Jan. 20, 2003

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TELEVISION: Fox Sports Net Ohio with Tom Hamilton & Steve Wolf
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DUQUESNE Radio: KQV-AM (1410) with Ray Goss & George Von Benko
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DUKES TRAVEL TO CINCINNATI TO FACE XAVIER

Duquesne (7-10, 1-3), coming off a 75-69 home loss to Richmond on Saturday, heads West to face Atlantic 10 West opponent Xavier (12-4, 3-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21 (Fox Sports Net Ohio - no TV locally; KQV-AM 1410 radio & internet broadcast at www.redzonemedia.com).

The Dukes, who began the season 1-5, have bounced back to win six of their last 11. DU has battled back from significant double-digit deficits in the second half of their last two games, only to come up empty. Duquesne rallied from 20 points down to take a one-point lead with just over a minute left at Dayton on Jan. 11 (a 77-72 loss) and erased a 16-point second half Richmond advantage to take a three-point lead with 6:33 left in what turned out to be a 75-69 loss.

Senior guard Kevin Forney has been outstanding for the Dukes in league play. In four conference games, the Philadelphia native is averaging 18.5 ppg. and shooting 73.5 percent from the field and 90.0 percent from the free throw line. He has come off the bench in three of the four games.

Xavier, led by the inside-outside duo of 6-9 senior David West (19.3, 11.6) and junior guard Romain Sato (16.6, 7.3, 37 three-pointers), was the preseason pick to win the Atlantic 10 West. The Musketeers, who are coming off an 86-73 win at Massachusetts on Saturday, are 9-1 at home this season. XU is 35-3 all time at the Cintas Center. Xavier, who was ranked No. 10 in the AP Preseason Poll, dropped out of the AP Top 25 last week and this week received 91 votes for 28th place. The Musketeers are at number 24 is this week's USA Today / ESPN poll.

DUQUESNE LATELY

• Duquesne features completely revamped starting lineup from a year ago with PG Bryant McAllister (Fr.), JC transfers F Elijah Palmer (Jr.) & C Ron Dokes (Jr.), Gonzaga transfer G Jimmy Tricco (Jr.) and F Simplice Njoya (So.).
• Njoya, the lone returnee, is a relative "newcomer" after having to sit out 19 games as a freshman last season due to an NCAA suspension.
• Senior G Kevin Forney is averaging 18.5 ppg. in Atlantic 10 play; he is shooting 73.5% from the field and 90.0% from the foul line in four league games.
• The Dukes, who are shooting an Atlantic 10-best 39.8% from the 3-point arc, have won six of their last 11 games.
• Four different Dukes are shooting better than 40% from the arc - Forney (19-39), Tricco (45-103), Brad Midgley (8-19) & Njoya (7-15). The Dukes are shooting 45.2% from 3-point land in league play.
• Duquesne's 45.2% overall field goal pct. is the best by a DU team since the 1992-93 squad shot 45.7%.

DU AND XU

Xavier leads the overall series 19-13. In games played at Cincinnati, Xavier leads 10-5 and in Atlantic 10 regular season play, XU leads 11-2. Last year, Xavier defeated Duquesne 79-65 at the Cintas Center and 80-66 at Pittsburgh.

XU has won the last four meetings, with DU's last win coming Jan. 15, 2000 at the Palumbo Center (85-78). Duquesne's last win at Cincinnati was Jan. 25, 1997 when the Dukes defeated the #16 (AP) Musketeers 78-70 at Cincinnati Gardens (a span of four games).

XAVIER LATELY

Xavier, no 24 in this week's USA Today / ESPN poll, is led by the 6-9 senior forward David West (19.3 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and 6-5 junior guard Romain Sato (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg). West is this week's A-10 Co-Player of the Week and freshman 6-1 guard Dedrick Finn (6.4 ppg, 3.8 apg)is the conference's Rookie of the Week.

Second year coach Thad Matta has been without 6-0 senior point guard Lionel Chalmers (12.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) since the Creighton game on New Year's Eve. Matta is also getting strong contributions from junior center Anthony Myles (9.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 6-5 sophomore swingman Keith Jackson (6.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 apg), who has replaced Chalmers as the fifth starter.

The Muskeeters, who were was the preseason pick to win the West Division, are coming off an 86-73 win at Massachusetts on Saturday. They are 9-1 at home this season and have won their last three conference tilts after dropping their A10 opener to visiting Richmond, 67-59.

