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Dukes Maul Minutemen, 88-62 Jack Higgins Scores 24 Off the Bench

Jack Higgins

Jan. 18, 2004

Jack Higgins came off the bench to score a game and career high 24 points in leading Duquesne to an 88-62 win over Massachusetts at the Palumbo Center. The 26-point margin of victory was DU's largest over the Minutemen since 1989.

Duquesne, which never trailed, led 40-33 at the half before opening the second half with a 14-2 run to put the game out of reach. UMass converted just one field goal over the first seven minutes of the second half, as Jimmy Tricco scored five of his six points in the first 2:30 to up the lead to 12. The Dukes pushed the lead to 21 on the first of back-to-back alley-oop dunks by Elijah Palmer with 12:20 left. UMass got no closer than 18 the rest of the way, with Duquesne's largest lead matching the final margin.

Higgins, who hit 6-of-7 3-point field goal attempts, scored 11 in the first half and 13 in the second half for the Dukes. Palmer finished with 16 and Bryant McAllister added 13 points, 5 assists and 6 rebounds for DU. Freshman center Kieron Achara came off the bench to post his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. Achara, whose point total matched his career high and rebound total established a new career mark, also blocked 3 shots.

Duquesne shot 54.2 percent for the game, including a 9-of-18 effort from the 3-point arc. UMass, which was led by 16 points and 13 rebounds from Rashaun Freeman, shot 33.3 percent. The Minutemen struggled from the 3-point arc, hitting just 5-of-25.

NOTES:

The margin of victory was Duquesne's largest over UMass since a 105-74 (+31) win on Feb. 18, 1989
Higgins scored his career-high 24 points in 19 minutes
The win marked the first time the Dukes have defeated Xavier (71-58 on Jan. 14) and UMass in the same Atlantic 10 season (Xavier joined the A10 in 1995-96)
Duquesne, which assisted on 21 of 32 field goals, committed just four turnovers in the second half.

QUOTES:

Duquesne head coach Danny Nee:

"I wasn't sure what to expect today. I thought our players handled it very well. I thought we took control of the game early and answered their runs. Every time they came at us, we answered."

"Our bench did a good job today. We go deep on the bench because we don't have an all-star lineup.

Kieron Achara and Jack Higgins were outstanding today."

Duquesne senior forward Elijah Palmer:

"We're deep enough that everyone knows they are going to play. The guys coming in off the bench give us the same energy as the starters. They've been doing a good job of that."

Duquesne sophomore guard Jack Higgins:

"Coming into a game I think defense first, then the offense will come. I just try to get into the flow of the game. It comes kind of easy for me."