Matthew Theodros | staff writer

The Duquesne men’s basketball team dropped its fourth and fifth straight games this week, falling 73-68 at Richmond on Wednesday after losing 62-55 at home to UMass on Saturday.

Heading into Wednesday’s game following a four-game losing streak and bearing a less-than-stellar 1-4 away record, it was critical that the Dukes pulled a road victory in Virginia. History has not been in the Dukes’ favor when facing Richmond. The Spiders have dominated the all-time series, winning 27 of the last 30 prior to Wednesday.

The Spiders led by as much as 13 with less than three minutes remaining. They controlled most of the contest behind their defense until the final minutes of the second half.

Similarly to the Saint Joseph’s game in Philly two weeks ago, Duquesne fought within the short window, making smart defensive plays for easy transition points and hitting timely threes to cut the lead to a one-possession ballgame. Tre Dinkins III continued his late game heroics, hitting a deep ball to cut the lead to three. Richmond, however, converted on its free throws and made the vital defensive stands to secure the win.

The Dukes struggled with shot-making, leading to wasted possessions, particularly in the first half, shooting a dreadful 4 of 16 from three. Meanwhile, Richmond made the most of its opportunities, converting at a much higher rate. From beyond the arc, the Spiders were sharp, finishing the night hitting 8-of-12, while the Dukes managed just 11-of-31.

Maximus Edwards finished with 21 points, marking his second 20-point performance of the season. Dinkins kept up his scoring surge, adding 17 points. Together, the two combined for 10 of Duquesne’s 11 made three-pointers.

This loss stings as this was a potential statement win for the Dukes to gain momentum as they continue Atlantic 10 Conference play. That feel-good win over St. Bonaventure on Jan. 18 is now ancient history

Saturday’s loss to UMass underscored the same struggles the Dukes have closing out games, executing in clutch moments and generating consistent offense. It was their worst offensive showing of the season, as they shot a poor 19 of 60 from the field and just 4 of 23 from beyond the arc.

“We figured it out for a period of time, but we just couldn’t close the game,” Duquesne Head Coach Dru Joyce III said. “I thought we had good looks all game. I think we just missed. I’m not deterred by the quality of possessions.”

The first half was a tightly contested battle, with UMass clinging to a narrow 25-24 lead at the break. Duquesne could have built a much larger advantage, but despite generating quality looks, they struggled to convert easy layups and shots that usually fall.

Rahsool Diggins caught fire in the second half, pouring in 27 of his 32 points to lead the Minutemen. He knocked down all five of UMass’s three-pointers, helping secure their late-game advantage. Diggins single-handedly took over, scoring 18 straight points to flip a three-point deficit into a 54-45 lead with 2:30 remaining.

Despite his standout performance, the Dukes effectively shut down the rest of the team, holding them to just 30 points on 32% shooting. In the first half, Jahsean Corbett and Eli Wilborn played key roles, delivering elite rim protection and relentless ball pressure.

“I don’t think our defense was really an issue,” Joyce said. “We forced 18 turnovers. We did a pretty good job on the rebounds against the best rebounding team in the league. I didn’t think at any moment that our defensive performance was poor.”

Free-throw shooting remains a major issue, with performances of 11-of-22 and 7-of-12. At just 63%, Duquesne ranks last in the A-10 in free throw shooting. Given how tight these games have been, points from the charity stripe could have been significant.

The slow starts are also becoming a concerning trend, one that has hindered this Dukes team from reaching its full potential. As they slip further down the conference standings, the games leading into March will be crucial for Joyce and the team to make strides toward improvement.

The Dukes have a chance to stop their losing streak at five when they return home to Cooper Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon to face Loyola Chicago.