Feb. 8, 2006
Box Score
A second consecutive school record-tying performance by Bryant McAllister wasn't enough as Rhode Island survived a second-half Duquesne rally to defeat the outmanned Dukes 79-69 at Kingston, R.I.
McAllister, who handed out a school record-tying 12 assists versus Fordham on Saturday, tied Tony Petrarca's 17-year-old school record with eight 3-pointers in scoring a career-high 36 points for Duquesne (3-18, 1-9).
McAllister's point total was the highest by a DU player since Mike James scored 36 at Xavier in 1996.
Dawan Robinson led Rhode Island (12-9, 6-4) with 21 points. Will Daniels and Jamaal Wise added 17 each for the Rams.
Duquesne was without starting forward DeVario Hudson who was in street clothes with the flu.
Rhode Island shot 60 percent from the field in opening up a 41-33 halftime lead.
Duquesne scored the first five points of the second half and cut the lead to two on an Aaron Jackson layup with just under 18 minutes left. Rhode Island then went on a 12-0 run to take a 54-40 lead on a Jimmy Baron 3-pointer at the 13:43 mark.
Duquesne refused to fold as McAllister scored seven points during an 11-1 run to cut the lead to 55-51 with just over nine minutes remaining.
The Dukes trailed by eight with 3:48 left before URI scored six consecutive points to put the game out of reach.
Chauncey Duke scored 12 points and helped fill the rebounding void left by Hudson with eight boards for the Dukes. Jackson added eight points and a team-high six assists.
McAllister, who played with a touch of the flu himself, finished the game 12-of-19 from the field and 8-of-13 from the 3-point arc. He also added six rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes.
Duquesne shot 54.2 percent in the second half and 47.4 percent for the game. Rhode Island, which outrebounded Duquesne 36-24, shot 54.9 percent. Rhode Island outscored Duquesne 17-5 from the foul line.
NOTES: McAllister's 36 points eclipsed his previous career-high of 30 set last year vs. UMBC and tied earlier this season vs. Troy ... the point total was the highest by a Duquesne player since current Toronto Raptors point guard Mike James scored 36 at Xavier on Feb. 24, 1996 ... McAllister scored 18 in each half ... James was also the last DU player to score 30 on the road (31 at Temple on Jan. 21, 1998) ... McAllister, who now has 1,420 career points, passed Courtney Wallace and James to take over the No. 11 spot on DU's all-time leading scorers' list ... McAllister's eight 3-pointers tied the school record set by Tony Petrarca at Pitt on Dec. 18, 1989 ... Duquesne tied its season high of 10 3-pointers made for the second time in three games ... the Dukes were without leading rebounder DeVario Hudson, who was in street clothes with the flu ... Duquesne's 24 rebounds were a season low ... centers Sean McKeon and Keith Gayden went without a rebound in 40 combined minutes ... Rhode Island went 17-27 from the foul line ... Duquesne was 5-6 from the charity stripe.
DUQUESNE HEAD COACH Danny Nee: "Bryant McAllister gave us everything he had. He played at a very, very, very high level. He's just got to get some help from some other people. I thought our guys played with a lot of heart. They gave everything they had. We just couldn't contain [Dawan] Robinson. We just couldn't get enough stops.
"DeVario Hudson came down with something between a flu and pneumonia and had a temperature all day yesterday. There was no way I was going to play him. This is the hand we've been dealt, and its the hand we're going to play with. Times like this don't build character, they reveal it. We have a good group of kids."
DUQUESNE SENIOR GUARD Bryant McAllister: "I'm sick as heck ... sore throat, cold, dizzy. I just tried to play to the best of my ability and do what I could do to help the team. I always feel like I can make shots. I liked the ball and I liked the rims. It all felt good. In the second half they basically face-guarded me, but I'm used to it. I can't control that DeVario was sick or that other guys have injuries. I just have to go all out for my last six or seven games."
