This is what Duquesne coach Ron Everhart must have dreamt it would look like when he spent countless hours this past summer and early fall mulling things over in his mind on how he wanted the Dukes to play this season.

A 92-67 victory against George Washington in an Atlantic 10 Conference game last night at the Palumbo Center was Duquesne basketball at its chaotic finest, with the Dukes swarming on defense, attacking on offense and Shawn James taking care of business around both baskets.

The catalyst for Duquesne's impressive performance was the inspired play of James, a 6-foot-10 junior who showed no effects from minor injuries to his left knee that kept him out for the Dukes' 83-67 victory against St. Bonaventure Wednesday. James was running the court like a colt, his knees pumping high and a huge grin on his face. He set the tone early with blocked shots, slam dunks on no-look passes from Kojo Mensah, a jump hook in the lane and a 3-pointer.

James finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks in just 23 minutes as the Dukes (13-5, 3-2) ended a six-game losing streak against George Washington (5-10, 1-4), which became discombobulated from the outset by Duquesne's trapping, chasing defense. The Colonials turned the ball over 15 times in the first half and went 13 minutes with just one field goal while the Dukes were building their cushion to 53-27. They led, 53-32, at intermission and built their largest advantage to 83-51 midway through the second half.

"Missing the last game I really wanted to get back in there and get my wind back," said James, who holds the school record for a season with 71 blocks and has 403 for his career. James led Division I with 6.53 blocks per game as a sophomore at Northeastern and was second as a freshman.

"The 400 club, that's pretty cool. There are some great athletes in that class."

With James leading the way, Duquesne raced to leads of 11-4, 22-8 and 34-12 before the game was 10 minutes old.

"From the start of the game to the end of the game, this was one of our best games," James said. "We played the way we wanted to play. I knew for a fact that I was going to play. It [the knee] felt good. I sat the last game so I was able to play this game."

Duquesne employed its "1040" style with two-platoon substitutions every couple minutes and relentless full-court defensive pressure. The Dukes converted many of George Washington's 29 turnovers into fastbreak opportunities.

Mensah played one of his steadiest games with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

"I sat down with coach and we talked about the way I had been playing. I felt I was forcing too much and not letting the game come to me," said Mensah, a 6-1 junior. "I felt like I wasn't playing the way I should."

Last night, Mensah and the Dukes played the way Everhart wanted.

"We played with a lot of passion and energy," he said. "We were able to get our tempo and we had their ballhandlers on their heels early."

NOTES -- Duquesne's 13 victories is its most in a season since going 17-13 in 1993-94 under coach John Carroll. ... The margin of victory was Duquesne's largest in the 66-game series. ... Kieron Achara's friends from back home in Sterling, Scotland, attended the game wearing their traditional kilts. ... Duquesne had 10 players play between 13 and 23 minutes. ... Duquesne's next game is against Saint Joseph's at home Wednesday.