2nd-half run leads to victory
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Duquesne defeated visiting St. Bonaventure, 66-52, Saturday afternoon thanks to a game-changing, three-minute sequence in the middle of the second half.
The Dukes (10-6, 1-1 Atlantic 10) went on a 13-0 spree that started with a 3-pointer by Kadeem Pantophlet, followed by a blocked shot by Andre Marhold.
Marhold denied Bonnies star Andrew Nicholson on a layup attempt. The block sent a roar through the Palumbo Center crowd and from there the Dukes went on to bury the Bonnies.
"It was our defense today that carried the day," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said. "We have the world of respect for St. Bonaventure. Any team with Andrew Nicholson on it is a great team.
"We were able to get Nicholson in foul trouble early. We were able to get the ball loose and get into the open floor. When T.J. [McConnell] gets out in the open floor we're a pretty dangerous team."
Nicholson, a 6-foot-9 All-America candidate, came in averaging 14.4 points a game. There were five NBA scouts at the game to watch him.
He got into foul trouble just six minutes into the game and did not score in the first half.
He returned in the second half and scored 11 points before Marhold's block. Nicholson didn't score again.
"I guess it's something that worked out. We were just trying to keep the ball out of his hands," Marhold said.
"Not letting him touch the ball. Catch it and not let him score. No free throws, no anything."
During the run Sean Johnson scored eight points on a pair of layups off the fastbreak, a reverse off a turnover, and two free throws to give the Dukes a 52-37 lead with 9:04 to play. McConnell assisted on two of the scores, and Marhold had a dunk off an inbounds pass.
"That block was real big for us. It built our intensity up," Johnson said. "Yeah, we knew we were going to make our run. We had to sustain it, couldn't hold back like last game."
First Published January 8, 2012 12:00 am
