Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
PITTSBURGH – An attempt at the buzzer to force overtime came up inches too late with a layup from Anouar Mellouk resting on his fingertips on the way to the basket as the final horn sounded, wiping out a potential game-tying bucket as Duquesne captured a 56-54 decision inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
In the end, though, it was a season-high 25 turnovers that derailed the Bonnies Saturday.
In the second half, the Bonnies had more turnovers (12) than field goals (8) as Duquesne erased a four-point halftime deficit for their first home win over SBU since 2016.
Daryl Banks III logged a game-high 15 points and Chad Venning added 14, though he was limited during the second half due to foul trouble.
Despite a second half without any real flow offensively, the Bonnies found themselves within one score, 52-50, with 1:51 to play following a trey from Yann Farell.
On the next trip down the floor for the Dukes, though, Dae Dae Grant was able to get an off-balance runner under the basket to fall.
SBU came up empty on its next offensive possession, and a Bonnies foul sent Grant to the line where he delivered a pair of free throws inside 31 seconds to go.
Banks gave the Bonnies one last gasp, sinking a long three with 9.1 seconds on the clock for a three-point spread. Tevin Brewer missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for the Dukes, and the hosts elected to foul rather than allow a three-point attempt for the tie. Banks made the first, then deliberately missed the second, allowing for the rebound to fall to Barry Evans who dished to Mellouk. The redshirt freshman’s attempt went through the net, causing the Bona bench to momentarily celebrate.
An official review determined the shot came an instant after the clock hit zeroes, though, allowing Duquesne to preserve victory.
Moses Flowers was the third Bonnies performer in double figures, finishing with 10 points.
St. Bonaventure (13-13, 7-6 A-10) took a 31-27 lead to intermission after a bit of a back-and-forth first half saw the Bonnies start quick, the Dukes rally and the Bonnies hold serve at the halftime horn.
Bona opened the game on an 11-3 start as the Dukes stumbled out of the gates, much like in the first game of the season between the squads, firing just 1-for-11 from the floor to open.
A 12-2 Dukes run over five and a half minutes gave the hosts their first lead, but Bona’s would lead by double digits, 27-17 at one point.
The Bonnies did not score for the first four and a half minutes of the second half, though, with turnovers mounting up. By the first three minutes of the second half, the Bonnies had already mounted more turnovers than in any other game this season save for just two full contests.
Duquesne started the second period on an 8-0 break, moving ahead by four.
From there, offense was hard to come by for both squads.
The Bonnies went 8-for-21 from the floor after intermission while Duquesne went 12-30. SBU struggled to 35 percent from long range, but Duquesne mustered only 21 percent.
On the boards, the Bonnies led, 34-32, but the difference came in 35 points off turnovers for the Dukes.
Grant and Jimmy Clark III scored 12 points apiece for Duquesne (17-8, 7-5).
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