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

The post Inside the Dukes: Duquesne Displays Signs Of Maturity appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

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.

Instead as Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt explained, the kick went 15 yards shorter as Stonehill took over on its own 38.

A defense which stood tall through adversity in the fourth quarter could not do so one final time as Duquesne fell 33-28.

“We had done a good job of placing it so we did not get a big return,” Schmitt explained. “We had a couple of returns there on us, so we felt that if we could place it to one of their up guys. Obviously, we missed on that, we didn’t do a good job on that.”

Duquesne had to overcome a 17-0 deficit to start its senior day and also already earned a share of the NEC crown but earned the opportunity to advance on its homefield to secure the solo title for just the second time in program history, with 2015 being the first.

Instead after using so much energy to come back, the efforts were just short as the last drive after the kickoff saw the Skyhawks player Chris Domercant rush it in from 21 yards out following a Duquesne timeout.

This left Duquesne 32 seconds to find a winner, which the Dukes were unable to do.

“We’re pretty upset,” Duquesne safety Zeke Daure admitted afterwards. “We had a chance to do it on our home field and didn’t come up on top. I think everyone’s pretty upset about it. We battled through some adversity and that makes us a well-tested team for next week now. You just wish you could come on top in these types of situations.”

Schmitt admitted that the game was not his team’s best and that the Dukes had more unforced errors in a 60-minute period that they had in a long time.

In total, there were 24 total penalties for 229 combined yards. Duquesne was whistled eight times, but also did not turn on several passes defensively, came up empty on two fourth-quarter drives and just made other self-inflicted mistakes.

“(We) shot ourselves in the foot all game,” determined Daure. “A lot of penalties, a lot of stupid mistakes all game. We gave them a lot, one drive we gave them 30 yards on two penalties. It’s really frustrating.”

A bright spot for Duquesne came with Gianni Rizzo’s career highs with 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Jayden Johnson added a game-high 13 tackles.

Wide receiver Keshawn Brown achieved a career high 103 receiving yards, the overwhelming bulk of which came on an 89-yard passing play on a slant pattern.

Now Duquesne has to turn the page for next Saturday’s noon contest against Merrimack, which will air on NEC Front Row.

Schmitt had long instilled a 24-hour rule after games, and he knows it is a huge task to overcome Saturday’s effort and that ownership needed to be taken by all involved in the program.

“Right now it’s hard to dwell but I think going into Monday we’ll be ready to go,” Daure hoped. “Next week is technically our Super Bowl, it’s the biggest game of the year now. We always say that anyways, so we’ll just put our heads back on and try to pick ourselves up and hopefully go win next week.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a first quarter for Duquesne to forget as Stonehill started with Jermaine Corbett putting in two decent runs, putting the Skyhawks into the red zone.

The drive would stall as Perry Shelbred converted a 22-yard field goal.

As Duquesne tried to move past the emotion of senior day and what was at stake, its turn with the football lasted one play as quarterback Darius Perrantes fumbled the football. Shortly after, Jake Newsham would cross the goal line on a third down pass extending the Skyhawks advantage.

Edward Robinson took it to the ground on Duquesne’s first play from scrimmage, but a hard hit resulted in a fumble which Justin Waters returned 17 yards.

All of a sudden, Duquesne found itself down 17-0.

The Dukes would regroup, going on an 11-play, 60-yard drive culminating in JaMario Clements punching the ball in from two yards out.

Stonehill would lead 20-7 after the first quarter after a field goal split the uprights in the closing moments.

Duquesne had an opportunity as the second quarter began but Perrantes mistimed multiple throws and on fourth down, two Dukes receivers were open but bumped into each other causing a turnover on downs.

Stonehill took over and had a 2nd-&-27 before Duquesne bailed the Skyhawks out with a personal foul.

Despite this, Duquesne’s defense made a stand and when back on the attack, Perrantes found Brown on a slant route. Brown made the catch and made a move to shake his defender. A crucial DJ Powell block allowed Brown to find open field and the end zone.

Perrantes would prove to have an affinity for the deep ball as his nine completions went for 298 yards, averaging just over 33 yards a pass.

Stonehill struggled to advance the ball and on fourth down a bad snap saw a sequence in which the Dukes took over on the Skyhawk 37.

On third down, Perrantes saw open field and rushed for the first down, but after he cut the dash turned into a 34-yard score giving Duquesne the lead, a 21-20 advantage it would hold into halftime.

