Duquesne 74, Saint Joe's 71: A look back (w/ audio)
By Colin Dunlap | 1:57 a.m. Monday
With just about every Duquesne win this season, there was good and there was bad with what happened against the Hawks.
But as Ron Everhart walked into the media room, and as he continued talking, something was driven home that I think everyone should understand (and Phil Martelli touched on this) --- there is a definite pecking order this year in the Atlantic 10, it is top heavy. All that said, unless Fordham is involved in a game, there is a very good chance it might go down to the final gun.
Onto the audio:
Here are Duquesne players Damian Saunders and Melquan Bolding (Saunders speaks first). I found Bolding's answer interesting when I asked if he has ever been involved in this many close games in a season:
> CLICK HERE FOR SAUNDERS/BOLDING AUDIO
This is Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli. The way he described the A10 right now, I thought, was perfect:
> CLICK HERE FOR MARTELLI AUDIO
Here is some good stuff from Duquesne coach Ron Everhart, who was relieved as I have seen him in awhile:
> CLICK HERE FOR EVERHART AUDIO
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Some observations, tell me if you agree/disagree/what you think:
- Looked to me, from my seat at least, that Melquan Bolding roasted Garrett Williamson in the first half. The same Williamson who is, without question, one of the finest defenders in the A10.
- Ron Everhart touched on this a bit, but it needs mentioned more: Bolding also did a great job guarding Williamson.
- Jason Duty missed all four shots he took from the floor. But you know what the sign of a winner is? He went to the line and knocked in all four free throws he took, even when he wasn't shooting it well from the outside.
- Sean Johnson hasn't looked himself the last couple games.
- This was another game when Bill Clark failed to hit a 3. But he never stood around -- he had 6 assists and 3 huge offensive boards.
- The Dukes missed 10 free throws in the second half. You lose more close games than you win doing that. This team should feel lucky in that sense.
- Did you notice all 12 of Eric Evans' points came in the second half?
- Damian Saunders' steal and run-out dunk with 1 minute left might just have saved the season. Seriously, that is not an overstatement.
- I thought Morakinyo Williams could have played about 5-8 more minutes. It all worked out in the end, but I thought there was a span in the second half, from about the 14 minute mark, where they could have used him.
- The crowd was solid. Kudos to the students -- part of me never thought I would say that.
- Seemed to me that Mike Kitts, Jamie Luckey and Ed Corbett turned in the best officiated Duquesne game of the season in this one. Those guys were very good.
- B.J. Monteiro's effort seemed kind of ho-hum.
- Again, no Rodrigo Peggau, but Oliver Lewinson played. This is very, very strange.
- If the Dukes shoot this way on Wednesday, they have a chance against Temple.
- For all the ribbing I give the pep band, they add to the atmosphere.
- What was up with assistant coach Scott Rigot going without a necktie?
- The Dukes really are about 10 possessions away from having a vastly different record.
| St. Joseph's (PA) | ||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FG-FGA | FT-FTA | 3P-3PA | OR-TR | Ast | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts |
| I Hilliard | F | 39 | 6-13 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 9-14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| T O'Brien | F | 21 | 4-6 | 5-6 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| D Govens | G | 39 | 6-15 | 3-5 | 2-10 | 0-4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| J Crosgile | G | 30 | 6-8 | 2-2 | 3-4 | 3-5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 17 |
| G Williamson | G | 29 | 1-4 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| B Irwin | 17 | 1-8 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 2-4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| C Jones | 16 | 1-11 | 1-1 | 0-3 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| C Bentley | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| C Baptiste | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| A Rogers | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Totals | 200 | 25-66 (.379) |
16-22 (.727) |
5-21 (.238) |
18-35 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 71 | |
| Duquesne | ||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FG-FGA | FT-FTA | 3P-3PA | OR-TR | Ast | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts |
| D Saunders | F | 39 | 7-12 | 0-4 | 1-5 | 2-14 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 15 |
| B Clark | F | 30 | 3-8 | 3-6 | 0-2 | 3-5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 |
| M Bolding | G | 34 | 9-13 | 3-5 | 3-6 | 2-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| E Evans | G | 32 | 4-8 | 4-6 | 0-1 | 1-3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| B Monteiro | G | 14 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1-4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| J Duty | 32 | 0-4 | 4-4 | 0-4 | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| S Johnson | 9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| O Lewinson | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| M Williams | 5 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| Totals | 200 | 28-53 (.528) |
14-25 (.560) |
4-19 (.211) |
12-38 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 74 | |
Officials: Mike Kitts, Jamie Luckey, Edward Corbett
Attendance: 3,789