BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Art Parakhouski's (Minsk, Belarus) 20-point/ 20-rebound effort wasn't enough as Duquesne defeated Radford 71-63 in non-conference men's basketball action Sunday afternoon at the Palumbo Center.

Parakhouski, the nation's seventh leading scorer (24.7) and second leading rebounder (14.7) coming into the sixth all-time meeting, finished the contest with 26 points and 20 rebounds (nine offensive) in 40 minutes of action. Freshman Blake Smith (Charlotte, N.C./United Faith Christian) also added double figures for the fourth straight outing for Radford (2-2) scoring 14 on 5-of-11 shooting, including a pair of buckets from long range.

B.J. Monteiro connected on nine of his 14 attempts from the floor to lead four Duquesne (5-1) players in double digits with 21 points to go along with eight rebounds. Damian Saunders, who entered the contest just ahead of Parakhouski nationally in rebounds per game, finished with 16 to go along with 14 points and six blocks. Bill Clark also scored 14 points for the Dukes, while Eric Evans chipped in 11.

Duquesne finished the tilt shooting 47.2 percent from the floor, including a 53.8 clip in the second half, while holding the Highlanders under 36 percent overall. Both teams connected on just 52 percent of their tries from the line.

“We didn't play well enough to beat a good team on their home floor,” commented Radford head coach Brad Greenberg. “We've got to get better and more efficient on the offensive end and maximize each possession.”

Trailing for much of the first half, Radford scored nine unanswered capped off by six straight points from Parakhouski to grab its only lead, 19-17. The Dukes responded and closed the first half with their second 9-2 run of the frame to take a 26-21 advantage into the break.

Parakhouski needed just 16:13 to record his sixth straight and 21st career double-double with 10 points and 13 boards prior to intermission.

As a team, the Highlanders finished the first 20 minutes 9-of-32 (.281) from the floor and just 30-percent (3-10) from the charity stripe. The two clubs combined to go 0-13 from three-point range and 7-20 from the free-throw line in the opening period.

“We guarded the 3-point line better and showed some overall improvement defensively,” said Greenberg.

After Radford scored the first four points of the second half to cut the deficit to one, 26-25, Duquesne went on another 9-2 spurt to stretch the margin to eight, 35-27, with just under 17 minutes to play.

The Highlanders closed to within two, 37-35, thanks to 10 straight points from Parakhouski, including his first career trey, but Duquesne extended the lead to 11 (50-39) and didn't allow Radford closer than five points the rest of the way.

Despite the loss, Radford controlled the glass for the second consecutive meeting outrebounding the Dukes, 46-36.

Radford opens Big South play and continues its longest (five games) road trip of the 2009-10 season Thursday evening at Winthrop.