The third quarter did not see much movement until Corbett was ejected after picking up his second personal foul after saying something right beside an official. Corbett’s day ended with 111 rushing yards.

It was the second consecutive game that Duquesne allowed a 100-yard rusher.

“We’re wearing down in our front and they were really good, the running game,” Schmitt said. “It’s a challenge for us and we’re using a lot of people, a lot of young guys and interchange to hold up in that front. We weren’t as strong as when we started the season. I kind of expect teams to run it a little bit on us.”

Stonehill would have another running back in Zavion Woodard rush the ball in from a yard out, to reclaim the lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Duquesne welcomed the fourth quarter with Perrantes finding Joey Isabella for a 49-yard connection down to the Skyhawks seven. The ensuing play saw a pass tipped and intercepted.

After the Dukes defense stood tall, Perrantes found Powell for 54 yards. Duquesne had the ball as close as the 15-yard line, but Perrantes spun out of trouble only to fall on his own accord. The error took the Dukes out of field goal range and the team turned it over on downs.

Once again Duquesne’s defense stood tall and the third time would prove to be the charm for the Dukes offense.

This occasion Perrantes was less reliant on the deep ball, taking what Stonehill gave him and opening up more reads in the process.

Ultimately, it was Robinson who cut right and found the end zone untouched.

After the short kick, Stonehill quarterback Ashur Carraha found Noah Canty for 29 yards, a play which left the Skyhawks just outside of field goal range.

A few plays later, Domercant scored his touchdown as Duquesne left itself some time to secure the title. Instead, the drive was unsuccessful though on the penultimate play, Powell just missed scoring a touchdown.

EDDIE PROVIDENT’S PHOTO GALLERY

The post Duquesne Football’s Many Miscues Lead To Loss appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne is off to its best start as NEC members, with a 5-0 record to show for it. Last week’s game, a 34-26 victory at Wagner secured a share, the ninth conference title in 19 years under coach Jerry Schmitt.

Thus far, the Dukes have scored at least 27 points in each conference game, averaging a league-best 34.8 a game with a scoring margin of +65.

Earlier in the week, PSN’s Zachary Weiss caught up with Schmitt and graduate student defensive lineman Ryan Lopez to feel the temperature of the team as it prepared for Saturday’s game.

The post WATCH: Duquesne Football Seeks To Clinch Solo NEC Title On Senior Day 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.

Mere minutes after he turned to the Pitt fans and shouted “let’s go” with the victory secured, Verdi’s towel was strapped onto his face as he processed the surprise just sprung on him.

First of many wins for @CoachVerdiPitt here at Pitt #BeDifferent // @MarchMadnessWBB pic.twitter.com/BVXXQxzm3V

— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_WBB) November 8, 2023

“I’m just happy for our players,” he stated. “They know what practice is like every single day. They think I’m crazy and it’s okay. I’ve been married for 25 years, and I hear it every day but there’s a method to my madness. I’m their opponent each and every day. In practices it’s not easy but it’s worth it. When you get these types of results you see why we do the things we’re doing.”

Verdi is aware that those in attendance may have been stressed out, but the Tuesday-night triumph was one which he feels was seven months in the making.

As soon as Verdi arrived at Pitt, he explained that things needed to be different on a daily basis and the set out to change both the culture as well as the belief within the program.

“Tonight, our mental toughness is why we won,” determined Verdi. “I’m not sure if we had this day one. It’s been a journey but I’m super happy. We took their best punch no question about it.”

While Pitt was far from a perfect product, there were clear glimpses which certainly were not previously visible. At times the ball hummed with purpose, Pitt drew four charges including Marley Washenitz picking up two right after a timeout, the Panthers were consistently first to the punch after stoppages of play, it maintained identity through adversity and played with a clear heart.

It is hard to call the first game in a season program defining, but there are certain nerves that come with a first game. Everything is old because it has been instilled for months, but at the same time it all is new because this is the first game that has a true outcome of direct reward or consequence.

The victory is a home win which displayed fight and a refusal to quit. There was no question that Pitt became a better team through the win, doing so against a veteran team and a identity which had already started to form.

Graduate student forward Jala Jordan’s Pitt debut came with a 14-point effort during which she displayed a confidence which grew throughout the contest as she pushed to find a result, something which has grown since coming to campus.

