PITTSBURGH – The Duquesne women’s basketball team closed out the 2012 Preseason WNIT with a 51-47 victory over #17 Delaware on Wednesday night at the Palumbo Center.
Wumi Agunbiade scored a game-high 17 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Dukes (2-1) to its second win in three tries over a ranked opponent.
UD’s Lauren Carra had a team-high 12 and Danielle Parker added 11 for the Blue Hens (1-2).
Duquesne began the game by make four of its first six shots to take an early 9-6 lead at the first media timeout. Orsi Szecsi’s layup at the 13:18 mark started an 11-2 run which gave the Dukes its largest lead of the game at 11 points, 21-10 with 7:07 remaining in the half. UD’s Trumae Lucas’ steal and layup at the buzzer sent the game into halftime with Duquesne leading 26-18.
The Blue Hens started off the second half scoring the first six points that began an 11-4 run which put them within one point at 30-29 at the 15:29 mark. UD tied the score at 33-33 on a running layup by Carra at 11:38.
The score would be tied four more times before a pair of Lucas foul shots gave Delaware its first lead of the game at 42-41 with 3:50 to play. On the ensuing possession, Szecsi was fouled and was shooting two foul shots. She missed the first, but a UD lane violation gave her another chance and she converted both attempts which gave the Dukes the lead back at 43-42. Stephanie Leon would hit a jumper on the Hens’ next possession as the lead exchanged hands again, 44-43 in favor of UD with 3:59 remaining in regulation.
April Robinson scored off a fast break 40 seconds later making the score 45-44 in favor of the Dukes. It would remain a one-point game with 19 seconds left. Robinson found Szecsi on the left side who buried a 3-pointer to put the Dukes up 51-47. Szecsi would take a charge on the next possession to ice the contest.
“This is a good win against a quality team,” said head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio. “Even without Elena Della Donne this team is very skilled, has a good inside game, shooters and penetrators – that’s everything you look for in a team.”
Della Donne, a First-Team All-American last season, has not played this season because she is battling the effects of Lyme Disease.
“It was great to see Wumi get back on track,” said Coach Serio.
Agunbiade only scored five points against both Liberty and North Carolina.
The Dukes have a week off before hosting North Dakota on Nov. 21st. Tipoff time is at 1:30 p.m. and is part of a triple-header with the men’s team who is hosting part of the Legend’s Classic.
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