Purdue Fort Wayne
Duquesne
Dukes Topple `Dons 77-64
12/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2008
Fort Wayne, IN - The Duquesne Dukes (9-3) jumped out to a quick 11-point, 16-5 lead through the first five minutes of the game, and held on despite a number of rallies by the IPFW Mastodons (2-8), scoring the final five points of the game to claim the 77-64 non-conference victory.
Guards Courtney Reed, Chelsey Jackson, and Jordan Zuppe were the offensive catalysts for the `Dons, scoring 14, 14, and 12 points, respectively. Eva Ivanova scored seven points, all in the second half, with Anne Boese adding six on a pair of three-point baskets.
Jackson pulled down a team-leading five rebounds, with Zuppe dishing out a trio of assists while grabbing three steals as well.
IPFW led 2-0 and 5-2 following a lay-up by Jackson and a three-point basket by Zuppe before the visitors from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, scored the next 14 points, jumping ahead 16-5, making their first six shots of the contest.
 Chelsey Jackson scored a team-high-tying 14 points, aided by a season-high six free throws  |
|
The `Dons used a quick 5-0 spurt to close to within six with 12:45 on the game clock, and trailed by six at 11:01 before a 7-0 run gave the Dukes their largest lead of the half at 27-14.
Trailing by 11, Sarah Haluska drilled a three-point basket with 20 seconds left in the half, cutting the deficit to eight at 40-32 heading into the locker room at halftime.
The late three by Haluska sparked a second-half run by IPFW, as the `Dons scored the first five points of the second frame, the first three from a Reed three-point basket, and a free throw each from Haluska and Jackson, cutting the deficit to three with 18 minutes to play in the contest.
The `Dons would trail by as few as three on a trio of occasions, the latest with just under 16 minutes on the clock, before the visitors gradually pulled away, despite a steady IPFW defense.
Duquesne led by seven at 55-48 with just under six minutes on the clock, before a 15-6 run pushed the Duke advantage to 16 four minutes later, as the visitors cruised the rest of the way in the 77-64 outcome.
For the third consecutive game, an IPFW opponent shot over .500, as Duquesne hit 23-of-43 shots from the field, for a percentage of .535, but were held to just 28.6 percent shooting (4-of-14) from long range. IPFW made 19 of their 60 shots, a percentage of 31.7, while making nine three-point baskets in 29 attempts for a percentage of 31.0.
The `Dons nine three-point baskets increased their average of three-point baskets per game, which was ranked second in the most recent NCAA Statistical rankings.
Duquesne put four players in double figures in the scoring column, and was led by Keri Pryor's 23 points, with Rachel Frederick adding 13, and Kristi Little and Samantha Pollino each adding 10. Pryor narrowly missed a double-double with a game-high eight rebounds, helping the Dukes to out-rebound IPFW 37-27 in the contest.
IPFW next takes a week-long break from games for the Holiday season, before traveling south to Dayton, Ohio, where the squad will take on the Raiders of Wright State University at the Ervin J. Nutter Center on Monday, January 29.
~Dons~
