Duquesne (3-0) will take on Ivy League power Princeton at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Let’s dive into the game preview, betting information, and more for the matchup.

DUKES ARE HOT

After opening the season with a close win over Cleveland State, the Dukes have blown out each of their past two opponents, taking down College of Charleston in Annapolis and Stony Brook at home on Monday.

Three guards are leading the Dukes in scoring to start the season: Dae Dae Grant (20.7 PPG), Jimmy Clark III (19.3 PPG), and Kareem Rozier (11.7 PPG). Forwards Fousseyni Drame and Andrei Savrasov have also been solid scorers so far for the Dukes, both averaging 11 PPG (Drame) and 7 PPG (Savrasov).

As a team, Duquesne is averaging 84.7 points per game and giving up 70.7 points per game. They are shooting 47% from the field so far, as well as 37% from three-point range as a team.

TRE WILLIAMS SIDELINED

Duquesne forward Tre Williams is currently out with a dislocated thumb suffered against Charleston. On Monday, PSN reported that Williams would be out for at least two weeks.

Duquesne’s Tre Williams To Be Sidelined with Injury

PRINCETON REPORT

Princeton finished last season 23-9 overall with an incredible run in March. The Tigers incredibly took down No. 2 seed Arizona as a 15-seed, and then followed it up with a win over No. 7 Missouri to advance to the Sweet 16.

This year, Princeton again looks like one of the strongest mid-major teams. The Tigers have looked to senior guard Matt Allocco (17 PPG), as well as sophomore forward Caden Pierce (17 PPG, 15 RPG) and 6-foot-3 guard Xaivian Lee (15 PPG) this season for production.

The Tigers are averaging 71 points per game and have given up an average of 64 points per game. So far, Princeton has beaten two strong teams: Rutgers (No. 72 in Kenpom) and Hofstra (No. 162 in Kenpom).

METRICS

According to Kenpom.com, Duquesne is ranked as the No. 77 overall team in the country while Princeton is listed as the No. 92 team.

GAME TIME/TV/RADIO

Wednesday’s game will tip off at 7 p.m. on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and ESPN+. You can also listen to the game on 970 ESPN Pittsburgh.

BETTING INFO

Duquesne is favored by 5.5 points in this game, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

The over/under is set at 144.

The post Previewing Wednesday’s Top-100 Matchup Between Duquesne and Princeton appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Though it was not a picture-perfect first half, Duquesne came away with an 85-63 victory over Stony Brook Monday night at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

“I think we were a little tired, it was a long trip and there was a lot going on,” Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot admitted. “I thought we were a little sluggish, but I don’t think it was from a lack of respect for the opponent or not understanding the importance of the game.”

Duquesne held Stony Brook to a 24.3% shooting clip, which on the surface looked great, but there were some frustrations, namely 10 offensive rebounds conceded and 10 turnovers, ruining what consistently was a short court.

There were a lot of mental mistakes but at the locker room, the Dukes worked to regroup.

“We just told ourselves we were going to rally, calm down and come out and play basketball how we should and don’t let the defense dictate what we do,” senior guard Jimmy Clark III said. “That was the main focus at halftime.”

Duquesne was a far more polished side evidenced by eight steals compared to one turnover.

“The one thing about these guys, they keep coming back for more,” assessed Dambrot.

FOUS-BALL

Duquesne has had its share of reliable six men under Dambrot, among those are Tavian Dunn-Martin, Tarin Smith and Baylee Steele, but now Fousseyni Drame is throwing his hat in the ring.

Drame posted his first double-double as a Duke consisting of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Through three games he is averaging 11 points and 8.3 rebounds over 26.3 minutes of work.

“The one guy is playing unbelievable. His production in short time periods for the amount of shots he’s taking is one of the highest levels that I’ve seen,” Dambrot said.

Though it has just been three games, Dambrot has seen enough to state that he is playing himself into being a high-level player instead of as a role player, doing so by shooting at a high-level while being very diversified.

It is Dambrot’s belief that Drame is playing like one of the best players in the Atlantic 10 and if that were to continue then the team would have something special.

Dambrot has already begun to consider putting Drame in the starting lineup, which he stated would consist of just talking to him to see if it is okay, stating with the current level he is playing at would warrant that being the only right thing to do.

The catch-22 of it all would be that he would almost certainly take Andrei Savrasov’s spot in the lineup. Though for most on the team it does not affect them were they to start or come off the bench, Savrasov has played with more confidence because the staff did not give up on him when he struggled.

