Dec. 1, 2003
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(#22 AP) PITTSBURGH (4-0) at DUQUESNE (1-1)
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003 - 9:30 p.m. (EST) - A.J. Palumbo Center (6,200)TELEVISION: Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh
(Greg Brown & Mike White with Ryan Burr - sideline reporter)
DUQUESNE RADIO: KQV-AM (1410) with Ray Goss & George Von Benko
INTERNET BROADCAST: www.redzonemedia.com
DUKES AND PANTHERS MEET FOR 72ND TIME
Duquesne (1-1), coming off a 78-68 loss to Siena on Saturday, hosts cross-town rival #22 (AP) Pittsburgh (4-0) at the Palumbo Center on Wednesday night at 9:30 p.m. (Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh TV). The Pitt game is the third of four in a row at home for the Dukes to start the season.
DU opened on Nov. 25 with a 77-57 home win over Prairie View A&M. Pitt defeated Alabama, 71-62 in its opener at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 14. The Panthers returned home to turn away St. Francis, Pa. (90-69), Robert Morris (75-61) and Albany (83-54).
The 2.15 mile drive down Fifth Avenue marks Pitt's first road game of the season. Although a short drive, it is just the second time in 72 games that the Panthers will play the Dukes on the Bluff. Last year's game at the Petersen Events Center marked a return to campus for the City Game after 12 straight meetings at Mellon Arena. The last time the two schools went "home-and-home" on campus was in 1988-89 (an 80-76 Duquesne win at the Palumbo Center) and 1989-90 (a 92-87 Pitt win at Fitzgerald Field House).
THE SERIES
This is the 72nd meeting between Duquesne and Pitt in a series that dates back to Jan. 13, 1932 ... Pitt holds a 40-31 edge overall ... this is just the second time in series history that the Panthers will play a game on the Bluff ... the other was an 80-76 Duquesne victory at the Palumbo Center on Dec. 19, 1988 ... all of the other meetings have either been at Civic/Mellon Arena, Fitzgerald Field House, Pitt Pavilion or the Petersen Events Center ... 2003-04 marks the 34th consecutive season the two teams have met ... the last time Duquesne and Pitt did not play was during the 1969-70 season ... DU snapped an eight-game Pitt win streak with an 80-69 win on Feb. 5, 1998 and won again at Mellon Arena on Dec. 21, 2000 by a 71-70 count, giving the Dukes wins in two of the last six meetings.
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TENTATIVE STARTERS VS. PITT| # | P | Name | Ht | Yr | Pts | Reb | G/GS | Hometown | Quick Facts |
| 4 | F | Elijah Palmer | 6-7 | Sr. | 20.0 | 8.5 | 2/2 | Marshall, Mo. | Career high 24 pts. & 13 reb. vs. Siena; shooting 54.2% from field |
| 44 | G | Jimmy Tricco | 6-8 | Sr. | 14.0 | 2.5 | 2/2 | Phoenix, Ariz. | Nation's ninth-leading returning 3-point shooter (42.9% last year) |
| 41 | C | Ron Dokes | 6-8 | Sr. | 7.5 | 3.0 | 2/2 | South Bend, Ind. | 7-of-9 from line (11 points), team-high 6 rebounds vs. Prairie View |
| 22 | G | Bryant McAllister | 6-3 | So. | 9.5 | 3.0 | 2/2 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Led team with 79 assists as a frosh; moved to 2-guard this year |
| 5 | F | Martin Osimani | 6-4 | Jr. | 3.0 | 3.5 | 2/2 | Montevideo, Uruguay | Transfer from Miami-Dade CC; Began career at Utah ('01-'02) |
OFF THE BENCH| # | P | Name | Ht | Yr | Pts | Reb | G/GS | Hometown | Quick Facts |
| 32 | G | Tyler Bluemling | 6-2 | Jr. | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2/0 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Has played in 53 career games; averaging 11.5 minutes per game |
| 33 | F | Jon Pawlak | 6-9 | Jr. | 8.0 | 4.5 | 2/0 | Natrona Heights, Pa. | Redshirted last season; 11 points and 4 rebounds vs. Siena |
| 20 | G | Ryan Tricco | 6-4 | So. | 5.5 | 1.0 | 2/0 | Phoenix, Ariz. | First-year transfer from Mesa (Ariz.) CC; 3-of-5 from 3-point arc |
| 42 | C | Kieron Achara | 6-9 | Fr. | 1.5 | 4.5 | 2/0 | Stirling, Scotland | True freshman grabbed 7 boards in 14 minutes vs. Siena Institute |
| 23 | G | Jack Higgins | 6-5 | So. | ---- | ---- | ---- | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Transfer from Cleveland St. will be eligible at mid-term (Dec. 17) |
DUQUESNE LATELY
Senior F Elijah Palmer is coming off a career-best 24 point, 13 rebound effort vs. Siena ... the point and rebound totals were both career highs ... it was his second career double-double ... junior F Jon Pawlak, who is back after taking a developmental redshirt in '03, came off the bench to score 11 points vs. Siena ... Pawlak is averaging 23.5 minutes/g. ... 6-9 freshman C Kieron Achara grabbed 7 rebounds in 14 minutes vs. Siena ... he leads the team in blocked shots with three ... Duquesne's opponents are shooting just 37.0 percent from the field ... DU is averaging 14.0 turnovers/g., down from last year's Atlantic 10-leading 18.9/g. ... Duquesne's 20-point win over Prairie View in the season opener was its first 20+ point win since a 95-66 victory over Fordham on Feb. 2, 2002 ... DU's largest margin of victory in a game last season was +11 (73-62 over Sacred Heart at the San Juan Shootout).
