Rising to A-10 contender: 5 reasons why Duquesne Basketball has won 5 straight games

At one point in Atlantic 10 play, the Duquesne Dukes were 3-5 in league play and closer to playing in the first round of the conference tournament than to getting multiple byes. However, the Dukes are on a big run, having won the last five games, including wins over George Mason, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island, and Wednesday’s buzzer-beating victory over La Salle.

So what’s been the reason for the team’s big run as of late? Here are five takeaways from the Dukes’ win streak.

1. Heroics from Tarence Guinyard and Jimmie Williams

Duquesne has been led by its dynamic guard duo all season, with Guinyard (16.4 ppg) and Williams (15.8 ppg) ranked in the top seven overall in scoring in the Atlantic 10. They’ve both had some big moments during this run, including Jimmie Williams scoring 19 points and making the game-sealing 30-foot shot to win at St. Bonaventure.

For Guinyard, he had 25 second-half points to beat George Washington, as well as the game-winning basket to come back to beat La Salle. There will be comparisons to the previous elite Dukes backcourt of Jimmy Clark and Dae Dae Grant, who also carried the team through a late conference run that eventually led to a tournament title. Jimmie and Guinyard look capable of doing the same thing.

2. Alex Williams’ 6th Man candidacy

Another player who has come up clutch for the Dukes is Alex Williams, a senior forward who missed all of last year with a lower-leg injury. After a slow start to the season, he’s become a key piece to the team, ranking 3rd in scoring (10.2 ppg) while playing 19 minutes off the bench.

Williams has scored 12+ points in four of the last five games, including 25 points in the big road win at George Mason when the team was without two starters, including Guinyard. Terrence Hill of VCU is the clear favorite to win A-10 6th Man of the Year, but if he continues to start games, then it could be open for someone like Williams to make a real case.

3. Brandon Hall’s emergence as a key starter

Another player who had a limited role early in the season is Hall, who also sat out a year ago. But due to Cam Crawford’s struggles at the three-spot, Hall has gotten increased minutes and has become another bright spot for the team. He’s started and played 20+ minutes in each of the last seven games, including a pair of double-digit scoring outings. His 12 points versus La Salle proved to be huge in the rare off-game from both Guinyard and Williams. If Hall’s offense and quality defense continue, Duquesne’s backcourt depth will be its advantage come postseason time.

4. Change at the five-spot

Xavier transfer John Hugley was an early focal point of the team, averaging around 15 ppg and 8.0 rpg. But Duquesne’s defense was at its lowest point, causing them to lose games to Northeastern and William & Mary. A suspension midway through the season forced David Dixon to start and get the majority of the minutes, which has sparked a turnaround on the defensive end.

Dixon, who is averaging 9.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg in league play, while Jakub Necas has played the majority of the backup minutes behind him. While Hugley is back and gives them depth, Dixon becoming the lead big man has allowed the team defense to improve enough to win these games.

5. Improvement from the FT battle

Just about no one in the A-10 has played more close games in league play than Duquesne, which has won the last four games by a combined 14 points. One area that has helped them is the FT line, ranking in the top-4 in terms of getting to the line and making them at 73%. 

A year ago, the Dukes were dead last in the A-10 at 66%, which ranked in the bottom 10 nationwide. That group still managed to go 8-10 in league play, with a few points in games being the difference between more wins. The improvement at the line is a quiet yet important factor in the Dukes winning more games.