Jan 21, 2004

Box Score

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) - Jack Higgins scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, including 14 in a row at one point, to lead Duquesne to a 72-55 win over Rhode Island on Wednesday night.

Rhode Island (12-7, 1-4 Atlantic 10) took a 43-41 lead on Dawan Robinson's 3-pointer with 14:25 to play. But Higgins scored 14 points for Duquesne during a 16-4 run as the Dukes opened a 57-47 lead.

Bryant McAllister added 19 points and Ron Dokes had 15 points and eight rebounds for Duquesne (8-8, 3-2), which shot 55 percent and won for the sixth time in its last eight games. The 17-point margin of victory was Duquesne's largest in a conference road game since 1994.

The Rams, who shot 30 percent in the game and lost their fourth in a row, were led by Dustin Hellenga with 15 points off the bench.

The Dukes led by as much as 25-10 in the first half, but Rhode Island scored five points in the final three seconds of the half to pull within 35-30 at halftime.

Duquesne had the ball, but Rhode Island's Dawan Robinson forced a turnover on a five-second call. Terrence Mack scored on a drive and was fouled with three seconds left. Mack missed the foul shot, but the rebound was tipped to Hellenga, who hit a fallaway 3-pointer at the buzzer.