PITTSBURGH -- Elliott Welmer scored 17 points and Davell Roby's tip-in with 1.6 seconds left gave Saint Louis its only lead of the game and the Billikens beat Duquesne 72-71 in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Wednesday night.

Saint Louis used a 6-0 run in the closing 24 seconds to move on. Mike Crawford made a pair of layups in a seven-second span, the second coming off Mike Lewis II's turnover with 15 seconds left.

Emile Blackman missed two free throws with nine seconds and the Dukes leading 71-70.

Crawford secured the rebound, and Jaylen Johnson drove through traffic down the left side of the lane and put up a shot that went off the left side of the backboard and into Roby's hands. Kyle Abrahamson missed a potential game winner as time expired.

Eleventh-seed Saint Louis (12-20) advances to play George Washington on Thursday.

Duquesne led 42-32 at halftime and Lewis' layup with 15:20 to go put the Dukes up 55-37.

Crawford had 16 and Reggie Agbeko added 15 for Saint Louis.

Lewis paced the Dukes (10-22) with 22 points, Tarin Smith and Isiah Mike each had 14 and Blackman 12.