PITTSBURGH – Saint Louis mounted a furious second-half comeback but fell just short in a 68-63 Atlantic 10 Conference loss to Duquesne Wednesday night at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
 
Trailing 47-20 early in the third quarter, the Billikens outscored the Dukes 21-7 the rest of the period to close the gap to 54-41. Six different players scored for SLU during the run.
 
Camree Clegg, who finished the third quarter with a 3-pointer, buried another trey early in the fourth to make it a single-digit game, 54-46.

"We just needed a spark, and I wanted to provide that off the bench," Clegg said. "If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready. I was ready when my number was called. You never know what game is going to be your game."

Duquesne scored on two consecutive possessions to turn a seven-point advantage to 11, 62-51, with 4:25 remaining. But two Julia Martinez free throws and a Kennedy Calhoun three-point play made it a two-possession game, 62-56, at the 2:53 mark.
 
Brooke Flowers answered two Duquesne free throws with a bucket, and after the Dukes went 1-of-2 from the foul line, Martinez made a layup to slice SLU's deficit to 65-60. Another 1-of-2 from the stripe for Duquesne left the door open, and Kyla McMakin drilled a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession contest, 66-63.
 
However, Duquesne sank two free throws with 10 seconds left to secure the win.

"I loved the second half by our women," head coach Rebecca Tillett said. "We really challenged them in terms of our toughness and how they would respond. It was an incredible response, and they did everything they could in the second half to try to win. I think our women are growing in their toughness."
 
After winning the opening tip, the Billikens took a quick lead on a McMakin bucket. But it was all Duquesne the rest of the first half as the Dukes led 26-8 after one quarter and 39-18 at intermission.
 
McMakin tied for game-high honors with 14 points. Flowers tallied her sixth double-double of the season, and the 33rd of her career, with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds while tying for the game high with four blocks.
 
Martinez posted her fourth double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She matched her career high of eight offensive boards, part of SLU's season-high-tying 25 offensive caroms. Martinez also had a game-high-tying four steals to move into eighth place on the Bills' career chart (145), tie Jamesia Price for second on the school's single-season list (70), and match Price for most thefts in a season by a Billiken senior.

"To be able to get in the passing lanes and pressure the ball handler, I just want it for my team," Martinez said. "I want to get that steal and I want us to score. Sometimes those are really big plays and momentum shifters."
 
Mia Nicastro grabbed seven rebounds, while Kennedy Calhoun led the team with four assists.
 
The Billikens out-rebounded the Dukes 49-40 and shot 88.2 percent (15-of-17) from the free throw line.
 
Up next for Saint Louis is a trip to Davidson Wednesday, Jan. 25.