PITTSBURGH — The fast hands of Xavier's defensive dervish, Lionel Chalmers, begat a faster trigger finger. In the speedy rookie's first eight games, he didn't meet a shot he didn't like.

XU at DUQUESNE

• When: 4 p.m. today.   • Where: A.J. Palumbo Center (6,200), Pittsburgh.   • Records: XU 14-3 (5-1 A-10), Duquesne 7-12 (1-5).   • TV: Fox Sports Net.   • Radio: WLW-AM (700).   XAVIER   Lloyd Price-6-5-Jr.-8.5   Kevin Frey-6-8-Jr.-11.8   David West-6-8-So.-17.4   Romain Sato-6-4-Fr.-11.9   Maurice McAfee-6-0-Sr.-9.1   Coach: Skip Prosser (141-60, seventh season; 158-73 overall)   DUQUESNE   Player-Ht.-Yr.-PPG   Wayne Smith-6-7-Jr.-18.3   Aaron Lovelace-6-5-Jr.-6.6   Jack May-6-8-So.-6.1   Kevin Forney-6-4-So.-10.9   Courtney Wallace-6-4-Sr.-17.0   Coach: Darelle Porter (21-55, third season; same overall)   BY THE NUMBERS   • 2nd: Duquesne's Atlantic 10 rank in field-goal percentage (45.8).   • 11th: Duquesne's rank (last) in defensive field-goal percentage (48.4).   • 6-1: XU's record in the last seven games of this series.

        But less Lionel has meant more marksmanship. Since ceding a starting spot to Lloyd Price, Chalmers has become a selective shooter — Xavier's zone-buster. When the Musketeers (14-3, 5-1 Atlantic 10) need 3-pointers today at Duquesne (7-12, 1-5), expect their sophomore sparkplug to deploy only smart bombs.

        “I'm not going to force anything,” Chalmers said. “But when it presents its opportunity, I'm going to take advantage of it.”

        The undersized Dukes, who lack a true post presence, probably will use a zone defense to try to slow XU's inside attack. If XU can make outside shots — as it did two weeks ago at Rhode Island, when Chalmers made four of XU's school record-tying 14 3-pointers — it will dunk the Dukes.

        “I'm just trying to pick my shots better,” Chalmers said. “That's why more have been falling.”

        Chalmers had his baptism by fire, starting XU's first seven games while Price rehabilitated an injury. Chalmers led the team in minutes, averaging 32.1, but has played 21.8 a game since.

        There were early struggles, as Chalmers took ill-advised shots in losses at Wisconsin (3-for-11 shooting) and Princeton (0-for-6).

        In the first eight games, Chalmers averaged 8.9 points, shooting .370 from the field and .235 on 3-pointers.

        Since then, he has produced nearly the same scoring average (8.7 points) in shorter stints. He is shooting .413 the past nine games, including .378 on 3s.

        “From a learning process, it's been good for him since Lloyd's been back,” XU assistant Jeff Battle said. “He's been able to look and learn and follow (Maurice McAfee's) lead a little bit.”

        Chalmers' production varies. He has scored 12 or more points six times but has been held to three or fewer points four times. He's often stronger on defense, ranking second on the team in steals (25). Last Saturday, he helped hound St. Joseph's star Jameer Nelson into 1-for-11 shooting.

        “He's so quick, when he comes into the game and everybody else is four or five minutes tired, he should be a blur,” Prosser said. “That's why we like him in that (sixth man) role.”

        The Dukes have a strong one-two punch in Wayne Smith (18.3 ppg) and Courtney Wallace (17.0). They lost their top post player, Simon Ogunlesi, who was deported to his homeland of Nigeria because of his role in a bank fraud scheme.

        The Dukes have played just six home games; they're 4-2. They beat XU 85-78 here last year.

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