Box score

GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS –Duquesne’s Dru Joyce III recorded the first win of his collegiate head coaching career in the John Gray Gymnasium Tuesday as his Dukes used an impressive defensive effort to topple Old Dominion, 67-54, in both teams’ final action of the 2024 Cayman Islands Classic.
 
The tropical island win was the first of the season for Duquesne (1-6), where Joyce took over the head coaching role this season following two seasons as an assistant on the Duquesne staff. Old Dominion saw its record slip to 2-5. 
 
Duquesne had been allowing more than 75 points per game through the first six, with opponents shooting 48 percent from the field. On Tuesday, the Dukes stepped up their defense and put the clamps on Old Dominion, allowing just 32.8 percent shooting accuracy and 54 total points.
 
Junior forward Matus Hrnsky paced Duquesne in scoring with 13 points, hitting three of the Duquesne’s four 3-pointers. Junior guard Maximus Edwards had a solid outing with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Halil Barre added 10 points and seven rebounds while Jahsean Corbett finished with 10 points.  David Dixon led all players with 12 rebounds. 

Old Dominion got 23 points, five rebounds and three steals from Devin Ceaser, the only Monarch to reach double figures.
 
Duquesne’s defense in the first half kept Old Dominion out of rhythm, forcing the Monarchs into 11 turnovers while allowing just seven field goals on 28 percent shooting (7-for-25). That led to a seven-point lead, 26-19, at the intermission. 
 
For the game, ODU improved to 32.8 percent shooting, but managed just 2-for-17 from long distance. The Monarchs had just five turnovers in the second half, and eventually won that battle by forcing 20 turnovers.