Will Stover & Ben Deihl | staff writer & sports editor

Duquesne men’s basketball put on a strong offensive showing, but came up short against Villanova in a road matchup that exposed foul trouble and rebounding issues. The Dukes fell 87-77 at Finneran Pavilion on Saturday.

Tarence Guinyard led the way with a game-high 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting, going 5-for-6 from deep. Jimmie Williams added 18 points, hitting 4 of 8 triples.

The Dukes as a team shot 52.2% from beyond the arc, but Villanova’s late first half run and Duquesne’s foul issues ultimately decided the game.

The Dukes jumped out to an early lead, holding it for 13 minutes of the first half. In a game where Duquesne was counted out against a college basketball blue blood, the Dukes came in confident.

“Just like we prepare for any other game, we treat all competition the same,” Crawford said. “We were pretty well prepared.”

Duquesne looked poised early, generating quality looks and moving the ball effectively. Multiple 3-balls from Guinyard and solid bench play gave Duquesne life, but Villanova responded with a late surge, turning a close game into a 45-35 halftime lead.

Despite the deficit, Duquesne’s offense continued to shine. Guinyard used his speed to attack the rim and find open teammates.

“I’ve got teammates who can shoot very well,” Guinyard said. “It opens up a whole other level when teams can’t help off certain players.”

The game’s turning point came on the defensive side when David Dixon fouled out, forcing Duquesne to adjust rotations. Duquesne’s big men found themselves in constant foul trouble, as John Hugley IV had four.

Duquesne racked up 25 personal fouls over the contest, forcing Head Coach Dru Joyce III to get creative with his personnel, with that being the difference against a lights-out Wildcats team.

Villanova freshman Acaden Lewis led the Wildcats’ charge with 19 points and six assists. Three Wildcats scored in the double digits. Duke Brennan flirted with a double-double, finishing with 8 points and 13 rebounds.

Duquesne bounced back after a frustrating loss in the city of brotherly love, defeating Loyola (MD) 92-78 at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse Wednesday night.

The Dukes were dominant from the jump. After trading 2-point buckets with the Greyhounds, Duquesne went on a 17-2 extended run. Hugley took command in the opening minutes, scoring 9 of Duquesne’s first 11 points.

Hugley used the entire court in his early-game dominance, hitting a 3-pointer, pulling up for mid-range shots and continuing his ownership of the paint.

The Dukes pulled down 21 rebounds in the first half, with eight of them coming offensively thanks to Necas and Hugley commanding the paint.

“We got out-rebounded last game, so that was a point of emphasis,” Crawford said. “[We’re] trying to get the best looks possible. I think it worked well for us tonight.”

The sharp-shooting Dukes cooled off after their run, using their big men to play defense and protect a lead that inflated to as much as 21 in the second half. Clutch deep shots from Loyola’s Braeden Speed and Jordan Stiemke kept the Greyhounds within striking distance, as the score settled at 47-36 at halftime.

Toward the end of the first half and through the second, Duquesne started to struggle with sloppy transitions and turnovers. The Dukes committed 17 turnovers throughout the contest. Still, it was a learning moment for Duquesne.

“The ball went from the left side to the right side multiple times,” Joyce said. “I think we took a step in the right direction.”

The Greyhounds used Duquesne’s mistakes efficiently, turning empty Dukes possessions into easy points. Loyola guard Jacob Theodosiou used his quick burst to maneuver inside the arc, scoring 21 points and helping the Greyhounds close the gap to 6 midway through the last half.

Still, Duquesne used the possessions they had effectively. The Dukes shot 55.2% from the field against Loyola, hitting 60% of their shots in the second half to bury the Greyhounds. Five Dukes hit over two-thirds of their shots, with Hugley only missing one shot (87.5%) in the entire match.

“It’s just nice to go out there and actually positively impact the game,” Crawford said. “I’m hoping I can build off of this so we can keep it rolling.”

Will Stover can be reached at stoverw1@duq.edu

Ben Deihl can be reached at deihlb1@duq.edu