COUNTDOWN TO 1,000

Kevin Forney enters the Xavier game with 921 career points. He needs 79 to become Duquesne's 29th 1,000-point scorer.

DUQUESNE QUICK NOTES

• Senior guard Kevin Forney leads the team with a 13.2 ppg. scoring average. He has scored in double digits in each of the Dukes' last 11 games. Forney, who leads the team with 55 career starts, has come off the bench in six of DU's last seven games. Started at Saint Joseph's and responded by tying his career high with 22 points vs. the Hawks (7-of-11 from the field) in his hometown. Then scored 13 of his career high-tying 22 in the second half at Dayton (9-of-12 from the field). Forney is averaging 18.5 ppg. and shooting 73.5% from the field (6-of-10 from the arc) and 90.0% (18-of-20) from the foul line in league play. He leads the team with 21 steals.
• 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 Year's 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 49.3% from the field and 72.3% (47-of-65) 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 twice with 20 at George Mason and 20 (all in the second half) at Dayton. His career scoring high entering the season was 13 set at Boise State during his sophomore season at Gonzaga. The Phoenix native has hit five three-pointers in a game three times this season (5-of-10 vs. Cleveland State, 6-of-8 at George Mason and 6-of-8 at Dayton). 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. He matched that with six more threes (all in the second half) at Dayton. His 20 second-half points vs. the Flyers keyed a 20-point DU comeback. Tricco scored 15 of those points in a 5:34 span as the Dukes rallied from a 52-32 deficit to take a 72-71 lead with a minute left. He shot 34.8% (8-of-23) from the experimental 20'6" 3-point arc at San Juan. And 103 of his 148 field goal attempts (69%) have come from beyond the 3-point arc. 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 in the championship game of the FIU New Year's Classic. Tricco, who has a team-best 42 assists, has led the Dukes in assists a team high-tying six times.
• JC transfer Elijah Palmer leads the team with a 5.3 rebound per game average. His 33 offensive boards are also a team best. Exploded for 35 points and 18 rebounds in earning MVP at the FIU New Year's Classic. Posted a double-double (18-10) vs. St. Francis, N.Y. and followed that with 17 points and 8 boards vs. Florida International. Added 16 more vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore and a career-high 20 (8-of-13 including four dunks) vs. Temple. Was 1-of-11 from the arc before hitting 3-of-3 three-pointers vs. FIU. The Chicago native has made seven of his last 14 3-point attempts. His lone double-digit scoring game prior to the FIU Classic was 13 vs. West Virginia and is averaging 11.8 ppg. in league play. Palmer shot 38.5 percent (10-26) from the foul line in non-conference play but has rallied to convert 71.4 percent (15-21) of free throws in A-10 action.
• 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 and a career high-tying 17 points (5-of-9) vs. UMES and also added a career high four steals vs. the Fighting Hawks. The 6-10 Cameroon native has only been slowed by foul trouble. Although he has fouled out just once, Njoya has finished 10 other games with four fouls. He is shooting 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from the 3-point arc. Njoya has struggled early in conference play averaging 3.8 ppg. on 28.6% (6-of-21) shooting.
• Freshman point guard Bryant McAllister moved into the starting lineup prior to the San Juan Shootout (Dec. 20-22) and scored in double digits in his first four games as a starter. He cooled off with just nine points in three games before bouncing back to score 11 and add a team-high 5 assists vs. Temple. The Pittsburgh native handed out a season high seven assists (with two turnovers) at Dayton and scored 10 of his 12 points vs. Richmond in the second half. He is shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 70.3 percent from the free throw line overall. McAllister 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 and scored a season-high 19 points vs. Troy State. He has led the team in assists a team high-tying six times.
• Senior swingman Brad Midgley has come off the bench to be a major contributor for the Dukes. The 6-5 Pittsburgh native is fourth on the team in assists (25) and is tied for second on the team with 19 steals in just under 20 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, and played just 15 minutes vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore while recovering.
• Duquesne is 2-0 in overtime this season
• The Dukes are also 4-3 in games decided by five or fewer points, 3-1 when holding opponents under 60 points, 3-2 when forcing 20 or more turnovers and 3-1 when outrebounding opponents.