Either way, it goes back to a refrain associate head coach Dru Joyce III mentioned that it does not matter who starts on the team.

“Our guys are coming to grips with whatever opportunity presents itself they take advantage of,” said Joyce. “I think that’s the sign of a special team. It’s been beneficial if we have rough starts, to have that man coming off your bench with that type of production, that’s a special thing.”

UP NEXT

Duquesne continues with the middle of a three-game homestand against Princeton. It is a challenging time given the team had two days before this game and a day in between the next two contests.

This will test a Dukes team which will be without Tre Williams and also continue developing some of their younger players, the latest of which, Kailon Nichols made his debut Monday.

“Probably the hardest thing is Princeton is next and we all know about that system,” Dambrot concluded. “You need good prep time and clearly we’re not going to have that. We’re just going to go out and play and I tell our guys to let it rip and quit thinking so much. We’re better when we just play. It’s like a pro schedule now. I kind of like it in a way, nobody really likes to practice that much anyways. They sure as hell don’t, they like those 45-minute-to-hour practices where they can go home and sleep.”

HE SAID IT

“We’ve got shooters everywhere. We stretch the floor and have two wild stallions who shoot the ball extremely well. (Dambrot) has strong belief in all of us and that’s why we keep letting it go. That changed the game when we started hitting our threes.” – sophomore guard Kareem Rozier

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Following the game guards Kareem Rozier and Jimmy Clark III in addition to head coach Keith Dambrot as well as associate head coach Dru Joyce III spoke to assembled reporters.

Apologies for the difficulties that led to the coaches presser breaking down to two separate videos.

The post Watch: Duquesne MBB Sounds Off On Third Win Of Season appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne (3-0) saw Jimmy Clark III lead the way with 24 points, while Dae Dae Grant added 19 of his own. Fousseyni Drame recorded his first double double as a Duke with his 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kareem Rozier netted 11 points, to go with a career high seven assists.

Stony Brook (1-2) had Aaron Clarke contribute 22 points, and Tyler Stephenson-Moore 14.

Statistically speaking, Duquesne shot 50% from the field in the first half to Stony Brook’s 24.3% however those figures did not tell the full story of the opening 20 minutes.

Stony Brook made 1 of 12 field goals at one point but grabbed 10 offensive rebounds to extend possession as multiple Dukes bigs in addition to Grant got into foul trouble. Additionally, Duquesne struggled to sustain large scoring barrages as 10 turnovers stunted the defensive progress.

The Dukes led by nine points at halftime despite being held scoreless for nearly the last two minutes of the period.

Duquesne had the first opportunity in the second half, utilizing a 6-0 run which Rozier sank a three-point basket in transition off a Clark pass, giving the Dukes a 13-point advantage, its largest of the game up to that point.

The Dukes valued the basketball at a far higher clip in the second half with eight assists compared to a single turnover.

As the lead began to stretch, Dambrot began adding to the team’s rotation as both Kailon Nicholls and Andy Barba each saw their first time on the court this season.

Stony Brook made nine three-point baskets in the second half but were 4-of-19 from two-point range.

Duquesne does not have much time to recover from Monday’s triumph as Wednesday it will host Princeton at 7 p.m.

The post Duquesne MBB Pulls Away From Stony Brook, 85-63 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

However, the Dukes will have to play tonight — and for a while  — without a valuable member of their front-court.

Pittsburgh Sports Now has learned that senior forward Tre Williams will miss at least the next two weeks with a dislocated thumb. This injury occurred Friday night in Duquesne’s game against College of Charleston.

Duquesne does have some depth up front but Williams’ rebounding and physical presence underneath will be missed.

During his absence, Keith Dambrot will be counting on and giving more minutes to freshman Jakub Necas, transfer Andrei Savrasov and transfer Fousseyni Drame. Last season, the 6’7”, 250-pound senior from Reynoldsburg, Ohio averaged 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Dukes. The year prior, Williams averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds.

The post Duquesne’s Tre Williams To Be Sidelined with Injury appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Both the Panthers and the Dukes are 2-0 to start this season, and each of those wins have come handily aside from a close win for the Dukes over Cleveland State.

Duquesne took down College of Charleston in the Veterans Classic on Friday night by a score of 90-72. Strong performances from Kareem Rozier, Dae Dae Grant, and Jimmy Clark III propelled the Dukes to the victory.

