Dayton’s flurry of 3’s sink Duquesne in A10 tilt

Two basketball players on a court, one in a white jersey dribbling a basketball while being guarded by an opponent in a red jersey. — [Leo Martinez-Valerio | staff writer] David Dixon reached 500 career rebounds against Dayton on Tuesday in his new starting role.

Will Stover | staff writer

The Duquesne Dukes men’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a slow start on Tuesday night, falling 71-65 to the undefeated-in-conference Dayton Flyers at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. A second-half comeback bid wouldn’t be enough for the Dukes, who fell to 1-3 in conference play.

The game’s opening minutes spelled trouble for the Dukes, shooting just 25% from the field in the first 12 minutes and missing all eight of their 3-point attempts. Dayton capitalized, establishing a quick 22-11 lead.

Forward Alex Williams helped keep the Dukes within striking distance with 15 points on the game, helping cut the deficit to 33-24 by halftime.

“The first half, you know, we have to find some more poise sometimes,” said Duquesne Head Coach Dru Joyce III. “We didn’t quite settle in. I think we were 1-for-14 from 3 in the first half.”

The second half started with a promising run for the Dukes. Guards Tarence Guinyard and Jakub Nečas brought some energy to the court with quick 3-pointers. The surge continued, culminating in another Guinyard 3 that gave Duquesne a 37-36 lead with 16:32 remaining.

The momentum proved short-lived. Dayton responded with an 11-3 run, fueled by trips to the free-throw line. The Flyers went 16-for-18 from the charity stripe in the second half.

“It really, really bolstered, 16-for-18 in the second half,” Joyce said. “That’s a big deal.”

Williams kept the Dukes close with a three-pointer that cut the lead to 51-50, but Dayton guard Javon Bennett answered with back-to-back threes. After a Jaiun Simon triple pushed the Flyers’ lead to 8 with under 5 minutes to play, Duquesne couldn’t complete the comeback.

“I just thought the game was winnable. I think they believed it, too,” Joyce said.

The loss extended a troubling pattern for Duquesne. The Dukes now sit at 9-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play, having dropped three straight games. Yet the competitive nature of Tuesday’s defeat reflects a team still finding its identity in year two under Joyce, who inherited a program fresh off its historic run to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Last season’s 13-19 record represented growing pains as Joyce implemented his system, and this year’s squad is showing progress despite the recent slide. The Dukes proved they can compete when the chemistry is there, opening conference play with a double-overtime thriller against Davidson, winning 89-83. The team averages 86.3 points per game, good for 40th in the nation.

A basketball player in a white uniform dribbles the ball while being guarded by an opponent in a red uniform during a game. The background features spectators and a sports medicine banner. — [Leo Martinez-Valerio | staff writer] Tarence Guinyard is Duquesne’s most consistent scorer, along with fellow transfer Jimmie Williams.

But consistency has been absent. After that promising conference opener, the Dukes fell in overtime to Saint Joseph’s, 97-90, before losing to VCU. Defensive struggles have plagued the team, allowing 79.1 points per game.

The bright spot has been Williams’s emergence. The Furman transfer who missed last season with an injury has found his rhythm, scoring in double figures consistently and providing energy off the bench.

“Just the confidence my teammates and Coach Dru are instilling in me, coming in, just bringing that energy every time I get in the game,” Williams said. “Confidence has been at an all-time high.”

Joyce has emphasized patience with his roster, preaching a strategy-oriented approach.

“Results. People are going to buy into the results, right? It’s an important thing, but what we understand in our locker room is a process of how we got to make sure we keep improving,”Joyce said. “We got to keep building to the success of where we can be as a team on the final day of A10 play.”

The Dukes have experimented with different lineups, including unveiling a bigger starting five against Dayton for the first time all season. Joyce has shown willingness to adapt, searching for the right combinations as the conference schedule intensifies.

With 12 regular-season games remaining before the A10 Tournament, the Dukes face a crucial stretch that will define their season. The team believes the foundation is being built for sustained success.

In a conference that has had unprecedented success in recent years, Duquesne is fighting an uphill battle to compete for an NCAA Tournament spot, either automatic or at-large. The Dukes currently sit at 11th place in the conference, while Dayton, Saint Louis and George Mason remain undefeated in conference play.

“I feel like all week we had an emphasis on just getting stops,” Williams said. “We just have to go back to the film and correct our mistakes and our errors and just get ready for Saturday.”

Will Stover can be reached at stoverw1@duq.edu