“I know that I have a coaching staff that’s rooting for me and wants the best for me,” she explained. “That instills more confidence and just the want to. I’m very grateful to be in this situation.”

Junior guard Bella Perkins scored a game-high 21 points and her three-point shot with 49 seconds remaining in regulation put the game out of reach.

Nearly half an hour after her celebration concluded with a resounding fist pump, she sat at the postgame podium, a smile wide across her face explaining how from the beginning she knew something special was present, something which starts with Verdi.

“It’s not always perfect, but having a good relationship with your coaches, all of them helps a lot,” Perkins said. “He trusts us, we trust him, and it just makes you want to fight and play for not only yourself and your teammates, but also for coach. This is his first win at Pitt so that’s big and we want to do it all for each other.”

When asked, Verdi pondered about the past several months and what they meant. How he has grown.

The nearly two-minute answer?

It came down to believing he is truly blessed to be in a great situation where he loved working in all aspects, whether with staff, the team and beyond.

“Just to watch them compete each and every single day and just who they are as people,” replied a poised Verdi. “I think for me personally my goal in what I need to do is I need to challenge them. If I don’t challenge them, then I’m failing them, and my job is to push them and get them to go beyond where they could physically go. When you’re exhausted you’ve got to find a way to keep going because the teams that don’t win, they stop, the teams that do win they keep going. That’s something that we’re learning. I’m truly blessed to work with these guys every single day and I’m having a lot of fun. Tonight was just great for them, for our fans, great for the program.”

As Verdi wiped off his face in Pitt’s locker room and processed the barrage of water, he jumped towards the middle of the room surrounded by his team, celebrating the first of what he hopes to be many more wins.

“I’m going to give it my all,” Verdi concluded. “It doesn’t change and that’s why I said, ‘every game matters’. This isn’t a rebuilding year. When you say rebuilding year that’s an excuse to be mediocre. We’re not rebuilding, I expect to go out there and compete each and every single night and put ourselves in a position to win. I’m just thankful that I get to work with these guys every day.”

The post Weiss: Pitt WBB Displays Belief, Growth In Verdi’s Debut 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.

As part of this, Duquesne Women’s Basketball Coach Dan Burt and junior guard Megan McConnell, a member of the preseason first and defensive teams, spoke to PSN’s Zachary Weiss in this exclusive interview previewing the upcoming season.

The post WATCH: Duquesne WBB At Atlantic 10 Media Day appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

This is Duquesne’s best placement in the preseason poll since the 2020-21 edition when it tied with two other teams for fourth place and once again received a first-place vote.

Junior guard Megan McConnell received multiple nods from the coaches as she was named to the Preseason All-Conference First and Defensive Teams.

McConnell started all 31 games a season ago and averaged 11.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game to go with 70 steals. Standing at five-foot-seven McConnell was able to pull own 257 rebounds a season ago while her defensive nature made opponents be aware of where she was on the court at all times.

The Pittsburgh native is also the first Dukes player to make the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team since Libby Bazelak prior to the 2020-21 season.

McConnell was further recognized Wednesday by being named to the 2024 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year watchlist, one of 25 student-athletes to make that list.

Though McConnell received recognition, multiple other Dukes who were potentially up for consideration were not honored. These include Tess Myers (11.7 ppg/90 3’s), Amaya Hamilton (10.6 ppg/90 assts), Ayanna Townsend (10.4 ppg/46.9% FG) and Precious Johnson (10.3 ppg/49.6% FG).

When past Duquesne teams were in his opinion slighted, Duquesne coach Dan Burt made sure to use it as motivation and this instance does not figure to be any different.

Returning nearly 98% of all relevant stats, this Duquesne team has high expectations attached to its name as last season was a return towards the 20-win, postseason-play standard.

The Dukes begin their season Nov. 6 at Princeton.

Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

1. Rhode Island (12) 218

2. Saint Joseph’s 203

3. Saint Louis (2) 186

4. Richmond 176

5. Duquesne (1) 172

6. George Washington 150

7. Davidson 124

8. George Mason 111

9. Dayton 100

10. VCU 96

11. Massachusetts 70

12. La Salle 66

13. Fordham 54

14. St. Bonaventure 39

15. Loyola Chicago 35

Preseason All-Conference First Team

Elle Sutphin Davidson

Megan McConnell Duquesne

Maye Toure Rhode Island

Addie Budnik Richmond

Talya Brugler Saint Joseph’s

Kyla McMakin Saint Louis

Preseason All-Conference Second Team

Nya Robertson George Washington

Teisha Hyman Rhode Island

Maggie Doogan Richmond

Laura Ziegler Saint Joseph’s

Sarah Te-Biasu VCU

Julia Martinez Saint Louis

Preseason All-Conference Third Team

Suzi-Rose Deegan Davidson

Mariah Perez Dayton

Nalani Kaysia George Mason

Mayowa Taiwo George Washington

Tenin Magassa Rhode Island

Mackenzie Smith Saint Joseph’s

Preseason All-Defensive Team

Megan McConnell Duquesne

Mayowa Taiwo George Washington

Anaelle Dutat Rhode Island

Kennedy Calhoun Saint Louis

Julia Martinez Saint Louis

For what it is worth, here is PSN reporter Zachary Weiss’s projected preseason poll. Again, this result did not count in the final ballot.

1. Rhode Island

2. Saint Joseph’s

3. Saint Louis

4. Duquesne

5. George Washington

6. Richmond

7. Davidson

8. George Mason

9. Dayton

10. VCU

11. Loyola Chicago

12. Massachusetts

13. Fordham

14. La Salle

15. St. Bonaventure

The post Duquesne WBB Picked Preseason Fifth; McConnell Named Preseason First, Defensive Teams appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

As part of that game, Duquesne will have a band present for the first time this season as the Dukes look to build momentum from a decisive 44-20 victory over Central Connecticut State.

It was a victory which saw wide receiver Tedy Afful and running back Taj Butts have career days. Both were named NEC Prime Performers with the latter being named offensive player of the week. Quarterback Darius Perrantes was also named a prime performer.

Following Thursday’s walkthrough, PSN’s Zachary Weiss spoke with coach Jerry Schmitt as well as wide receiver DJ Powell.

The post WATCH: Duquesne Heads Into Homecoming Game With Momentum appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

In his own private time as Barre went through the reality that his basketball future was uncertain, he sat in his dorm and wept. The Cotonou, Benin native admitted he was two steps away from grabbing the phone and calling his parents but reminded himself that he had to be mentally strong.

“They say basketball is for dogs and you have to be mentally strong,” Barre assessed. “There were times where I said, ‘you know what I’m out of here’. First of all, I had no idea what was going on with my heart, if I could play basketball again, I’ll just let it go.  I was in my room crying, going to practice and watching your team. In my head I really wanted to be out there helping my team and it’s really hard.”

The Collapse

Jan. 30, 2023, is a date that Barre will never forget, a day where the last thing he remembered was going up for a dunk prior practice and then waking up in an emergency room unsure if he would ever play basketball again.

Barre had collapsed on the court, and it was a scene which reminded those in the program of what Damar Hamlin had experienced earlier in the same month and the forward himself recalled Jeff Green’s aortic aneurysm in December 2011.

Recalling the events leading up to his heart issues, Chabi was unhappy with his performance two days prior in a road loss to Massachusetts and admitted he was not feeling well.

Despite this, he made the decision to work out the next day and felt both lightheaded and dizzy. After a five-minute break, he got up and finished his workout.

As per custom under Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot, Barre got to the gym an hour early that fateful Monday and was warming up, when he collapsed on the court.

“The initial possibility of what could happen at that point it scares you,” Dambrot remembered. “You’re running around just trying to make sure he was okay. It took a long time and that’s the part that really scared me. It shook me. I thought it shook our whole team to be really honest about it. It kind of made everything else irrelevant.”

After waking up in the hospital, nothing made sense to Barre and only when a nurse told him he was in the ER and Dambrot entered the room to tell him what happened, did it start to make sense.

Basketball means more to Barre than most. For him, it is an opportunity to provide for his family and his country.

His half-brother is Mouphtaou Yarou who played for Villanova from 2010-13 before enjoying a professional career overseas had the desire to see Barre play basketball.

Originally soccer was Barre’s sport but at age 12, he was introduced to basketball. He would say that coming to America opened his eyes as far as how much he could do to help people back home.

“His family doesn’t have a lot and it’s a way for him to change his family dynamic,” stated Dambrot. “He’s gifted. You’re only gifted in so many things in life, so if he would have had basketball taken away from him, then it would have been a big hit for him, mostly emotionally. It’s that important to him.”

When Barre competed in NBA Academy games in Australia, he played well to the point that clips of him led to a connection who thought that there was the possibility of a bright future.

