PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Duquesne Dukes delivered a dominant and efficient offensive performance Monday night, overwhelming the visiting Canisius Golden Griffins 103-59 in a nonconference men’s basketball game at A.J. Palumbo Center.

The Dukes, who improved to 7-5, showcased their firepower from the opening tip, building a 46-30 halftime lead before erupting for 57 points in the second half. The Golden Griffins fell to 5-8 with the loss, unable to match Duquesne’s pace or shooting accuracy.

The most important part of the game was Duquesne’s immediate and sustained offensive execution, which effectively decided the contest within the first ten minutes. After Canisius opened the scoring with three free throws, Duquesne guard Tarence Guinyard answered with a 3-pointer on the Dukes’ first possession. This sparked a 10-0 run, capped by a Cameron Crawford 3-pointer, that gave Duquesne an 8-3 lead it would never relinquish. The Dukes’ ball movement and shot-making created a double-digit advantage by the midway point of the first half, and Canisius never mounted a serious challenge, struggling with turnovers and defensive rotations throughout.

Duquesne’s offensive rating of 141.0 on 73 possessions underscored a night of exceptional efficiency. The Dukes shot 59.7% from the field, connecting on 16 of 35 attempts from 3-point range. They also forced 19 Canisius turnovers, converting them into numerous transition opportunities.

Jimmie Williams led all scorers with 24 points for Duquesne, adding seven assists. Tarence Guinyard filled the stat sheet with 21 points and nine assists, while Alex Williams scored 15 points. Jakub Necas contributed 12 points and Cameron Crawford added 12.

Canisius, which managed an offensive rating of just 83.6, was led by Kahlil Singleton’s 13 points. Brendan Oliver came off the bench to score 11. The Golden Griffins shot 44.9% from the field but were hampered by 10-of-18 shooting from the free-throw line and a mere four assists against their 19 turnovers.

The game’s tempo and outcome were never in doubt after Duquesne’s early blitz. The Dukes extended their lead to 29 points with just over 12 minutes remaining in the second half and continued to pull away, surpassing the 100-point mark in the final minute before an announced crowd of 2,088.

Duquesne entered the game as a heavy favorite and easily covered the 20-point spread. The combined score of 162 points sailed over the over/under line of 141.5.

The Dukes will look to carry this momentum into their next game, a home matchup against Cleary on Saturday. Canisius returns to action on Jan. 2, opening Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at home against Fairfield.