Jan. 31, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
DUQUESNE (7-13, 1-6) at GEORGE WASHINGTON (7-10, 1-5)
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 - 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Smith Center (5,000)TELEVISION: Atlantic 10 TV with J.P. Dellacamera & John Spencer
(Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh locally)
DUQUESNE RADIO: KQV-AM (1410) with Ray Goss & George Von Benko
INTERNET BROADCAST: www.redzonemedia.com
DUKES OFF TO D.C.
Duquesne (7-13, 1-6), who is coming off an 84-47 loss at Richmond on Tuesday, heads to Washington D.C. for an Atlantic 10 television game vs. George Washington (7-10, 1-5) on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 4:00 p.m. (Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh TV locally; KQV-AM 1410 radio & internet broadcast at www.redzonemedia.com).
The Dukes will be looking to end a five-game losing streak against a GW team that snapped a six game skid with a 74-68 win over A-10 East Division leader Saint Joseph's on Wednesday. The Colonials, who are 1-5 in conference play, are in the middle of a fourgame homestand. GW began the homestand with a 75-70 loss to UMass prior to the win over St. Joe's.
This is the second consecutive road game for the Dukes. Duquesne is 1-7 on the road this season, including an 0-4 mark in Atlantic 10 action. GW is 3-3 at home (1-2 in A-10 play).
DUKES VS. COLONIALS
George Washington, who leads the overall series 35-22, has won 15 of the last 17 meetings. In games played at Washington D.C., GW leads 19-6. Duquesne ended a 10-game George Washington series losing streak with a 94-89 win at the Smith Center on Jan. 8, 2000 and dropped a 92-66 decision at D.C. in 2000-01. Last year the two split home wins with George Washington winning 74- 50 at the Smith Center and Duquesne taking a 79- 69 decison at the Palumbo Center.
DU head coach Danny Nee is 1-1 all time vs. the Colonials.
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TENTATIVE STARTERS| # | P | Name | Ht | Yr | Pts | Reb | Hometown | Quick Facts |
| 4 | F | Elijah Palmer | 6-7 | Jr. | 8.6 | 5.3 | Marshall, Mo. | JC transfer is averaging 11.6 points per game over last 10 games |
| 14 | F | Simplice Njoya | 6-10 | So. | 7.5 | 4.8 | Yaound?, Cameroon | Shooting just 28.3% from the field in conference play |
| 41 | C | Ron Dokes | 6-9 | Jr. | 10.9 | 5.3 | South Bend, Ind. | JC transfer has scored in double digits 12 times |
| 44 | G | Jimmy Tricco | 6-8 | Jr. | 10.7 | 3.5 | Phoenix, Ariz. | Gonzaga transfer has hit at least five or more "3's" in a game four times this season |
| 22 | G | Bryant McAllister | 6-3 | Fr. | 7.1 | 2.1 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | True freshman has started last 13 games at the point guard spot |
Off the bench| # | P | Name | Ht | Yr | Pts | Reb | Hometown | Quick Facts |
| 20 | G | Kevin Forney | 6-4 | Sr. | 13.2 | 3.7 | Philadelphia, Pa. | Has topped the 20-point mark in 3 of last 7 games; shooting 50.8% from field |
| 21 | F | Brad Midgley | 6-5 | Sr. | 5.4 | 2.9 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Team-high 105 games played; averaging 20.9 minutes per game |
| 32 | G | Tyler Bluemling | 6-2 | So. | 1.9 | 1.1 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Played in all 28 games last season; averaging 8.8 minutes per game in A-10 play |
| 42 | F/C | Chris Clark | 6-10 | Sr. | 0.8 | 1.3 | Toronto, Ontario | Averaging 8.3 minutes per game as a back-up center |
| 1 | G | Aly Samabaly | 6-3 | So. | 0.2 | 0.6 | Bamako, Mali | Saw action in 23 games as a freshman; played a season-high 13 minutes at Xavier |
DUQUESNE LATELY
- Duquesne features a 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 has been solid in Atlantic 10 play with a 16.1 ppg. scoring average. He is shooting 62.5% from the field, 52.6% from the 3-point arc and 88.5% from the foul line in seven league games
- The Dukes are converting at a 38.2% clip from the 3-point arc. That percentage is on pace to be the best in school history (the current mark of 37.5% was set in 1989-90)
- 70 has been the magic number for DU. The Dukes are 5-1 when holding opponents under 70 and 4-3 when scoring over 70
WELCOME TO FEBRUARY?
