University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
(5-1)
Duquesne
(6-2)
Pitt Dominates Duquesne 96-75
12/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Postgame Notes l Dixon Postgame Press Conference
Pitt Player Press Conference l Duquesne Postgame Press Conference
PITTSBURGH (AP) Michael Young scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Pittsburgh crushed Duquesne 96-75 on Friday night to run its winning streak in the annual City Game to 15.
James Robinson added 18 points and eight assists and graduate transfer Sterling Smith had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Panthers (5-1), who took control early and never let the Dukes into the game.
Pitt shot 67 percent in the first half while building a 27-point lead at the break. Duquesne never got closer than 18 the rest of the way.
Eric James scores 21 points off the bench for the Dukes (6-2). Derrick Colter had 15 points but Duquesne shot just 43 percent and was outrebounded 40-29.
The Dukes came in off to their best start in eight years, averaging more than 86 points a game and playing with a confidence that coach Jim Ferry felt offered proof that his slow steady rebuilding plan was working. Still, he cautioned beating Pitt for only the third time since 1989 wasn't one of the goals his program set at the beginning of the season.
Good thing, because any hopes of an upset disappeared within minutes.
Whatever early momentum the Panthers gathered during their first four games came to a halt on Tuesday night against No. 11 Purdue as the Boilermakers pulled away in the second half to become only the fifth nonconference opponent to win at the Petersen Events Center since it opened 13 years ago. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon pointed to the loss as all the motivation his players needed to avoid overlooking their crosstown rivals, with forward Jamel Artis taking exception to Colter's claim the Panthers were slower than the guard-heavy Dukes.
It certainly didn't look like it during a nearly flawless half as Pitt did whatever it wanted whenever it wanted.
The Panthers needed up less than five minutes to build a double-digit lead. While the Dukes were missing their first seven shots and turning it over four times, Artis, Young and Robinson were busy going to work. By the time Colter knocked down a jumper for Duquesne's first field goal, Pitt was in front 17-4 and kept on coming.
Robinson, who has been tasked by Dixon to look for his shot more in his senior season, drilled all four of his 3-point attempts in the half, including three straight at one point as Pitt's advantage continued to mushroom. Artis knocked down a 3-pointer of his own to put the Panthers up 30. Jeremiah Jones provided the lone highlight for Duquesne with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. By then, however, Dixon was walking to the locker room with a massive smile and his program's dominance of a once heated rivalry firmly intact.
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TIP-INS
Pitt now leads the all-time series 53-31 and is 41-8 against Duquesne since 1977. ... Pitt center Rafael Maia made his first start of the season. Maia finished with nine points and a pair of rebounds.
UP NEXT
Pitt welcomes Central Arkansas on Sunday.