Pitt is off to a dominant start. Although the Panthers have not played the toughest of competition so far, the widely-trusted Kenpom.com metrics seem to appreciate that Pitt has thumped both of its opponents so far.

Kenpom.com Ratings

Pitt: No. 49 overall, No. 6 in ACC.

Pitt ranks in the top 60 of all division one teams in both adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency. Pitt’s strength of schedule so far is ranked at No. 335.

Duquesne: No. 77 overall, No. 2 in Atlantic 10.

Duquesne ranks in the top-75 in adjusted offensive efficiency while the Dukes rank No. 96 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Duquesne’s strength of schedule so far is ranked at No. 184.

The post Pitt and Duquesne MBB Both Rising in Respected Kenpom.com Rankings appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Pitt and Duquesne’s men’s basketball teams both have multiple home games, while Robert Morris’ men’s team is on the road all week. To cap off a busy slate, we’ve got the Women’s Basketball City Game on Saturday at Duquesne as well.

Let’s take a look at the full schedule for this week of Pittsburgh basketball home games.

Duquesne MBB: 

Monday: Duquesne Vs. Stony Brook – 7 p.m.

Wednesday: Duquesne Vs. Princeton – 7 p.m.

Friday: Duquesne Vs. Rider – 7 p.m.

Duquesne Basketball Runs on Rozier: ‘His Leadership Ability is Second-to-None’

Pitt MBB: 

Monday: Pitt Vs. Florida Gulf Coast – 7 p.m.

Friday: Pitt Vs. Jacksonville – 7 p.m.

Duquesne WBB:

Saturday: Duquesne Vs. Pitt WBB – 2 p.m.

Pitt WBB:

Saturday: Pitt @ Duquesne WBB – 2 p.m.

RMU WBB

Wednesday: RMU Vs. Akron WBB – 11 a.m.

RECORD UPDATES

Pitt MBB: 2-0

Duquesne MBB: 2-0

Duquesne WBB: 2-0

Pitt WBB: 1-1

RMU MBB: 1-1

RMU WBB: 1-1

Stay tuned on Pittsburgh Sports Now for coverage of all of the city’s college basketball action throughout the week and beyond. For more information on tickets and full schedules for each of the teams, click here for Duquesne MBB, here for Duquesne WBB, here for Pitt MBB, here for Pitt WBB, and here for Robert Morris WBB.

The post Big Week of College Basketball Ahead in the Steel City appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Rozier had a career night in the Veterans Classic, leading the Dukes to a massive 90-72 win over College of Charleston. The Detroit, Michigan native hit big shot after big shot, leading the Dukes to an early 17-point lead, and then when the Cougars came back, burying them along with his teammates. Rozier played a team-high 37 minutes and 16 seconds in the game, and rightfully so. Keith Dambrot couldn’t take him off the floor. The guard, along with Jimmy Clark III, Dae Dae Grant, and his other teammates, was on a tear.

Rozier hit six of his nine field-goal attempts in the win, going 3 for 6 from three-point range. He hit all five of his free-throw tries, drew a game-high seven fouls, and dished out four assists to his teammates. Rozier finished with a career-high 20 points for the Dukes, but it wasn’t his scoring that impressed Dambrot the most in the win.

“I told our two hosts, the two guys from the Navy — by the way, I have a crazy amount of respect for what those guys do for our country. But I told them, ‘We have one guy that can probably be in the Naval Academy, and it’s him (Rozier).’

“It’s the second game of the season and it’s already like tournament time!”

—Kareem Rozier to @JonRothstein after @DuqMBB‘s victory over Charleston pic.twitter.com/sdDIVwzsXL

— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) November 11, 2023

“His grades probably aren’t good enough,” laughed Dambrot, “but his leadership ability is second-to-none. I said it last year, and people looked at me like I was biased. He’s absolutely the best leader that I have ever had. He was 17 years old last year and he was leading a bunch of old guys. So, he may not look the greatest and his stat line may not look the greatest, although it was pretty good tonight, but the intangibles that he has, he should be judged only on whether our team wins or loses So, he’s just a special guy.”

After going just 1 for 9 from the field against Cleveland State in the season opener, Rozier bounced back on Friday night as Dambrot once again gave him an opportunity to come back from a tough offensive game. The Dukes are 2-0 to start the year, and Rozier has been a big reason why.

Check him out in action this week as Duquesne takes on Stony Brook on Monday night at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, followed by a Wednesday-night contest against Princeton at home.

