Nov. 29, 2002

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Dukes (2-1) vs. Robert Morris (0-2)
November 30 - 2:00 pm
Moon Twp., PA - Sewell Center

The Game

This is Duquesne's fourth game in nine days and the first road contest for the Dukes after opening the season with three home games. It is the 32nd meeting all-time between Duquesne and Robert Morris. The Colonials return home after a trip to Maryland-Eastern Shore this past Wednesday afternoon.

The Series

Duquesne holds a 21-10 lead in the all-time series with Robert Morris and has won six of the last 10 meetings. DU has won the past two outings and has scored 84 points both times. The Dukes are 7-8 when playing at Robert Morris. Coach Durkin is 5-2 all-time vs. the Colonials.

Duquesne's Last Game

Candace Futrell led all scorers with 15 points as the Dukes defeated visiting James Madison 70-53 Wednesday evening at the Palumbo Center. Beth Friday and Shiri Sharon each recorded double-doubles in the contest as Friday grabbed a game-best 11 rebounds and added 10 points and Sharon dished out 10 assists and netted 11 markers. Shanna Price and Jody LeRose led James Madison with 12 points each. Nadine Morgan led the JMU with 10 boards.

The first half saw three ties and three lead changes in the first seven minutes before Duquesne rattled off a 10-0 run for a 22-12 lead with 9:49 remaining. James Madison saw over five minutes of scoreless play before a 13-0 drive, which included three extra-point goals, gave the visitor a 25-22 edge as 2:44 remained in the first half. Sharon hit her second three-point goal of the half to tie the game 25-25 at the 2:15 mark followed by a lay-up from Madison's Jess Cichowicz for a 25-27 DU deficit. Futrell nailed her second trey of the half with :04 on the clock to give Duquesne a 28-27 advantage at the break.

Duquesne out-scored James Madison 8-2 to open the second half for a 38-31 lead with just three minutes off the clock, but the visiting Dukes hit two field goals in :20 for a 35-38 reach of the lead - their closest of the second period. Nikolina Pender sparked a 20-6 Duquesne scoring spree, which gave the Dukes a 58-41 advantage and the lead for good with 8:35 to go. Nicole Sinclair's lay-up at 6:42 started an 8-2 DU drive that was capped by Friday's jumper at 3:01 for the Dukes' largest lead of the game (68- 48).

Duquesne shot .519 (28-54) from the field while James Madison shot just .328 (22-67) for the game. Four Dukes hit double figures as Nikolina Pender also added 10 points in the win. The Red & Blue are back in action this Saturday as they take to the road for the first time this season to face Robert Morris in a 2:00 pm contest.

About the Dukes

Duquesne improved to 2-1 on the season after a 70-53 victory over visiting James Madison this past Wednesday. It was the 100th women's basketball victory at the Palumbo Center. The Dukes are led by Candace Futrell (26.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Beth Friday (12.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg). Duquesne returns four starters from last season's 14-15 squad.

About the Colonials

Robert Morris returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last season's 3-22 squad. Leading the Colonials' returnees is sophomore guard Missy Spangler who averaged 13.1 points and 5.6 rebounds as a freshman. Robert Morris is looking to snap a two-game losing streak after a heart-breaking 59-61 loss at Maryland-Eastern Shore Wednesday afternoon. RMU was led by Candace John with a game-best 22 points while Toni Branson added 11 points and a game-best 13 rebounds. Robert Morris trailed 27-31 at the half.

Comparatively Speaking

Here is how Duquesne and Robert Morris compare statistically.

Last Time vs. Robert Morris

Duquesne took an 84-43 victory over visiting Robert Morris December 20, 2001 as Candace Futrell led the game and five Dukes in double figures with 19 points. Tionda Jennings added 13 and the Red & Blue got 12 points each from Beth Friday, Oxana Shetko and Shiri Sharon. Friday posted her 22nd career "double-double" adding a game-high 14 rebounds while Sharon notched her second "double-double" adding a career-best 11 assists. Keisha Brown led Robert Morris with 12 points off the bench.

