NEW YORK (Interstat) — On a frigid Valentine’s Day evening in the Bronx, the Duquesne Dukes delivered a decisive performance, pulling away in the second half to defeat the Fordham Rams 80-67 in an Atlantic 10 Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Rose Hill Gym.

The contest was a tightly contested affair for the first 20 minutes, featuring 10 ties and eight lead changes, before Duquesne unleashed a dominant third quarter to seize control for good. The victory improved Duquesne’s record to 9-16 overall, while Fordham fell to 10-16.

The game’s pivotal juncture arrived immediately after halftime. Tied at 34-34, the Dukes exploded for a 29-point third quarter, their highest-scoring period of the season, while holding the Rams to just 12 points. The surge transformed a deadlocked battle into a comfortable 63-46 Duquesne advantage entering the final frame.

Duquesne’s offensive eruption was fueled by efficiency and balance. The Dukes shot 43.5 percent from the field for the game and were particularly effective from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 24 three-point attempts. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 16 of 20 attempts, and dominated inside, outscoring Fordham 26-12 in the paint.

The catalyst was junior guard Mackenzie Blackford of Solon, Ohio. Blackford, the game’s standout performer, scored 23 points, including three three-pointers, and added five rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes of action. Her scoring burst during the third-quarter run provided the separation Duquesne needed.

She received significant support from a trio of teammates who recorded double-doubles. Senior forward Raevin Washington of Harrisonburg, Virginia, posted 12 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman forward Harriet Ford of Perth, Australia, contributed 10 points and seven rebounds in just 14 minutes. Sophomore forward Fatou Sane of Guediawaye, Senegal, filled the stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Senior guard Alexis Bordas of Wheeling, West Virginia, chipped in 13 points.

Fordham, which entered the game as a slight favorite according to advanced metrics, was led by the stellar play of senior guard Lakresha Edwards of Chilliwack, Canada. Edwards poured in a game-high 24 points, knocking down 4 of 7 from three-point range. Sophomore guard Carryn Easley of Philadelphia added 11 points and five assists, and junior guard Tia Morgan of Chicago scored nine points.

Despite shooting a respectable 38.3 percent from the field and an efficient 50 percent from three-point range, the Rams were undone by turnovers and defensive lapses. Fordham committed 15 turnovers, leading to 18 Duquesne points, and could not contain the Dukes’ interior attack or their perimeter shooting in the second half. The Rams also managed only four assists on their 23 made field goals.

The first half was a back-and-forth struggle. Both teams scored 17 points in the opening quarter, and Fordham took a slim 34-33 lead into halftime after Edwards connected on a pull-up jumper late in the second period. The Rams’ offense, however, went cold at the worst possible time, managing just five field goals in the entire third quarter as Duquesne built its insurmountable lead.

Fordham attempted a late rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring Duquesne 21-18, but the deficit never dipped below 13 points as the Dukes consistently answered every Rams basket.

The win gives Duquesne momentum as it heads into the final stretch of the conference schedule. The Dukes will visit Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday. Fordham looks to regroup on the road next Saturday at Rhode Island.