Final Score: Duquesne 80, VCU 71

Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Palumbo Center)

Records: VCU 5-18 (2-9 A-10), Duquesne 20-4 (10-1, A-10) 

The Short Story: VCU, playing its second consecutive road game against a team in the top two of the A-10 standings, battled Duquesne for the entire 40 minutes in game where no team led by more than 10 points. The Rams and Dukes were tied at 51-51 with 2:11 left in the third quarter before a 7-0 run by Duquesne gave them the lead for good. VCU fought back to within three points twice during the fourth stanza but got no closer.

QUICK FACTS

• Tera Reed scored a career-high 27 points and added six assists. She was 11-of-18 from the floor during the game.
• Danielle Hammond added 16 points and five rebounds. She shot 7-of-10 from the floor.
• Taya Robinson also added 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
• The Rams had a 36-33 edge in rebounding including a 9-3 edge on the offensive glass.
• VCU shot 46.3 percent for the game while the Dukes shot 49.1 percent from the field.
• The Rams led 44-30 in points in the paint and 18-9 in fast break points. Each team only committed 11 turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game started as a back-and-forth contest and the teams were tied 11-11 with 2:53 left in the first quarter.
• Duquesne closed the quarter with a 9-5 spurt to take a 20-16 lead into the second.
• VCU started the second quarter with a 9-5 run of their town to tie the game 25-25 with 6:10 left before halftime.
• The two teams traded baskets until a 4-0 run by VCU gave the Rams a 32-29 lead with 3:04 remaining in the second quarter.
• VCU held that three-point margin and took a 36-33 lead into halftime.
• Hammond scored on a layup to open the fourth quarter and give the Rams their largest lead of the game at 38-33.
• Duquesne erased the deficit and the two teams were eventually tied 51-51 with 2:11 left before the Dukes made the 7-0 run to take the lead for good.
• The Rams continued to battle throughout the fourth quarter even after the Dukes led 73-63 with 1:44 remaining.
• VCU went on a 6-1 run to close the gap to just 74-69 with 42 seconds left before Duquesne sealed the game with a layup and going 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

WHAT'S NEXT
VCU hosts St. Bonaventure at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the E.J. Wade Arena.