Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Duquesne College males’s basketball crew claimed its first Atlantic 10 Championship title since 1977 Sunday with a 57-51 victory over No. 5 seed VCU on the Barclays Heart. The Dukes improved to 24-11 (.686) total with the win and claimed an automated bid to the 2024 NCAA Match.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Proudly owning a 36-22 benefit at halftime, the Rams (22-13) chipped away within the second half, closing to inside 44-41 after a dunk from Toibu Lawal. Duquesne answered, getting a layup from sophomore ahead David Dixon on a feed from senior guard Dae Dae Grant to pump the lead again to 5, 46-41. Duquesne shot simply 17.2 % (5-for-29) from the sphere within the second half, however freshman ahead Jakub Necas got here up huge, as he took an outlet move from the paint from Dixon and buried a three-pointer to assist push the Dukes result in 49-41. VCU did not fold, scoring the following seven factors to trim its deficit to 49-48 with 1:36 left, however on the following possession senior guard Jimmy Clark III discovered freshman guard Jake DiMichele alone within the paint for a floater at 1:07 to push Duquesne a 51-48 edge. The Dukes sealed the win on the free-throw line, together with 4 from Clark III and a pair from ahead Fousseyni Drame.
QUOTABLE
“Tremendous happy with our guys resiliency and toughness,” head coach Keith Dambrot. “We had been in so many video games and had so many disappointments early within the 12 months that we discovered the way to win even when issues did not go very properly for us. We had been mature. Unemotional. We bought in a rock struggle, which might be good for us slightly than a easy, flowing recreation. We’re the most effective defensive groups within the league, and if it is 57-51 that is good for us. We did a great job defensively the entire match, and I believe that is why we gained.”
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Grant was named the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship Most Excellent Participant after averaging 16.3 factors, 2.3 rebounds and three.5 assists whereas capturing 42.6 % (23-for-54) from the sphere. He scored 10 factors within the title recreation, all of which got here within the first half as Duquesne grabbed its largest lead, 36-18, with 2:14 remaining earlier than halftime. Becoming a member of Grant as a member of the 2024 Atlantic 10 All-Match Staff was Clark III, who averaged 15.8 factors, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists whereas changing 13 of his 15 alternatives on the free-throw line (86.7%).
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