A few good men

It was the perfect opportunity to squander a lead, something the men's basketball team has had their troubles with this season. But this time it was different. 

As Eric Evans walked off the floor with his fifth foul and 5:18 remaining on the clock, the Dukes were left with a 68-61 lead and only five players who had logged any second half minutes.

But with Evans on the bench, Jerry Jones dropped a 3-pointer from the right corner and seconds later, T.J. McConnell made a steal and hit a jumper from the right wing to put Duquesne up 73-61, their largest lead of the night to that point. Despite the high minute totals for the six players who played in the second half, the team's resolve held strong.

"We just told each other, ‘Tough it out,'" B.J. Monteiro said. "Sean [Johnson], Jerry, all of us were cramping up a little bit."

The Dukes (12-7, 3-2) held on through the next five minutes, cruising to an 80-69 victory over the Minutemen (14-5, 3-2), their fourth victory over UMass in their last five meetings.

Coach Ron Everhart said it's come down to his team's experience late in the game and their ability to avoid forcing plays and rather, letting the plays come to them.

"Our kids are starting to not get mechanical and get locked in late," Everhart said. "They're starting to read the defense."

Monteiro led the Dukes with 23 points in his first home game after sitting three games following an off-the-court injury sustained New Year's Eve. He played against Rhode Island on Saturday but wasn't pleased with his 12-point performance.

"When I was out [for the first three games  2012] it kind of hit me that this is my last go-round, so from here on out I just have to go pedal to the metal," Monteiro said.

Sean Johnson complimented Monteiro's scoring with his first career double-double scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds. McConnell chipped in 15 points, six assists and four steals.

Without the Dukes' usual starting center Andre Marhold, who sat out with concussion symptoms resulting from an elbow to the head in the Dukes' win over Rhode Island, the depleted frontcourt took a beating, giving up 42 points in the paint. Without Marhold's 6-foot-7 presence, Duquesne was forced to start Monteiro at center, a four-inch disadvantage against UMass' Sean Carter. 

Monteiro learned he would start at center only 10 minutes before the game but said the team is built to expect anything, even joking that 6-foot-2 Johnson could potentially start at center. Monteiro played effectively over 34 minutes, tallying six boards, three blocks and a steal to only one personal foul.

For the entirety of the second half, Everhart used only six players; McConnell, Johnson, Monteiro, Talley, Evans, and Jones. He said the adjustment was made at halftime to combat the Dukes' size disadvantage with an advantage in speed. It paid off in a higher shooting percentage from the field and beyond the arc.

"We thought UMass' athleticism and their pressure defensively was good enough where we probably needed our better ball handlers out there," Everhart said.

The Dukes' defense shut down Chaz Williams who entered the game scoring 16.2 per game with 5.9 assists but only managed eight points and four assists before fouling out on a charge.

Everhart was pleased with his team's defense intensity and focus as they forced 29 turnovers and stole the ball 10 times.Both Monteiro and Everhart praised Evans' and Talley's defense on the slashing 5-foot-9 sophomore.

"We just did as good a job as anybody's done on [Williams] all year long," Everhart said.

The Dukes will travel to St. Louis to take on the Billikens (14-4, 2-2)Saturday. Their next home game is Jan. 28 against La Salle.