LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Arkansas at Little Rock picked up its second victory of the season Monday 76-66 over Duquesne at the KFC Yum! Center in the Wade Houston Tipoff Classic.
Forward Nikola Maric scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds as UALR (2-1) pulled away to beat the Dukes. Guard Markquis Nowell finished with 13 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds, and forward Ruot Monyyong contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Trojans, who came up short after staging a late rally in their 77-70 loss to North Carolina-Greensboro in their previous game Friday.
The Trojans were 14 of 19 (73.7%) from the floor after halftime. UALR was 29 of 52 (55.8%) for the game and managed to hold a 37-32 rebounding edge.
Guards Marko Andric and Jovan Stulic chipped in with nine points each for the Trojans.
Forward Marcus Weathers and guard Sincere Carry each had 12 points for Duquesne (0-1). The Dukes shot 22 of 58 (37.9%), including just 11 of 31 (35.5%) in the second half. Guard Tavian Dunn-Martin finished with 11 points.
The key to the game, however, was the Trojans' ability to score inside. UALR outscored Duquesne 46-24 in the paint, with Maric and Monyyong doing much of the damage.
UALR led by as much as seven points in the first half and took a 34-30 lead into halftime, but Duquesne scored 10 of the first 14 points within the first three minutes of the second half to grab a 40-38 lead. A bucket inside by Maric started an 8-0 run by UALR, which continued to pound the Dukes on the interior.
The Trojans' lead grew to 62-49 with 9:16 left in the game after a layup from Andric before they turned back a series of Duquesne surges to win comfortably.