Dec. 30, 2002

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DUQUESNE RADIO: KQV-AM (1410) with Ray Goss & George Von Benko
INTERNET BROADCAST: www.redzonemedia.com

DUKES COMPLETE NON-CONFERENCE SEASON VS. UMES

Duquesne, winner of four of its last six games, returns home for the first time since Dec. 18 to face Maryland-Eastern Shore in the final non-conference game of the 2002-03 season (New Year's Eve game time 1:30 p.m. on KQV-AM (1410) and on the internet at www.redzonemedia.com).

The Dukes returned home Sunday from a 10-day trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami, where they went 3-2. Duquesne ended the trip with a 71-68 win over host Florida International in the title game of the FIU New Years Classic. The tournament title marked Duquesne's first in-season tournament championship since winning the West Virginia University Classic in 1978.

LOOKING FOR NO. 3

The Dukes, who are 2-2 at home this season are looking for their third consecutive victory. A third win would match DU's longest win streak last season.

DU & UMES

This is the second meeting between Duquesne and Maryland-Eastern Shore. Last year, the Dukes defeated the Fighting Hawks 76-52 in the season opener at the Palumbo Center.

UMES, which is located in Princess Anne, Md., returns seven lettermen and two starters from last year's 11-18 squad. Maryland-Eastern Shore, a member of the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, is led by 5-11 junior guard Tee Trotter who is averaging 19.6 ppg. Trotter, who enters the Duquesne game needing 33 points to reach the 1,000-point career mark, topped the 30-point mark twice in UMES' first five games of the season (32 in a 68-64 loss to Elon and 31 in an 81-61 loss at Cleveland State). UMES is coached by Thomas Trotter (Tee's father). The Fighting Hawks, who are coming off a 59-58 loss to Hartford on Saturday, are 0-8 on the season and 0-5 on the road.

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TENTATIVE STARTERS

DUQUESNE LATELY

• Duquesne's title-winning performance at the FIU New Years Classic marked the Dukes first in-season tournament title since the 1978 WVU Classic (a span of 16 in-season tournaments)
• JC transfer F Elijah Palmer was named MVP of the FIU Classic with 35 points and 18 rebounds in the wins over St. Francis, N.Y. and Florida International
• Fellow JC transfer C Ron Dokes scored 26 points and pulled down 13 boards in the two games at Miami to earn All-Tournament honors
• The Dukes have won four of their last six games. Over that span, DU's opponents are shooting 38.4 percent from the field (128-333) and 28.7 percent (35-122) from the 3-point arc
• Freshman PG Bryant McAllister is averaging 12.8 ppg. since joining the starting lineup prior to the San Juan Shootout (a span of 5 games)
• Senior G Kevin Forney is averaging 13.8 ppg. since making the move from point to shooting guard (last 5 games).

BACKCOURT MOVE PAYS DIVIDENDS

Duquesne head coach Danny Nee inserted freshman Bryant McAllister into the starting lineup at the point guard spot for the San Juan Shootout and the move has paid immediate dividends. Since the move (a span of five games), the 6-3 McAllister has responded by averaging 12.8 ppg. on 51.2 percent shooting (22-of-43), while senior guard Kevin Forney, who had started the first seven games of the season at the point, has averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and shot 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field. Both were honored for their efforts since the move as McAllister was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for the week of Dec. 14-21 and Forney was named to the San Juan Shootout All-Tournament Team.

HALFWAY THERE

The Dukes have either led or been tied at the half in 9 of 12 games this season, including the last eight games in a row. The only games DU has not led at intermission are at then-#5 (AP) Pitt (down 33-29), vs. Cleveland State (down 34-30) and at then-#11 (AP) Maryland (down 50-19). The lone tie (30-30) was in Duquesne's 71-68 OT win over Florida International.

DEFENSE IMPROVING

In winning four of its last six games, Duquesne has limited opponents to 38.4 percent shooting from the field (128-333) and 28.7 percent (35-122) from the 3-point arc. Meanwhile, on the other end, the Dukes are shooting 45.0 percent from the field - it is the school's best shooting mark since the 1993 team converted 45.7 percent of its shots.

