KNAPP CREEK, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by relentless pressure and critical mistakes, the Saint Bonaventure women’s basketball team survived a monumental scoring effort from Duquesne’s backcourt to escape with a 72-71 overtime victory in an Atlantic 10 Conference thriller Saturday at the Reilly Center.

The contest, played before an intimate crowd of 405, was a stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting just a month prior, a 46-38 defensive slog won by the Bonnies. This rematch delivered end-to-end drama, culminating in a final sequence that saw Saint Bonaventure’s Laycee Drake hit the game-winning jumper with four seconds remaining in the extra period.

Duquesne, which fell to 7-16 overall, was carried by the spectacular guard tandem of Alexis Bordas and Mackenzie Blackford. The duo combined for 52 of the Dukes’ points, with Bordas, a sophomore from Wheeling, West Virginia, scoring 25 and Blackford, a junior from Solon, Ohio, pouring in a game-high 27, including five three-pointers. Their shooting from deep kept Duquesne afloat, as the team connected on 13 of 32 attempts from beyond the arc compared to Saint Bonaventure’s 7 of 20.

Despite the scoring prowess, Duquesne was ultimately undone by a season-long plague: turnovers. The Dukes committed 26 giveaways, which the Bonnies converted into 28 points. Saint Bonaventure, which improved to 14-11, was only marginally better with 17 turnovers, but its defense was more disruptive, tallying 13 steals and seven blocks. Mackenzie Pettinelli led the defensive charge with three blocks and three steals.

The Bonnies’ victory was a collective effort, with five players scoring in double figures. Brianna Barr-Buday, a sophomore from Grand Island, New York, came off the bench to provide a crucial spark with a team-high 15 points, all in the second and third quarters. Drake, a junior from Hancock, New York, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Aaliyah Parker and Kylie Buckley each added 13 points. Pettinelli’s line of three points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals underscored her defensive value.

The game swung wildly throughout regulation. Saint Bonaventure built an early 12-4 lead behind its defensive intensity, but Duquesne responded with a 22-point second quarter, fueled by Bordas and Blackford, to take a 30-25 lead into halftime. The Bonnies reclaimed control with a 19-point third quarter, largely through Barr-Buday’s interior work, to enter the fourth with a 44-47 advantage.

The final minute of regulation was a chaotic preview of the overtime to come. With Duquesne trailing 58-56, Bordas was fouled on a three-point attempt with 1:36 left and calmly sank all three free throws to give the Dukes a one-point lead. After a Saint Bonaventure miss, Bordas was fouled again and hit two more from the line for a 61-58 edge with 1:29 remaining. The Bonnies answered when Kylie Buckley scored on a putback and was fouled with 27 seconds left. She completed the three-point play to tie the game at 61. Duquesne had the final possession but turned the ball over on a shot clock violation, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Saint Bonaventure twice built five-point leads, the last at 68-63 on a Buckley three-pointer with 2:27 left. Duquesne, as it had all afternoon, clawed back. Blackford hit a deep three-pointer, then after a Bonnies turnover, drove for a layup to tie the game at 68 with 24 seconds left. Drake then hit a tough jumper to put Saint Bonaventure back up 70-68 with 19 seconds remaining.

Out of a timeout, Duquesne’s inbounds play went awry. Blackford’s pass was deflected out of bounds by the Bonnies, but on the ensuing inbounds play, Blackford was called for a five-second violation, giving the ball back to Saint Bonaventure with 17 seconds left. That set the stage for the final sequence. Following a Bonnies timeout, Drake received the inbounds pass, worked her way to the right elbow, and sank the decisive jumper over a defender for a 72-70 lead with four seconds on the clock.

Duquesne had one final chance. Blackford was fouled on a desperate heave with 0.4 seconds left. She made the first free throw to cut the deficit to one, then intentionally missed the second. The rebound was tipped out of bounds as time expired, securing the Bonnies’ victory.

Beyond the turnovers, rebounding told a key part of the story. Duquesne dominated the glass, 49-35, led by Harriet Ford’s 14 rebounds and Maja Rohkohl’s 10. But Saint Bonaventure’s ability to generate extra possessions through steals and capitalize on Duquesne’s errors proved the decisive factor. The Bonnies also had a significant advantage at the free throw line, making 15 of 20 attempts to Duquesne’s 10 of 12.

The win keeps Saint Bonaventure in the middle of the Atlantic 10 standings as it heads into a difficult road stretch. Duquesne, meanwhile, continues to search for consistency, having now lost eight of its last nine games despite the heroic individual efforts of Bordas and Blackford. The Dukes’ 71 points were their highest output in a regulation conference game this season, but their defensive frailties and carelessness with the ball once again proved too much to overcome.