Matthew Theodros | staff writer

The Duquesne men’s basketball team suffered two tough road losses this week, falling 65-63 at Fordham on Sunday and 76-72 at Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday.

The six-point margin of defeat across the two games could easily have been erased had a few key moments gone Duquesne’s way. In both contests, there were specific plays and missed opportunities that could have shifted the momentum and ultimately changed the outcome.

With less than two minutes left on Wednesday night, the Dukes faced a seemingly insurmountable 64-54 deficit. Senior guard Tre Dinkins III then exploded, scoring 13 of his 27 points in that short span, including several deep 3-pointers. Despite Duquesne’s strategy of fouling to stop the clock, the Hawks calmly sank all their free throws, securing the win.

The Dukes’ poor shooting performance of below 40% from the field was a key factor in their third straight loss, and they also missed all four free throws they attempted in the first half. Although they attempted 19 more shots than Joe’s, they only made four more field goals. This was evident in the first half where despite having a 26-24 lead, Duquesne was held scoreless by the Hawks over the last 3:13 of the half.

Dinkins and Cam Crawford (10 points) were the only Dukes to score in double figures. The team struggled to get their post players involved, as the Hawks’ strong interior defense proved too much to handle. The 7-2 disparity in team blocks underscores the effectiveness of the Hawks’ inside presence.

However, it’s worth noting that the Dukes won both the 3-point and turnover battle, the first instance of that happening in any of their losses this year. They connected on 11 3-pointers compared to just three from Saint Joseph’s, and committed only 10 turnovers while forcing 16.

The Philadelphia game mirrored the Bronx contest over the weekend in many ways, with the Dukes making similar errors in both losses. Fordham, like Saint Joseph’s, pushed Duquesne to the brink and ultimately executed better in the final minutes to pull off an upset.

Duquesne started strong, building a 14-9 lead early in the first half with five different players contributing to the score. The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half, resulting in seven ties and eight lead changes. David Dixon’s jumper just before the buzzer gave Duquesne a slim 30-29 advantage at halftime.

The second half was more of the same, and it came down to Crawford putting the Dukes ahead with a putback layup with under a minute to go. Fordham’s Josh Rivera responded with a clutch 3-pointer from the corner with 24 seconds left, giving the Rams a 1-point lead. The Dukes went to Dinkins for the potential game-winning shot, but he missed.

Duquesne went 8-for-14 from the line, missing free throws that could have won it the game such as it would in Philly. Adding to their struggles, the Dukes were outrebounded in both games, surrendering a total of 18 more boards than their opponents. A lack of aggressiveness in the paint has hurt the Dukes since their dominant win last week over St. Bonaventure, allowing opponents offensive rebounds and easy buckets inside.

The two road losses demonstrate the need for more continuity, especially in high-pressure situations. Lineup integrity will be vital as February arrives, and Head Coach Dru Joyce III will have to weigh his options as the Dukes try to solidify their position in the Atlantic 10 Conference standings heading into March.

The Dukes have a chance to break their losing streak when they return home to Cooper Fieldhouse this Saturday afternoon to face UMass before playing another Wednesday night road game at Richmond.