With Durham CCC declaring on 315-4 overnight Durham MCCU were given the chance to bat from the outset on day two.
The students lost opener Seren Waters early on with the total at just two after he was caught at gully by Dale Benkenstein off the bowling of Callum Thorp.
Chris Jones (2) became Graham Onions first victim of the innings when he top edged the ball to Phil Mustard.
Four further wickets were lost for just ten runs with Thorp claiming two and Ruel Brathwaite and Ben Stokes one apiece.
Luke Blackaby and Nat Watkins put on a much needed partnership of 51 before the former was caught by Ian Blackwell on 24, giving Stokes his second wicket of the innings and leaving the University 69-7.
Watkins went on to top score with 38* after Ruel Brathwaite cleared up the tail which saw the University dismissed for 117 in 52.4 overs.
Durham CCC didn’t enforce the follow on and opened with Will Smith and Scott Borthwick, the latter having been moved up the order in place of Paul Collingwood who was absent today due to a chest infection.
Scott Borthwick added a quickfire 22, including two sixes before he was caught by the sub (Cox) off the bowling of Charlie Wallis.
Durham were 62-1 at tea but lost Ian Blackwell shortly after the break when he was trapped lbw by Ajay Sangha for 14.
After scoring fifty in the first innings Will Smith fell just short in repeating the feat a second time when he was caught by Jones off Salt for 43 with Durham 88-3.
Callum Thorp added three to the total before he was caught by Wallis, becoming Salt’s second victim.
Mitchell Claydon and Ben Stokes put a 46 run partnership, which saw Stokes pass the fifty mark, before Claydon was caught at square leg off Watkins for 9.
Durham were 159-6 once Ben Stokes (65) was stumped off Watkins, bringing Ruel Brathwaite to the middle to join Graham Onions.
Brathwaite added 8 before he became Watkins third wicket of the day.
Bad light brought play to an early close at 6.10pm with Durham 193-7, with Onions 23* and Dale Benkenstein 3*.
To follow the action as it happened visit Durham CCC’s Live Match Chat www.durhamccc.co.uk/live-match-chat
Play will resume for the third and final day at 11.00am on Sunday. Admission is free.