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Sunday, February 02, 2003

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

WASHINGTON -- College basketball games often are won and lost in the final five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. Duquesne found that out the hard way yesterday at George Washington.

After controlling play and quieting a hostile crowd in the first 15 minutes of the game, the Dukes let a late lapse at the end of the first half and a poor start to the second half ruin an otherwise solid road effort.

George Washington scored 11 of the final 15 points in the first half and 12 of the first 15 to open the second half and beat the Dukes, 68-58, before 2,694 at the Smith Center.

"I thought we were really ragged at the end of the first half," Dukes Coach Danny Nee said. "Then we stumbled in the first five minutes of the second half. Those two dry spells were the difference in the game because we played well enough in the other parts of the game."

The Dukes (7-14, 1-7 Atlantic 10 Conference) have lost six consecutive games and play Atlantic 10 West Division leader Dayton Wednesday at the Palumbo Center.

After a sizzling start to the conference season shooting the ball, the Dukes have had trouble finding their range the past two games. They made 19 of 53 (35.8 percent) shots from the field yesterday against a team that had been allowing more than 71 points per game. This poor shooting performance came on the heels of a 31 percent effort Tuesday at Richmond.

Opponents are beginning to figure out how to defense senior guard Kevin Forney, who had been tormenting teams with his dribble penetration. Forney was smothered by a gang of defenders who were intent on not allowing him to beat them. He was 2 for 9 from the field and had 11 points.

"They see the tape," Forney said. "They see that I've been penetrating and scoring. They're sending multiple guys at me all the time."

What's hurting the Dukes is that Forney's teammates aren't picking up his slack. Tricco had 12 points yesterday, all on 3-point baskets, but no one else made more than three shots from the field.

"We didn't shoot the ball well enough to win," Nee said. "We have to do a better job of finishing shots. We have to make more shots."

While the offense is in a minislump, the defense continued its season-long struggles. George Washington (8-10, 2-5) made 25 of 47 shots from the field. For the season, opponents are shooting 44.6 percent from the field against the Dukes.

Senior guard Chris Monroe led George Washington with 19 points and three other Colonials were in double figures.

"We have to start contesting every shot," Tricco said. "We have to start getting our hands in peoples' faces when they shoot."

"We just have to develop an attitude that you're not going to let your guy score," Forney said. "It's coming out and getting in a players' jock. It's more of an attitude than anything."

Despite the subpar play on offense and defense and the lapses around halftime, the Dukes were in the game late.

Tricco made a 3-pointer with 4:02 left to cut it to 52-49. After a timeout, T.J. Thompson answered with a 3-pointer from the corner to restore the six-point lead with 3:30 left.

Duquesne's Elijah Plamer made two free throws with 3:01 left to make it 55-51, and the Dukes had a defensive stop. Then the inexperience of freshman point guard Bryant McAllister thwarted any chance of a comeback.

Early in the shot clock, McAllister took an ill-advised 3-pointer. George Washington scored on its ensuing possession, and McAllister turned the ball over on Duquesne's next possession, which led to a thunderous dunk by George Washington freshman Mike Hall.

"I was a little disappointed in McAllister," Nee said. "But this on-the-job training is rough. He had no business taking that shot. He's making mistakes, but I think he'll be a better player for it."

"He was in the locker room saying he lost the game for us," Forney said. "But we lost this game as a team. We all had our share of mistakes out there."

NOTES -- George Washington has won 16 of the past 18 meetings. ... The Colonials visit the Palumbo Center Feb. 19. ... The Dukes made 5 of 15 3-point attempts. ... The Dukes scored 20 second-chance points to George Washington's five. ... George Washington had 18 points off 14 Duquesne turnovers.