The post Duquesne Basketball Runs on Rozier: ‘His Leadership Ability is Second-to-None’ appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

After the game, Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot had high remarks for his associate head coach Dru Joyce III.

“Dru is one of the toughest, smartest, hardest-nosed human beings that I’ve ever been around,” Dambrot said.

Dambrot broke down Joyce’s impact with Duquesne, Joyce spoke about his learning experiences under Dambrot, and the two broke down the Dukes’ win on Friday night.

Watch the full press conference below.

The post WATCH: Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot, Dru Joyce III Recap Dukes’ Win appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The Dukes came out scorching hot, clamping the Cougars on the defensive end and creating offense on the other end. Duquesne hit nine of its first 13 shots, including three early makes from Jimmy Clark III, en route to a 22-5 lead early on. The Dukes took a 15-0 run into the 12-minute mark, leading to a Pat Kelsey timeout to stop the bleeding.

However, it didn’t take long for Kelsey’s squad to wake up. Charleston clawed back into the game throughout the remainder of the first half, as eight different Cougars hit the score sheet in the frame. The Dukes turned the ball over eight times in the frame, resulting in more and more Charleston momentum. Former Division Two national champion Kobe Rodgers led the way for Charleston, scoring seven points in the first period on 2-for-4 shooting. By the break, the Cougars had battled all the way back into the lead, taking a 37-33 lead.

After Charleston built its lead up to five two minutes into the second half, Duquesne went on a 7-0 run, forcing three turnovers and turning them into buckets from Rozier and Clark. The Dukes led 50-47 with 16 minutes to go, and the momentum swung back into the Dukes’ direction.

The two teams battled back-and-forth throughout the rest of the second half, and with nine minutes to go, it was the Rozier show in Annapolis as Duquesne’s point guard hit a fancy late-shot-clock lay-in followed by a transition three to extend the Dukes’ lead to seven.

Down the stretch, Rozier and the Dukes closed out the Cougars with strong defense, timely shooting, and all-around production on the offensive end. Georgia Southern transfer Andrei Savrasov made big play after big play late in the game, and finished with ten points for Duquesne. With just over two-and-a-half minutes to go, Dae Dae Grant hit the dagger, draining a deep three late in the shot clock to finish off the Cougars.

Freshman Jakub Necas hit a win-capping three in the last minute and finished with seven points. The final score was 90-72.

Rozier exploded for a career-high 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting, while Grant added a team-best 22 points. Jimmy Clark led the team in assists with seven, and also contributed with 18 points.

The Dukes now move to 2-0 on the season and will take on Stony Brook at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13.

The post Duquesne Earns Big Win Over College of Charleston in Veterans Classic, 90-72 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Sure Duquesne won, but it weathered a storm in which a veteran team made at a rate higher than expected against a Dukes team that knows who it is, but still has a lot to figure out.

Admittedly Dambrot knows his team is a work in progress, a combination of players returning from injury and possibly the deepest squad he has had.

“(We’re) not quite sure yet who should be in when,” Dambrot stated. “It has to be straight feel and who’s playing well. Obviously, Dae Dae and Tre Clark are going to play but everyone else pretty much is battling to play. They’re all good players which is hard to play like that.”

Duquesne did rotate its lineup and had some advantages but could not seem to put Cleveland State away.

Even so it was some plays down the stretch that pulled the win out.

Kareem Rozier did not have his best shooting performance from the field but battled for a crucial rebound and it was his pass into David Dixon that led to a crucial rebound.

“Really giving Reem props for the gonads he carried,” Dae Dae Grant remarked. “He got heart, and it shows in those two plays that he’s got the heart of a freaking lion.”

When Cleveland State could not come away with a basket, it was Rozier who pulled down the rebound. Dixon pulled his sophomore guard from off the ground an acknowledgement that Duquesne found a way to start the season off the way it needed to.

“It was big-time plays made in crunch time and winning the game is not easy against that kind of caliber of team and we’re just appreciative to win this game and win it with our brothers,” replied Grant.

TWIN POWERED

Both Grant and Jimmy Clark were asked which lineup combination worked best for the team, a query answered very quickly.

It was the twins, referring to Fousseyni and Hassan Drame.

“Their impact was obvious,” Grant analyzed. “I really liked their tenacity, their knack of going for the basketball, going for the rebound every single time. That’s not easy to do after taking multiple forearms and jabs.”