COMING CLOSE

In the last two games, Duquesne has erased significant second half deficits only to come up short. In addition, in the 76-56 loss at Saint Joseph's, DU came from 17 down with 2:14 to go in the first half to within two at 42-40 with 14:36 left in the game. Here is a brief summary of the close calls in the last two games:

OPPONENT 2nd HALF DEFICIT COMEBACK RUN FINAL at Dayton -20 (32-52) at 12:47 +1 (72-71) at 1:01 40-19 over 11:46 L 72-77 Richmond -16 (37-53) at 17:46 +3 (62-59) at 6:33 25-6 over 11:13 L 69-75

At Dayton, Jimmy Tricco scored all 20 of his points - including six 3-pointers - in the second half to key the run. Kevin Forney added 13 of his 22 in the second half. Tricco scored 15 in a span of 5:34. DU held Richmond scoreless for 7:31 while mounting a 16-0 run to get back into the game. Bryant McAllister scored 10 of his 12 and Forney nine of his 19 in the second 20 minutes.

IMPACT TRANSFERS

The transfer trio of Jimmy Tricco (Gonzaga), Ron Dokes (Lincoln Trail JC) and Elijah Palmer (Kennedy-King JC) has made an immediate impact on the 2002-03 Dukes. The threesome is averaging a combined 30.8 points and 13.9 rebounds per game (just under half of the team's scoring and rebounding). Tricco, a 6-8 shooting guard, has scored 20 in a game twice. He also leads the team with 42 assists and 45 three-pointers. Dokes, a 6-9, 240-pound forward posted a game-high 29 vs. West Virginia and topped the 20-point mark a second time with 21 vs. Mount St. Mary's. He has led the team in rebounding a team-high six times. The 6-7 Palmer leads the Dukes in rebounding at 5.3 rpg. and has one 20-point game (20 vs. Temple).

2002-03 DUKES SCORING DISTRIBUTION

Newcomers are accounting for 58 percent of Duquesne's scoring this season. Overall, the foursome of Dokes, Tricco, Palmer and freshman Bryant McAllister have combined to produce 32 of the team's 55 double-digit scoring games and five of the seven 20-point scoring games (two by Dokes & Tricco and one by Palmer). Dokes, Tricco, Palmer and McAllister have started a combined 55 times.

SCORING DISTRIBUTION	PTS	PCT
First-Year Players (5)	647	58.0
Returnees (6)	469	42.0

NO SHORT CUTS

DU has perhaps the toughest league-opening schedule of any Atlantic 10 school. In the month of January, Duquesne faces the six A-10 schools that made post-season appearances last year a total of seven times in succession: at Saint Joseph's (NIT, L 56-76), Temple (NIT, W 61-54), at Dayton (NIT, L 72-77), Richmond (NIT, L 69-75), at Xavier (NCAA), St. Bonaventure (NIT) and Richmond again on the road. All totaled, the Dukes will play three at home and four on the road in the month of January against the league's best.

"TURNING" IT AROUND

Duquesne, which was averaging 21.2 turnovers per game at the start of league play, has taken some steps toward remedying that problem. After turning it over 14 times in the second half in a 76-56 loss at Saint Joseph's (24 for the game) the Dukes posted back-to-back 14 and 11 turnover games in a 61-54 win over Temple and a 77-72 loss at Dayton. The Temple game marked the first time this season the Dukes had fewer turnovers than their opponent (16-14). DU also had fewer turnovers than Dayton (18-11). If fact, the Dukes had just one turnover in the last 13:15 minutes of the second half at Dayton while rallying from 20 points down to take a one-point lead. Duquesne took a step backward with 21 miscues in the loss to Richmond. DU is averaging 17.5 turnovers per game in league play.

ON THE ROAD

Duquesne is 1-5 on the road this season with a 71-68 overtime win at Florida International in the title game of the FIU New Year's Classic. Last year, the Dukes snapped a 22-game road losing streak with a 68-61 win at West Virginia, and a 20-game Atlantic 10 road skid with a 72-69 win at Rhode Island. This year, the Dukes erased a 20-point second half deficit to take a one-point lead over Dayton with a minute left in a 77-72 loss. DU has yet to defeat four current A-10 members on the road: Dayton (0-8), La Salle (0-7), Fordham (0-3) and Richmond (0-1). DU's top road victims in league play are: St. Bonaventure (8 wins, 1997-98 last), Rhode Island (8 wins, 2001-02 last), George Washington (6 wins, 1999-00 last) and Massachusetts (5 wins, 1988-89 last).

ST. BONAVENTURE NEXT

Duquesne returns home to host St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. EST. The Bonnies game is the first of two "Danny Nee Bobble Head Nights." The first 1,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a five-and-one-half inch replica of the Dukes' head coach. A second bobble head giveaway is scheduled for Feb. 8 vs. La Salle.