved too much for Duquesne to overcome. The Flyers' win improved their conference standing and sets up a crucial matchup against another top-25 team next week.
Game Highlights
* Keonte Jones (Dayton) - 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting
* Bryce Heard (Dayton) - 7 points, 6 rebounds
* Jimmie Williams (Duquesne) - 15 points
* David Dixon (Duquesne) - 9 rebounds, 9 points
Advanced Statistics
* Dayton: eFG% 52.2%, FT Rate 60.9%, OREB% 19.4%
* Duquesne: eFG% 48.0%, FT Rate 43.1%, OREB% 25.8%
This game serves as a reminder that the Atlantic 10 is deep and competitive, with multiple teams capable of making a push for the tournament. For Dayton, this win is a significant confidence booster heading into the second half of the season.