One of the hallmarks of a postseason-caliber team is the ability to follow a disappointing loss with a better performance. For the second time this season, the Massachusetts men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak with an impressive road victory.

Two weeks ago it happened at Dayton, and last night the Minutemen (14-6, 3-3 Atlantic 10) defeated Duquesne (13-6, 3-3 A-10) for a 94-80 win at the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Minutemen turned a nine-point halftime lead into a 20-point advantage by the midpoint of the second and never looked back.

“I liked our focus – you could see it in our eyes that we needed this game,” UMass coach Travis Ford said.

In a game featuring two teams with similar up-tempo styles, many predicted a high-scoring affair. However, only UMass satisfied scoring enthusiasts, besting its season average by 10 points. In the end, it was defense and rebounding – two areas where the Minutemen have struggled at times – that was the difference in the game.

The Minutemen’s active zone defense forced Duquesne to take 31 shots from beyond the arc – a season high for an opponent.

Though UMass won the rebounding battle, it allowed the Dukes to pull down 27 offensive rebounds, but even that was not enough for Duquesne to mitigate its poor shooting performance (34 percent).

For the first time since the 1999 season, three UMass players recorded at least 10 rebounds.

“We’re never going to be a great rebounding team,” Ford said. “Our team right now is fighting for its life in terms of rebounding. We always have to do whatever we can to get rebounds.”

None was grittier in the paint than junior forward Tony Gaffney. Despite facing two of the conference’s better post players in Shawn James and Kieron Achara, Gaffney registered career highs in both boards (12) and blocks (six).

“We looked at this game and saw it as a must win with our backs against the wall,” Gaffney said. “It was a gut check and Gary Forbes probably led us better than anyone has led us all year.

While Gaffney thrives on doing whatever he can to help the team, senior forward Gary Forbes’ contribution is usually derived from scoring points. Though he led all players with 23, Ford was impressed with the captain’s all around performance, including 10 rebounds.

“I thought this was the best game he’s played in a very long time,” Ford said. “His playmaking ability was absolutely incredible tonight.”

Coming into the game, Ford wanted his team to limit Duquesne’s effectiveness in transition, thereby forcing the Dukes into uncomfortable offensive half-court sets.

Though the Minutemen turned the ball over 19 times, many resulted in stoppages of play, such as traveling, which prevented Duquesne from exploiting the change of possession with transition baskets.

The Minutemen spent much of the early part of the first half trailing Duquesne. Since the Dukes failed to establish its pair of 6-foot-10 centers in the post, their lead evaporated. Shot-blocking phenom Shawn James – the conference leader with four per game – failed to redirect a single ball.

The Minutemen kept James at bay by driving toward the basket and kicking the ball out to players of the perimeter.

“I don’t think he ever really bothered our offense,” Ford said of James.

That style created a season-high 24 team assists and a 51 percent shooting performance. UMass made only nine shots from beyond the arc, with a perfect five-for-five from senior forward Etienne Brower.

The Minutemen also survived foul trouble from its two best ball handlers, junior point guard Chris Lowe and Forbes, who each had three fouls by halftime.

UMass continues its difficult series of game to open the conference schedule Saturday as the team travels to Saint Louis (11-9, 2-4 A-10).

Michael King can be reached at [email protected].