Duquesne resets after big loss to Dayton

The question seemed simple enough for David Dixon, one-third of Duquesne’s primary rim patrollers: “Does a result like that last game make you realize that maybe there was some complacency setting in?”

His answer, too, referring to the Dukes’ state of mind following their shocking 82-62 loss to Dayton on Tuesday at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, was simple.

“We were complacent a little bit,” said the 6-foot-9 Dixon, who along with 6-9 Chabi Barre and 6-8 Eli Wilborn help form a seal of rim-protection that has helped Duquesne control the boards for much of the season.

With their 20th game approaching Sunday at Fordham, the Dukes (9-10, 4-2 Atlantic 10) enter Rose Hill Gymnasium in New York having outrebounded opponents by an average of nearly two per game.

They’ve also rejected 88 shots — Dixon leads the way with 31 — compared to 59 for their opponents.

“We are elite shot-blockers,” Dixon said matter-of-factly.

Against Dayton, though, it must have been that complacent nature following a run of nine victories in 12 games after an 0-6 start that allowed the Flyers to control the rebounding battle 32-25 and block four shots to Duquesne’s three.

“The last practice before the game, we weren’t really going as hard as we should have,” Dixon said. “It was on all of us, the coaches and the players. We should have been a lot better than we were. It basically showed us we can’t settle for anything. We can’t be complacent.

“It’s like, ‘Don’t forget where you came from. You started 0-6.’ ”

Duquesne coach Dru Joyce III said he’s confident his group has been treating that unpleasant outcome as a teaching tool, a learning experience.

“We had to learn some lessons from the Dayton game,” Joyce said. “When you do go through a loss, you’ve got to figure out how to change your mood.”

But not all losses might affect players the same way. Perhaps the Dukes have been hurting worse from that 20-point blowout against Dayton than they would’ve from a 1-point nail-biter.

Perhaps the embarrassment in front of the home crowd was a good thing.

Time will tell, beginning Sunday, with this Duquesne bunch, a collection of seven transfers who seem to have finally mixed well with the team’s returning veterans from an NCAA Tournament team.

“It’s a process for everybody,” said Matus Hronsky, like Dixon, among the team’s returning players.

It’s been a process since the start of the season, and since Tuesday night’s game, too.

“It’s a restart. The season is still on,” Hronsky said. “We’ve just got to be ready for another game.”

Former Duquesne guard Jackie Johnson III leads Fordham (8-11, 0-6) in scoring (19.1 ppg). His backcourt mate, Japhet Medor (12.5), is second.

“For us to defend Fordham’s backcourt, we’re going to have to be aware and alert for 40 minutes,” Joyce said. “Johnson and Medor don’t come off the gas. That’s a tough task when you’re playing against two ultra-aggressive guards who can play-make for the whole team and create as well as create and find shots for themselves. It’s going to be a challenge as soon they come across half-court, every possession.”

Duquesne enters the game ranked fourth in the A-10 in scoring defense (66.2 ppg), 3-point field goals made per game (8.42) and 3-point field goal percentage (35.3).

Cam Crawford is shooting 46.4% (26 for 56) from behind the arc for the Dukes, Hronsky is at 39% (23 for 59) and Tre Dinkins III is converting 37.7 (43 for 114).

Joyce apparently hopes the Dukes play like they were wearing blinders at cozy Rose Hill Gym, where he said the crowd will be “right on top of us.

“Fordham has a terrific history. We’re going into a gym that’s not the largest, but it’ll feel like 15,000 at the game … and they’re loud. It’s a fun place to play. We just have to embrace the environment.”