Duquesne’s 72-71 win over Washington State had all the markings of a game that could have slipped away. The Dukes were coming off a shaky start to the season, still without lead guard Tarence Guinyard because of eligibility, and they spent long stretches trying to sort out their own offense. But when the moment got tight, they found enough stops, enough playmaking and one huge finish from Kerem Konan to knock off the Pac-12 program at home and move to 3-0.
Washington State did plenty to make life difficult. The Cougars pushed ahead by nine at halftime and stretched the margin to 11 in the second half.
Duquesne kept hanging around, though, and the final stretch belonged to the Dukes. They held Washington State to just nine points over the final 8:50, turned defense into transition chances and set the stage for Konan’s game-winning three-point play in regulation.
That late defensive surge was the biggest reason Duquesne survived. The three-point line remains the one glaring issue.
Washington State hit 11 of 25 from deep, and through three games the Dukes are allowing 45% from beyond the arc, which puts them 360th in the nation. Still, the finish showed what this group can do when it locks in: pressure, turnovers and quick offense going the other way.
Konan’s night was about more than the final bucket. Duquesne’s halfcourt offense was messy in the first half, and the team coughed it up 10 times before the break.
But Konan helped steady things by working from the post, drawing double teams and finding teammates for open looks. He finished with a career-high nine assists, and the guards benefited from the movement around him.
Yoav Berman added 10 points while also handling some point duties, and the Dukes seem increasingly comfortable letting their forwards initiate the offense.
Another bright spot came from Arness Lawson, who continues to carve out a bigger role. With Guinyard still unavailable, the guard minutes have been spread around, but Lawson has clearly separated himself.
The redshirt sophomore played 29 minutes, scored 10 points and delivered a couple of fastbreak baskets late that helped seal the win. More than that, he’s become Duquesne’s best overall defender and a disruptive athlete who changes possessions.
As the offense keeps taking shape, Lawson has already become a key rotation piece.
In Other News...
Washington State Is Bringing A Fresh Look Into Pac-12 After Dark
After a bye week, Washington State comes back home Saturday with a fresh look for another Pac-12 After Dark stage, and the Cougars are leaning into it with a new uniform combination. The set pairs anthracite jerseys and pants with a crimson helmet and white facemask, a variation on looks the program has used before but not quite in this exact way.
It also adds another entry to a long-running trend under the current run of uniform creativity, becoming the 58th new combination since 2017. Washington State has had some memorable results tied to these pieces in the past, which only adds a little extra intrigue to what the Cougars will look like when they take the field at home again. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Defense Has A Season-Long Problem That Wont Go Away
Washington States defense gave the Cougars another reason to regret a tight loss to San Diego State, even as Jaylen Thomas came through with his third interception of the season. The play was one of the few bright spots in a game that ended with Washington State falling to 1-8, and it fit into a season where the defense has had trouble creating the kind of game-changing moments that can swing close contests.
The bigger issue has been hard to miss all year: this unit simply has not produced enough turnovers or pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Near the bottom nationally in both turnovers forced and sacks, Washington State keeps putting itself in long stretches where the defense is on the field without delivering the extra possession or negative play the Cougars need. Until that changes, even the occasional takeaway feels more like a brief reprieve than a sign of a larger fix. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Gets A Rare Opening It Can't Waste Saturday
Washington State has a chance Saturday to take advantage of a Colorado State team still trying to keep its bowl hopes alive, and the matchup gives the Cougars a clear path to a much-needed conference breakthrough. The Rams have had trouble on defense, especially against the run, which puts the spotlight on Washington States ability to control the line of scrimmage and turn a favorable setup into momentum.
Colorado States offense brings a different kind of problem, with quarterback Hauss Hejny adding stress to a Washington State secondary that will need to stay disciplined. For the Cougars, the opportunity is obvious: if they can handle the Rams defensive vulnerabilities and limit the damage on the back end, they can finally chase down their first Pac-12 win of the season. [Read more 🡒]