Duquesne's losing streak hits 15 games after triple-overtime loss at George Washington

Everybody wanted it, but nobody wanted it.

Until George Washington decided it wasn’t going to be the one to end Duquesne’s monumental, 15-game losing streak.

Joe Bamisile scored 30 points and George Washington survived Duquesne’s valiant bid for another elusive victory to come away with a 98-93 triple-overtime victory Wednesday night at Smith Center in Washington.

Duquesne (6-22, 1-15 Atlantic 10) hasn’t enjoyed a victory since opening the A-10 by winning at Massachusetts, 78-74, on Jan. 8, a span of 53 days.

Meanwhile, the Dukes’ 15-game skid is two shy of a Duquesne record.

One opportunity remains this season for Duquesne to stop its unimaginable streak before the A10 Tournament begins on Wednesday at Capital One Arena in Washington.. La Salle (9-18, 4-13) visits Duquesne at 2 p.m. Saturday in the final regular-season game at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Regardless of the outcome, the last-place Dukes will enter the tournament as the No. 14 seed.

James Bishop added 23 points for GW — many coming in the extra periods — while Ricky Lindo Jr. produced a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out near the end of regulation.

Hunter Dean and Brayon Freeman chipped in 11 points apiece for the Colonials (12-16, 8-8), who swept the season series with the Dukes, also winning on Feb. 16 easily, 73-52, at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

In the latest meeting, the freshman guard tandem of Jackie Johnson III and Primo Spears kept Duquesne in contention, both registering career highs in points, Johnson getting 30 and Spears adding 25.

Tyson Acuff also was in double figures for the Dukes with 15 points.

Kevin Easley Jr. continued to struggle shooting, getting just six points on 3-of-12 attempts, but managed 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks for Duquesne, which took 20 more shots than GW, finishing 37 for 91 (40.7%).

The Dukes made just 7 of 32 3-point attempts (21.9%).

GW, meanwhile, made 34 of 71 overall (47.9%) and sank half of its 16 3-points tries.

Bamisile’s three-point play put GW in the lead for good, 88-85, with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left in the third overtime.

From there, the Colonials pulled away, leading by as many as seven points, 98-91, on a pair of free throws by Bishop with 10 seconds showing.

Both teams were unable to hold leads in the first two overtime periods. GW was in front by six in the first OT and Duquesne had the upper hand with a five-point advantage in the second.

The third OT made the difference as GW outscored Duquesne, 17-12, after the Colonials fell behind by a bucket on two occasions early in the period.

As he did at the start of the first overtime, Bishop’s 3-point shot started the scoring and gave George Washington a 74-71 lead.

But Duquesne went on an 8-0 run for a 79-74 lead.

GW wasn’t ready to give up and fought its way back to tie it at 81-81 on a pair of free throws by Brendan Adams with 15 seconds left.

Spears’ 3-point shot at the buzzer was off the mark, setting the stage for triple OT.

George Washington rode Bishop’s gigantic effort in overtime, but it wasn’t enough. Bishop, who was mainly quiet, erupted for seven points in the extra period, starting with a 3-pointer to put the Colonials up, 65-62.

Johnson III matched it with one of his own before Bishop scored two of the next three baskets and GW led 68-62 with 2 minutes, 2 seconds left.

After Spears’ consecutive layups pulled Duquesne within 68-66, the second make coming with 1:14 remaining, Davis Larson’s bucket with 35 seconds showing pulled Duquesne back even at 68-68.

Bishop put GW ahead with a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, but Larson came up big again with a 3-pointer with five seconds to go, tying it at 71-71 and sending the game into double OT.

Duquesne couldn’t protect a 59-57 lead in the final seconds of regulation. After trailing by two, the Dukes got a 3-point shot from Larson for the two-point lead.

But Bamisile forced overtime with a pair of free throws for GW with 10 seconds to go.

George Washington jumped to a 9-2 lead early, but Duquesne rallied and tied it 15-15 on two free throws by Johnson.

The Dukes used an 8-0 run to go up 26-21 on Johnston’s 3-point shot with 4:18 left before halftime.

A Spears jumper put Duquesne ahead 28-23 before George Washington came back to take a 30-28 halftime lead, scoring the final seven points of the first half, capped by a Bamisile dunk.