The Dukes opened the game on a 20-0 run keeping Robert Morris scoreless for just over nine minutes before Candace John hit two free throws to put the Colonials on the board. RMC hit its first field goal of the game at the 8:21 mark as Meghan Jent connected on a jumper. The Dukes blocked six shots in the first half alone and held Robert Morris to just 10.0% (3-30) shooting from the field. Duquesne held the Colonials to a school-record low nine first half points taking a 47-9 advantage into the break.

Duquesne opened the second frame on an 11-2 scoring drive for a 58-13 edge with 12:32 to go. The Red & Blue held a 65-18 mid-way through the second half. Robert Morris then went on a 17-6 run over the next five minutes, but they would not get closer than a 36-point deficit - 71-35. Duquesne held its largest lead of the game (47 points) with an 84-37 margin with just :53 on the clock.

Duquesne shot .465 (33-71) for the game to Robert Morris' .217 (15-69) and helped force 24 Colonials turnovers for the game. Duquesne tied the Palumbo Center record with 11 blocked shots led by Friday with four rejections.

The 2002-03 Newcomers

Duquesne welcomes to The Bluff five newcomers for the coming season. Inked in the early signing period were local stand-outs Kristin Kalervo (Monaca, Pa. / Monaca) and Nicole Sinclair (Indiana, Pa. / Indiana) while Aiga Bautre (Riga, Latvia / Catholic Central [N.Y.]) and Omega Harrington (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) were signed during the late period this past spring.

Kalervo averaged 17.4 points this past year leading her high school team to a 19-7 mark. She is a three-time first team All-WPIAL selection. Sinclair led her squad to a 21-4 record averaging 15.5 points and 12.7 rebounds and is the first Indiana girls basketball player to hit 1,000 career points. Bautre posted averages of 19.6 points and 8.2 rebounds to led her team to a 24-3 mark and its first ever Class A New York Public School Championship title. Harrington's squad went 16-5 on the season and advanced to the IHSAA sectional tournament. She averaged 13.3 points and 5.0 assists per game.

Also added was freshman Maria Stankevich (St. Petersburg, Russia/St. Petersburg University) who was a member of the Russian National Team.

Futrell Hits 30-Point Mark

Junior Candace Futrell opened the 2003 season in style netting a game- and career-best 29 points vs. Ohio State. Futrell followed that performance with a 34-point effort in the Dukes' win over Lehigh Nov. 22, marking the first time since 1998 that a Duke has netted 30 or more points. The last to do so was 1998 graduate Korie Hlede, currently with the WNBA's New York Liberty. She has hit double-figure scoring in 33 career contests and 20 or more points in 14 games to date. She was the first A-10 player to net 30 points this season.

Record Watch

Beth Friday is quickly approaching the top of the career rebounding list. With 893 to date, Friday needs just 36 boards to surpass Kathy Ridilla's mark of 928. Ridilla, a Duquesne Hall of Fame inductee, also posted 1,312 points from 1986-89.

Friday is expected to be the first to hit 1,000 boards and points at Duquesne. She is 12th all-time with 1,046 points entering Sunday's game. Friday will also challenge Ridilla's senior class rebounding mark of 279 boards. Thus far, Friday has bettered each class' rebounding title as she grabbed 297 as a freshman, 298 as a sophomore and 271 last year as a junior.

Next Up

Duquesne faces another crosstown rival when it hosts Pitt this coming Tuesday, Dec. 3, in a 7:05 pm tip-off at the Palumbo Center. It will be the 21st meeting all-time between the Dukes and Panthers. It's T-shirt night and the first 200 ticket holders will receive a Duquesne basketball t-shirt compliments of the Athletic Department. The Dukes have won four of the last five outings with the only loss being a 57-62 overtime fall at Pitt Jan. 1, 2000.