PHILADELPHIA - Duquesne scored 85 points, made 52 percent of its shots from the field, which included 13 of 25 from beyond the arc, and had a plus-three advantage on the boards.

"Those numbers should be good enough to win most games," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said as he stared at the statistics sheet. He stopped when his eyes hit a number. "Nineteen turnovers; that just can't happen."

But the overriding key to Temple's 90-85 victory last night at the Liacouras Center was Dionte Christmas, a 6-foot-5 junior whose career-high 37 points blunted a furious comeback by the Dukes (16-12, 6-9), who lost their fifth game in a row and slipped lower in the Atlantic 10 Conference standings.

Duquesne might have to defeat Saint Louis in the season finale Saturday at Palumbo Center to qualify for the A-10 tournament next week in Atlantic City, N.J.