DUQUESNE QUICK NOTES

• JC transfer Ron Dokes' 29 points vs. West Virginia on Nov. 25 were the most by a Duquesne big man since Derrick Alston scored 30 vs. Detriot Mercy in the first round of the 1993 MCC Tournament. The 6-10 Alston was taken in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1994 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and played three seasons for the Sixers and Atlanta Hawks. He is currently playing professionally in Spain.
• Dokes, 6-9, hit 8-of-11 shots from the field (including four dunks) and 13-of-18 from the line vs. the Mountaineers. Dokes added 21 more vs. Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 7. The South Bend, Ind. native earned a spot on the FIU New Years Classic All-Tournament team with 26 points and 13 rebounds (including 11 boards vs. St. Francis, N.Y.) in the two games. Dokes is shooting 50.5% from the field and 74.5% (38-of-51) from the free throw line.
• Entering the season, Duquesne had just one player on its roster with a 20-point game in Division I play (Kevin Forney)
• 6-8 guard Jimmy Tricco, a first-year transfer from Gonzaga, has also reached the 20-point mark with 20 at George Mason. Tricco has led the Dukes in scoring three times and assists six times in 12 games. Tricco's career scoring high entering the season was 13 set at Boise State during his sophomore season at Gonzaga. He has hit five three-pointers in a game twice this season (5-of-10 vs. Cleveland State and 6-of-8 at George Mason). He shot 34.8% (8-of-23) from the experimental 20'6" 3-point arc at San Juan. 76 of his 111 field goal attempts (68.5%) have come from beyond the 3-point arc. Tricco's six three-pointers at GMU were the most by a DU player since Courtney Wallace hit 6-of-11 from long range vs. La Salle on Feb. 20, 1999. His put-back of his own miss with 2.5 seconds left in regulation forced overtime in DU's 71-68 win over Florida International.
• Senior swingman Brad Midgley has come off the bench to be a major contributor for the Dukes. The 6-5 Pittsburgh native is tied for third on the team in assists (20) and is second on the team with 14 steals in just under 22 minutes per game. He made his first start of the season (Palmer out with tendinitis in knee) vs. Mount St. Mary's. Midgley missed the FIU game with the flu.
• Sophomore power forward Simplice Njoya posted his second career double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds vs. Sacred Heart in the first game of the San Juan Shootout, and followed that with back-to-back scoreless outings vs. Troy State and Denver (0-of-9 in the two games). He bounced back with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting at Florida International. The 6-10 Cameroon native has been slowed by foul trouble. Although he has fouled out just once, Njoya has finished eight other games with four fouls.
• JC transfer Elijah Palmer, who missed the Mount St. Mary's game due to tendinitis in his left knee, leads the team with 24 offensive rebounds. His 5.8 overall rpg. average leads the squad. Exploded for 35 points and 18 rebounds in earning MVP at the FIU New Years Classic. Posted a double-double (18-10) vs. St. Francis, N.Y. and followed that with 17 points and 8 boards vs. Florida International. Was 1-of-11 from the arc before hitting 3-of-3 three-pointers vs. FIU. His lone double-digit scoring game prior to the FIU Classic was 13 vs. West Virginia.
• Freshman point guard Bryant McAllister moved into the starting lineup prior to the San Juan Shootout (Dec. 20-22). He is averaging 12.8 ppg. since making the move and is shooting 50 percent from the field and 76.7 percent from the free throw line. The Pittsburgh native saw a streak of five consecutive double-digit scoring games snapped at FIU. He was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for the week of Dec. 14-21 after averaging 15.3 ppg. in three games. He scored a season-high 19 points vs. Troy State and has led the team in assists three times.
• Senior guard Kevin Forney ranks second on the team with 11.4 ppg. He has scored in double digits in each of the Dukes' last six games. Forney, who leads the team with 54 career starts, has come off the bench to score 27 points in DU's last two games. Leads the team with 17 steals.

IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION

Duquesne is 151-165 (.478) in non-conference play since 1976-77 as members of the Eastern 8/Atlantic 10 and Midwestern Collegiate Conference (1992-93 season only). The Dukes posted a winning record in non-conference play four times in the 1990s (6-4 in 1996, 8-4 in 1994, 7-5 in 1993 and 7-4 in 1992). The Dukes went 5-6 in non-conference play in 2001-02 and are 5-7 this season.

AT HOME

The Dukes are 100-80 (.556) all time at the Palumbo Center, including a 46-18 mark (.719) in non-conference home games and a 49-58 (.458) record in regular-season Atlantic 10 games. The Dukes were 4-1 in non-conference home games last year with wins over Maryland-Eastern Shore, Vermont (OT), Liberty and George Mason and a 64-62 loss to Bowling Green. So far this season, the Dukes are 1-2 at home in non-league games.

ON THE GLASS

The Dukes have outrebounded three of their first 12 opponents, coincidentally all three were victories: DU outboarded West Virginia 38-32 in an 86-82 win over the Mountaineers; Duquesne also enjoyed a 46-36 margin on the glass in a 74-63 win over Sacred Heart and outrebounded St. Francis, N.Y. 39-25 in a 67-57 win.

A-10 AHEAD

The Maryland-Eastern Shore game concludes the non-conference portion of the 2002-03 schedule. The Dukes open Atlantic 10 play on Sunday, Jan. 5 at Saint Joseph's at 4:00 p.m. Duquesne's first home conference game is Wednesday, Jan. 8 vs. Temple (7:30 p.m.).