Duquesne, who went 1-6 in the month of January, will gladly settle for a repeat of last year's February performance.
Last year, Danny Nee's Dukes began the month 3-0 for the first time since 1970-71. Duquesne, who started the month with wins vs. Fordham, UMass and at Rhode Island, finished February 4-3, giving them their first winning February since the 1993-94. DU's four February wins were its most since the '94 NIT Dukes went 6-3.
The Dukes have seven February games this year.
"BUZZ" WORTHY
Since moving from point guard to the shooting guard spot prior to the San Juan Shootout, senior guard Kevin "Buzzy" Forney has been a much more effective player at the offensive end.
As a two-guard, Forney is averaging 5.4 more points per game and has seen his shooting percentage increase dramatically.
| FORNEY | FG-AT | PCT | PPG |
| First 7 games | 24-55 | .436 | 9.7 |
| Last 13 games. | 72-134 | .537 | 15.1 |
COUNTDOWN TO 1,000
Kevin Forney enters the George Washington game with 960 career points. He needs 40 to become Duquesne's 29th 1,000-point scorer.
SHOOTING STRAIGHT
Duquesne leads the Atlantic 10 in 3-point shooting at 38.2 percent. The mark is made even more impressive when you include the fact that the Dukes were 17-of-48 (35.4%) from the experimental 20'6" arc in three games at the Puerto Rico Shootout. In all, three different DU players are shooting at 40 percent or better from the 3-point arc led by Kevin Forney's 47.9 percent.
Duquesne's 3-point prowess this season is on pace to be the best in school history.
DUQUESNE'S TOP 3-POINT SHOOTING SEASONS | PCT | 3M-AT | YEAR | TOP 3-POINT SHOOTER |
| 38.2 | 117-306 | 2002-03 | Kevin Forney (47.9%) |
| 37.5 | 162-432 | 1989-90 | Tony Petrarca (40.0%) |
| 37.3 | 139-373 | 1991-92 | James Hargrove (39.7%) |
| 36.7 | 176-479 | 1996-97 | Tom Pipkins (42.5%) |
| 36.6 | 37-101 | *1982-83 | Terry Teachout (45.2%) |
| 36.4 | 166-456 | 1995-96 | Nick Bosnic (40.6%) |
* The 3-point arc was experimental in 1982-83, it was adopted by the NCAA for the 1986-87 season
TOP SHOOTERS
Three Dukes are currently shooting better than 40 percent from the 3- point arc
| 3-POINTERS | 3M-AT | PCT |
| Kevin Forney | 23-48 | 47.9 |
| Brad Midgley | 10-22 | 45.5 |
| Jimmy Tricco | 50-118 | 42.4 |
1,000 OF ANYTHING IS A LOT
Veteran Duquesne play-by-play man Ray Goss reached a milestone few attain when he broadcast his 1,000th DU basketball game on Jan. 18. Goss, who began his broadcasting career as student at Duquesne in 1957, took over as the Voice of the Dukes in 1968. He is in his 35th season.
NEXT UP - TWO IN A ROW AT HOME
Duquesne returns for its only back-to-back home games of the Atlantic 10 season versus Dayton and La Salle on Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 8.
The Dayton game is set for a 7:30 p.m. tip. The game will be televised back to Dayton only by Time-Warner Sports. Duquesne's world famous Tamburitzans will perform at halftime. For more information on the Tammies, please click here.
The La Salle game will start at 4:00 p.m. and will air as part of the Atlantic 10 Television Network (Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh locally). This is "Danny Nee Bobblehead Night #2 (see photo on left)." Miniature replicas of DU's head coach will be given to the first 1,000 in attendance, courtesy of Morreale Chiropractic.
In addition, three former outstanding Duquesne student-athletes, Dan DeFelice (football class of '81), Korie Hlede (basketball class of '98) and Katie Michalski (volleyball class of '96), will be inducted into the Duquesne Athletics Hall of Fame during halftime. For more information, please click here.