In his career thus far, Chabi has competed for the Benin National Team and played on the same team as Cade Cunningham in Florida.

Barre understands that being from Benin people in his generation there would kill to be in his current position, where he hopes to be able to play professionally and impact those back home.

As for coming to Duquesne, Barre stated that progress got started late and things happened, but that he is very happy to be here, showing no regret for his decision.

Even before the heart issues, Barre had some ups and downs, missing time due to a knee injury and also having to understand Dambrot’s expectations of him and the instant standard he desires.

Through it all, the two have developed a great relationship and both understand and appreciate each other.

“He’s just a fun guy, good to be around and a good person,” Dambrot determined. “He’s got untapped upside and I think he’s 60% of what he’s going to be. He’s still growing, getting stronger and learning but he’s doing some things naturally that a lot of people can’t even do.”

As Dambrot remembered on that Jan. 30 day, he watched Chabi warm up and then suddenly collapse.

He recalled how hard it was to watch and not only did it scare him, but when discussing it he revealed that it was probably the most difficult thing he had ever been through as a coach.

Rallying Around Barre

Every day Barre was in the hospital at least half of his team came to check on him, a gesture still very much appreciated to this day. From the beginning, Duquesne was there for Barre with Vice President of Athletics Dave Harper coming in to see him the very first day.

“I’m very thankful to every single person that contributed for me to play basketball,” said Barre. “They put me in the best situation possible. You can’t ask for anything more. How serious Duquesne was about student-athletes and health in general is amazing.”

One way the team supported Barre came with blue hearts being placed on the team’s jerseys beginning with the Feb. 4 contest at George Washington.

Initially Barre was unsure what the heart was for and then began to think it may have something to do with him.

When Dambrot spoke to the team in the locker room prior to tipoff, it became clear.

“Coach D talked about ‘this is for you Chabi, we really love you,'” Barre revealed with a smile. “I’m a very sensitive kid so I started crying. Every time I see that I think this moment pushed me not to really give up.”

Barre relied on his Muslim faith throughout this process and consistently prayed to God. It was God who stopped him from picking up the phone to call his parents and end his basketball aspirations.

“I’m a Muslim and we pray five times a day,” said Barre. “Since that thing happened, I don’t think I missed one day yet. Even if I have a class, I find time to pray. It brought me closer to God.”

The Return

The fear of the unknown was prevalent throughout Barre’s months of recovery.

Doctors still don’t know why he collapsed. Which also explained why it took so long for him to get cleared.

Barre understands that he is taking a risk by coming back to play basketball, but doctors have reassured him that the risks are not high.

Still the fear of collapsing is a real one as if it happens again his basketball career will be over.

During the time, Barre controlled what he could, and his weight went from 204 pounds to 225 pounds. The weight room became a part of his recovery.

Barre understood that he had to wear a heart monitor and he began to get frustrated at his trained because they had to supervise everything.

As he reflects on his battle to return to the court, Barre is grateful and believes the patience he displayed has paid off. Now he can play at full speed with the goal of shocking the Atlantic 10 Conference.

The determined forward already revealed that there was a team meeting where he told them that he was going to be the one to help Duquesne win.

At Duquesne’s Basketball Tipoff Event, Dambrot introduced his team and when it was Barre’s turn, both were all smiles with the coach revealing to the crowd that his wide smile meant good news was coming.

Now that the news is official and Barre can fully compete in practice, he is hard at work for the Nov. 6 season opener against Cleveland State.

“Coming off of a big situation like that, you’re nervous but at the same time I’m really grateful to be able to play college basketball again and be with the guys while doing what I love,” Barre concluded. “I knew (getting cleared) was coming, so the fans were there so I had to show them that I’m ready and I have something for them.”

The post Exclusive: Duquesne’s Barre Overcomes Career-Threatening Heart Issue appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Sure, there was more media which had to swallow words and previous prognostications about the program. Duquesne is going into the 2023-24 season in the conversation to potentially earn an NCAA Tournament berth that has eluded this program for decades, but still, it was not good enough.

“I look at it all the same, super appreciative of what our team got, but to be 110% honest, it’s all the same unless we’re number one at the end when all of this is done,” Grant stated. “It doesn’t matter if we can’t get our job done.”

Even so, Duquesne has some clear momentum which they built from last season, and despite battling injuries over the summer, it has not wavered.

