PITTSBURGH (AP) Patrick Beilein scored 16 points and Tyrone Sally scored 15 to lead West Virginia to a 72-69 win over Duquesne on Wednesday.
Dukes guard Tyler Bluemling missed a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired.
Duquesne (1-4) had won four of the last six meetings with West Virginia (2-0) and held a 22-13 edge at home coming into the game. But the Mountaineers, who also won last year in Morgantown, shook off the Dukes to take a 44-36 lead in the series that dates back to 1915.
Duquesne forward Keith Gayden, who injured his ankle during practice earlier in the week, replaced senior Jon Powlak less than five minutes into the game. He scored 15 points, second only to Bryant McAllister's 16.
Duquesne, coming off an 85-71 loss to Lafayette, jumped out to a 7-2 lead, keyed by a Bryant McAllister 3-pointer, but West Virginia came back with an 8-2 run to take the lead.
The teams remained tight throughout the first half with five ties and six lead changes before West Virginia went on a 14-6 run, capped by a pair of 3-pointers from Kevin Pittsnogle. The Mountaineers held off a late charge and led 38-35 at halftime.
West Virginia went cold from the floor in the second half and fought through a 6:41 pointless drought before Beilein and J.D. Collins hit 3-pointers to put the game away for the Mountaineers.