Both Drames are accustomed to starting throughout their career, but neither got the nod Monday night.

If it affected them in any way, it certainly did not show, rather their play and tenacity built upon those who were on the floor.

In the past, Duquesne has had some inconsistencies in the post, breaking down an opponent sending a double team, but Monday there was a clear sense of urgency in finding the open player through the increased physicality. Though some of those shots were not made, it was a clear improvement that the Drames were involved in.

“It was a blessing,” explained Grant. “When you’ve got your bigs who want to play hard, go out there and play for you, it makes you want to just go out there, play harder and produce. It makes you want to make your minutes positive as soon as you get out there. It’s knowing we all have each other’s back.”

Clark liked what the Drames brought defensively as their energy and length made it more difficult for Cleveland State.

“It would have been shown more if we stayed solid on a couple more plays through the clock,” Clark said. “Those lineups will bring a great defensive presence.”

The way Dambrot saw it, these two in addition to Tre Williams another player used to starting, provided a boost both in play and unselfishness.

Dambrot admitted that he thought Fousseyni would play a lot but with Hassan nursing a knee injury he was not as sure about the latter’s playing time.

Fousseyni’s late three-point basket allowed Duquesne to control the end game and was the loudest the fans were all evening.

“You can say they’ve been in a lot of games and there’s no one that will play harder than them,” explained Dambrot. “They play hard and fearless. Fousseyni bopped that three in and it changed the game.”

CLARK MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Clark was able to find success putting the ball in the basket and was someone when there were lulls that displayed a willingness to call his own number, but the growth he showed was in a different area.

Sure, Clark did make some defensive gambles, with three steals to show for it, but it was his ability as a distributor which most pleased Dambrot.

For Clark to battle foul trouble and come away with eight steals against three steals bodes well for Duquesne and gives the team a true point guard.

Two years ago there were several games where Duquesne may not have compiled eight assists as a team, but Monday Clark did so by making the right reads throughout his 28 minutes, including the aforementioned Fousseyni Drame triple.

As Duquesne faces College of Charleston in the first game of the 2023 Veteran Classic at 6 p.m. Friday it does so as a side which faced adversity and found a positive result.

The post Inside the Dukes: Duquesne Working on Finding Right Combinations appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne and Charleston both won their first games of the season in nail-biting fashion, and the two programs are ready to go for a battle between two NCAA Tournament hopefuls from the mid-major level.

DUQUESNE OPENS SEASON WITH ‘W’ OVER CLEVELAND STATE

The Dukes took down Cleveland State in the opener by a score of 79-77. Duquesne’s guard tandem of Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III combined for 37 points and nine assists, as Grant led the team in scoring and Clark dished out a team-best eight dimes.

Duquesne’s newest front court members Hassan and Fousseyni Drame provided some big plays down the stretch for the Dukes and finished with some similar stat lines. Hassan had 11 points and four rebounds, while Fousseyni had 10 points and five boards.

Tre Williams added nine points and four rebounds in the winning effort.

CHARLESTON TAKES DOWN IONA IN A TIGHT BATTLE

Charleston defeated Iona 71-69 behind 16 points off the bench from 6-foot-10 junior forward Ante Brzovic and 15 from starter Frankie Policelli.

Policelli is a 6-foot-9 forward who transferred in this past offseason from Stony Brook, where he played three seasons. In the win on Monday, Policelli went 5 for 11 from the field, including 3 for 9 from three-point range. He also grabbed eight rebounds in the victory.

METRICS

According to Kenpom.com, Duquesne is ranked as the No. 90 overall team in the country while Charleston is listed as the No. 103 team.

LAST YEAR

Last year, Charleston finished with an incredible 31-4 record. The Cougars qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they received a No. 12 seed. Head coach Pat Kelsey has turned the program into a mid-major power, and his #OurCity motto has brought the city behind the program. On Monday, the stadium sold out for the team’s opener against Iona according to ESPN.

GAME TIME/TV/RADIO

Friday’s game will tip off at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network live from Annapolis. John Sadak, Steve Lappas, and Jon Rothstein will be on the call. You can also listen to the game on 104.7 HD2/IHeartRadio with Ray Goss and Jarrett Durham on the call.

BETTING INFO

Charleston is currently favored by 1.5 points, according to Action Network.

The post Previewing Duquesne’s Non-Conference Battle Against College of Charleston appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Following the victory, guards Dae Dae Grant & Jimmy Clark III in addition to coach Keith Dambrot spoke to the media.

