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Thursday, February 06, 2003

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Duquesne has had its fair share of close calls this disappointing basketball season. There was the shot that rimmed out against the University of Denver in the final seconds at the San Juan Shootout. And a gut-wrenching five-point loss at the University of Dayton three weeks ago.

	Duquesne's Brad Midgley knocks a rebound away from Dayton's Nate Green last night.(Peter Diana, Post-Gazette)

In the rematch last night at the Palumbo Center, the Dukes once again had their plans go awry in the final moments, and Dayton held on for a thrilling 76-75 victory before 4,004 fans.

The game was eerily similar to a 77-72 win the Flyers eked out in Dayton three weeks ago. The Dukes (7-17, 1-8 Atlantic 10) battled back from a big deficit and had a chance to win at the end but were doomed once again by poor execution.

After a defensive stop, the Dukes inbounded the ball with 13.2 seconds on the clock. Freshman point guard Bryant McAllister deliberately brought the ball up court and tried an entry pass inside with four seconds left to Ron Dokes, who was 1 for 11 from the field. Dokes didn't take the shot and passed to the top of the key to Kevin Forney, who couldn't get his shot off before time expired.

"We thought that play was going to work because it had been working all day," Forney said. "I got open, but time expired."

Midgley, right, gets the inside position on the Fyers' Frank Iguodala at the the Palumbo Center.(Peter Diana, Post-Gazette)

McAllister said he didn't realize how much time had run off the clock before he finally got the play going.

"That was the fastest 13 seconds," he said.

The Dukes had a timeout left but decided not to use it. Coach Danny Nee had drawn up the play he wanted during the previous timeout.

"It was a little slow developing," Nee said. "I would have liked to have seen Dokes attack the basket. But he was 1 for 11, and he decided he didn't have the angle.

"You have to understand with Kevin Forney at the top of the key with five, four, three seconds left, that's where he's best. I was very comfortable with him there. We got the shot we wanted, but time ran out."

By the time Forney caught the ball, there was less than two seconds remaining. He dribbled to free himself up as time ran out.

The poor execution at the end overshadowed an otherwise superb effort against the best team in the conference. The Dukes had five players score in double figures for the first time this season and shot 47 percent from the field.

They battled back from a 14-point deficit in the second half, keyed by a 13-2 run in a two-minute stretch to get within three, 51-48, with 12:16 left.

Dayton (16-3, 8-0) was able to keep the Dukes at bay, but Duquesne had two other opportunities to tie the score or take the lead in the final five minutes. With five minutes left and Duquesne trailing, 67-65, Jimmy Tricco, who was held scoreless for the first time this season, had his 3-point attempt blocked by Brooks Hall.

Then, with two minutes remaining and the Dukes trailing, 72-70, McAllister's entry pass to Dokes was deflected and stolen.

"It's real frustrating when we come real close like this and can't get the wins," Forney said.

"Duquesne played as hard as any team I've seen this year," Dayton Coach Oliver Purnell said. "We had a couple of chances to break it open, but we couldn't do it. I can't say enough about the way Duquesne played."

Purnell was intent on stopping the Dukes from shooting 3-pointers. They made 9 of 20 in the first meeting but hit only 3 of 10 last night as the Flyers' sticky defenders closely guarded Tricco, who had 20 points on six 3-pointers in the previous game.

McAllister broke out of an offensive slump by tying a career-high with 19 points. He had gone 4 for 20 from the field in the previous four games.

Elijah Palmer also broke out of a slump, scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Dayton was led by senior guard D.J. Stelly, who had 18 points. He scored nine of his points on three 3-pointers in a 23-12 run that gave the Flyers a 40-26 lead late in the first half.

The Dukes next play Saturday against La Salle at the Palumbo Center.