The Duquesne Dukes and the UMass Minutemen traded blows throughout the second half, setting up what should have been a spectacular finish. The Minutemen went on a 10-2 run over the final two minutes of regulation to pull away, however, giving the 8-seed a 92-83 win and a date with the top-seeded Temple Owls in the second round of the 2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament.
Chaz Williams stepped up as he has all season for the Minutemen, scoring 21 points and leading all players with eight rebounds. He went 13-for-14 from the free throw line, helping UMass to a 15-point advantage from the charity stripe. The Dukes nearly made up the difference from long range, going 12-for-33 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Raphiael Putney added 20 points for the Minutemen in a high-scoring affair, filling up the stat sheet with six rebounds, and one assist, one steal and one block. Eric Evans and Jerry Jones led with Duquesne with 16 points apiece.
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