The post Watch: Duquesne MBB Breaks Down Opening Win appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne (1-0) was paced by Dae Dae Grant’s 21 points, while teammate Jimmy Clark III recorded 16 points and 8 assists. Hassan Drame made his Dukes debut with 11 points, while twin brother Fousseyni Drame added 10.

The Duquesne bench outscored Cleveland State 34-12 in this contest.

Cleveland State (0-1) saw Drew Lowder lead the way with his game-high 27 points. Teammate Tae Williams finished play with a double-double consisting of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tristan Enaruna contributed with his 15 points.

After winning the opening tip, Duquesne would first score when Grant got to the foul line, sinking both free throws.

The Dukes would lead in the early going before Lowder began to heat up from the field. At one point, Lowder dribbled aimlessly before settling on a long-distance three-point basket.

Lowder would pick up his second foul, taking a seat, but the Vikings did not lose their edge, utilizing a 10-2 run to take some

Duquesne played 11 in a half which saw both teams in foul trouble. A total of 21 whistles were assessed in that first half and the Dukes shot 15 free throws.

Cleveland State shot 47.2% from the field in the first half and held onto a 41-38 advantage after Duquesne was unable to get a shot up.

In the second half, Grant made a splash play for the Dukes as he was fouled after getting off a three-point shot, which he buried. Though he missed the free throw in the aftermath, it got the Dukes going.

Grant was part of another key moment for Duquesne as Fousseyni Drame overcame pressure in the post and got the ball out for a trademark three-point shot. When Cleveland State committed a turnover, Grant encouraged the fans to get loud.

With the outcome very much on the line, Clark found Fousseyni Drame in the corner for a three-point basket which fired up the fans in attendance.

After the Vikings came up empty, Clark added a layup and the lead would stretch to four points, before Lowder attempted to play spoiler with another three pointer.

David Dixon would ultimately split free throws and Cleveland State drew front iron as the game clock expired.

Duquesne will continue its regular season on the road when it faces College of Charleston Friday in the Veteran’s Classic at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Gallery:

The post Duquesne Wins Season Opening Thriller, 79-77, Over Cleveland State appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Cleveland State is a member of the Horizon League and has been really good mid-major team, winning 60 games over the last three seasons. Dambrot has once again challenged his team with a very competitive non-conference schedule so tonight will not be a cakewalk by any means.

One of the reasons for challenging his team is undoubtedly because Dambrot believes his roster is up to the challenge and could be one of, if not his best team since taking this job seven years ago. In the preseason media predictions, the Dukes were picked to finish 4th in the Atlantic-10.

“I think the only other year that we were picked relatively high was that year we had all those guys back, Marcus [Weathers], Mike Hughes and Sincere [Carry],” said Dambrot. “That was the year we won about 7 games to start the season. That was probably the only time anyone thought that we were any good.”

“I really like this team as people,” he added. “They’re really good people that also care about winning.”

Something to keep in mind is that this Duquesne team has been battling injuries and sickness and won’t be 100% until December. This opening month will be a challenge as Dambrot tries to get some of these injured players minutes as well as really finding out what he really has with these offseason transfers. Having depth is a good thing but it requires settling on and dividing up minutes.

“The biggest thing for them is their uncertainty as to what their roles are going to end up being. We haven’t had Dixon and Barre out there. Dixon has been out there way less than Barre, who only been out there for a couple of weeks. That impacts everyone’s playing time. Honestly, I don’t even know yet how it [minutes/rotation] is going to turn out yet.”

“We still have to find out what our niche is,” said Dambrot. “What are we? We had Marcus and Mike and those guys; we knew that we could maul people inside and we still had good perimeter play. We still don’t know yet about this team. Are we a pressing team? Are we a running team? Are we going to play any zone? We haven’t played enough yet to know who we are. It’s so hard in practice to tell what you are. We do know that we need to be more aggressive and tougher than anyone out there and we have to utilize our depth. I think that’s probably the hardest thing as a coach, is trying to figure out stylistically what you really are.”

Duquesne will be a good team this season, but the question is how long will it take them to get healthy and gel together?

The journey begins tonight with tipoff at 7 PM. Oddsmakers have installed Duquesne as -9.5 point favorites.

The post Keith Dambrot Previews Duquesne Team: ‘They’re Really Good People That Also Care About Winning” appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.