Duquesne may have worn out

Remember the 11-game winning streak that Duquesne rode to theverge of the national rankings earlier this season? Remember all thetalk of a long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament, or at worst-case scenario, a second trip in three seasons to the NIT?

It seems so long ago. How did it all fall apart?

Pending a possible postseason bid, Duquesne's seasonunceremoniously will end with seven losses in nine games -- but astill respectable 18-12 record.

A ferociously played, 93-90 overtime decision to Saint Joseph'sin the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals Friday in Atlantic City,N.J., only enhanced the heartache. It was Duquesne's sixth loss byless than five points and third during the current slump.

"The difference in the game was when we got lackadaisical onoffense," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said, referring to the Dukes'early second-half lapse that allowed Saint Joseph's to take an 11-point lead. "We missed a couple of easy (shots)."

Everhart offered no insight into his team's postseasonpossibilities, but Internet site The Bracket Project predicted thatDuquesne would land in the 16-team College Basketball Invitational,where the Dukes made their first appearance last season, losing toPrinceton in the first round. Another possibility is the 16-teamCollegeinsider.com Tournament.

Fatigue may well have played a major role in Duquesne's fall,which began in early Febuary, when the team, playing without a truebig man, faltered at St. Bonaventure, 64-62, ending its long winningstreak and 8-0 A-10 start.

The bounce was gone from the Dukes' legs. Their swagger wassmitten. And it only got worse.

All season, Duquesne shot poorly from the free-throw line,finishing last in the A-10 at 62.1 percent. Against Saint Joseph's,which lost to Dayton in the semifinals Saturday, the Dukes wereslightly worse at 52.9 percent (19 for 32). It was a possible signof fatigue.

Only a convincing 18-point win at Massachusetts and a six-pointrevenge victory over St. Bonaventure in early March were brightspots for Duquesne down the stretch.

"Being the team that we are, we like to run a lot and get up inpeople, but we really didn't execute that (Friday) on the defensiveend," said Duquesne forward Damian Saunders, one of three seniorshoping for another chance to play this season.

The Dukes' pressing and trapping defensie style wasn't alwayssuccessful stopping in their opponents, but more times than not, itmanaged to speed the pace and make things uncomfortable.

"I was real nervous. I was tired and exhausted," Saint Joseph'sguard Carl Jones said.

But it may have been that Duquesne's constant motion and franticpace tired the Dukes long before their lastest loss, their eighth ofthe season by single digits and second in overtime.

Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, like most coaches goingagainst Everhart's squad, said a key issue heading into Friday'sgame was turnovers. Duquesne was leading Division I in turnovermargin at 7.3 per game.

"If we limited our turnovers (the Hawks had 17), I felt we couldreally be in a situation where we could make this a 60-point game,"Martelli said. "After the start of the game, it looked like it wasgoing to be 60 points at halftime."

That frenetic pace overwhelmed many of Duquesne's opponentsearlier in the season. Near the end, it may have overwhelmed theDukes, too.