VERSUS AP RANKED TEAMS
No. 22 (AP) Pittsburgh is the first ranked opponent for the Dukes this season. Last year, Duquesne was 0-3 against AP ranked teams: in the season opener No. 5 (AP) Pittsburgh handed the Dukes an 82-67 defeat in the first game ever at the Panthers' Petersen Events Center, on Nov. 30, No. 11 (AP) Maryland defeated DU 89-39 at the Terps' new Comcast Center and on Feb. 26, the Dukes took #13 (AP) Xavier to overtime before dropping an 80-78 decision at the Palumbo Center.
Duquesne University is 24-30 at home vs. AP ranked teams since the advent of the poll in 1948-49. Duquesne's last win over a ranked team came on Jan. 25, 1997 when the Dukes defeated No. 16 Xavier 78-70 at Cinicnnati Gardens (a span of 12 games against AP ranked teams). DU is 2-10 vs. ranked teams at the Palumbo Center (since 1988-89). The Dukes' last win over a ranked team at home was on March 6, 1993 over No. 18 Xavier 88-72 (a span of nine games vs. ranked opponents - of the nine losses, four have been by eight or fewer points).
DUKES vs. AP RANKED TEAMS ALL GAMES 44-97 (.312) Home 24-30 (.444) Road 10-49 (.169) Neutral 10-18 (.357) At Palumbo Center 2-10* (.182)
* - five of the 10 losses by eight or fewer points
LAST WIN OVER RANKED TEAM
Jan. 25, 1997 at #16 Xavier
(span of 12 g.)
HOME: Mar. 6, 1993 #18 Xavier 88-72ROAD: Jan. 25, 1997 at #16 Xavier 78-70
LAST GAME vs. A RANKED TEAM
80-78 OT loss to #13 (AP) Xavier at the Palumbo Center on Feb. 26, 2003
PALUMBO CENTER WINS vs. RANKED TEAMS
Dec. 15, 1992 #10 Florida State 91-84Mar. 6, 1993 #18 Xavier 88-72
CLOSE CALLS
The Dukes have taken quite a few teams to the wire in 12 games against ranked teams at the A.J. Palumbo Center which opened in December of 1988. Here is a list of some of the close calls at home over the last 15 years (ranking listed is according to the Associated Press):
Feb. 22, 1994 -- #8 Temple L -- 61-65 (-4)Jan. 20, 1996 -- #1 UMass L -- 89-93 (-4)Feb. 20, 1997 -- #16 Xavier L -- 74-82 (-8)Feb. 10, 1998 -- #20 UMass L -- 68-74 (-6)Feb. 26, 2003 -- #13 Xavier (OT) L -- 78-80 (-2)
FAMILIAR FOE
This is the 72nd matchup between Duquesne and Pittsburgh in a series that dates back to Jan. 13, 1932. It also marks the 34th consecutive season the Dukes and Panthers have met on the hardwood. Here is a list of Duquesne's most frequent all-time opponents:
OPPONENT G SERIESSt. Bonaventure 91 47-44West Virginia 78 36-42Pittsburgh 71 31-40St. Francis 70 58-12