The Dukes had some post injuries with sophomore forwards in Chabi Barre and David Dixon, who only recently received clearance to come back. This led to the Dukes practicing with seven players over the summer, which while that is a smaller number, it’s during an extra time in the season where injuries don’t have as large of an impact.

These past few weeks have really been about Duquesne striving to become the best version of itself. There is still work they need to do as there are many new players, but the process has been about those on the floor knowing themselves.

“We know we have to have a balance of driving the ball and throwing the ball to the post,” said Dambrot. “We worked hard the last couple of days trying to get the ball inside. When we’ve had success in this league it’s because we’ve won the battle of the trenches. We have to go back to that for sure.”

ROLE PLAYING

When assessing his team, Dambrot believes success will ultimately come if his great players can be great.

By proxy Grant, an Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team selection and senior guard Jimmy Clark III who is part of both the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Second and All-Defensive Teams are in that category.

For Grant, his process for success a season ago came down to multiple factors.

“Really it was just to trust in the game plan, the coaching staff, my teammates just everything they’re telling me and I’m soaking it in like a sponge to apply it onto this court to be the best version of my own self, ourselves and each other,” Grant determined.

Given Clark’s defensive prowess his success with defensive gambles is something Dambrot has not coached to that consistent of a level and his offense has made significant strides since being with VCU.

After that pair, it comes down to having a consistently reliable post option, something Dambrot compared to how the NBA operates. Even then his team will not be complete until it has players who can come in and make an impact.

How Duquesne puts that all together may determine how successful their season will be.

“I think it’s really difficult,” Dambrot opined. “Until guys are comfortable, we won’t be as good as we should be. In fairness to them it’s hard to be comfortable because we don’t really know yet. We’ve kind of given them a lot of freedom so that we can make judgments and at some point, we’ll tighten up the ship a little bit so that we can become a great team.”

One player who certainly could be in line for a larger role is sophomore guard Kareem Rozier (3.9 points per game/68 assists). Rozier was the team’s leader last year, but his jump could see a change in his role.

“I’ve seen Reem take a big step by just trying to improve his conditioning and being even more of a gnat defensively,” Grant said. “His shooting has gotten so much better. He’s knocking shots down, shooting the hell out of the ball.”

As Duquesne works to answer these questions, Grant explained that it will be crucial to remain together and stick to principles and ultimately if that happens, things will work out.

A PIVOTAL QUESTION

How much is too much? Dambrot will have to decide whether to put the entire playbook in or keep things simple.

With a non-conference slate which features more road travel than ever before, games where there is maybe a day in between and practice does not transpire, coupled with a lot of newness it will be another important decision which could shape the season.

In past years, Dambrot has put everything in and then cleaned it up after because his teams have been older.

Duquesne does have an older group, but some of that age comes from other teams and systems which makes the decision more complex.

“We have a big playbook, and I really don’t know the answer to that,” Dambrot admitted. “I know the answer in the long term, but in the short term you can get smacked doing that. We’ve kind of been wide open to this point, because that’s how I like to do it. We’ve thrown the kitchen sink, but these next three weeks, I think we’re going to narrow it down so that’s how I like to do things. It hurts you in the short term, but I still think we have to win the A-10 to do what we want to do.”

ODDS AND ENDS

“I think the biggest thing is they can cuss at me, and I wouldn’t even know it. That’s probably an advantage and they’re probably teaching the guys from the United States how to cuss in that language so they can get away with it as well. We have a lot of diversity in our group, we really like it, it’s fun. We have all the way from Africa, Czech Republic, Serbia, Canada so it’s been a lot of fun really.” – Dambrot when asked how many languages he can currently speak

“It’s super exciting, it makes you super eager, drives you, it gives you that fuel to just go out and want to play. Why not try to push those teams and help your team be on the map to succeed? I’m ready for those matchups and the conference matchups as well.” – Grant on the team’s non-conference schedule

The post Duquesne MBB Previews Upcoming Season At A-10 Media Day appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne was picked fourth in the preseason poll, its best positioning for the poll during Dambrot’s tenure with the program. Grant was selected to the Preseason All-Conference First Team and Jimmy Clark III was voted a member of both the Preseason All-Conference Second Team and All-Defensive Team.

PSN’s Zachary Weiss is on site and will have more from Brooklyn.

The post WATCH: Duquesne MBB At A-10 Media Day appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.