Feb. 6, 2004
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Dukes (10-10, 5-4) vs Rhode Island (11-9, 4-5)
Friday, Feb. 6, 2004 - 7:05 pm
Pittsburgh, Pa. - Palumbo Center (6,200) Audio: RedZoneMedia.com
Duquesne Probable Starters Rhode Island Probable Starters | No. | NAME | YR | POS | HT | PPG | RPG |
| 23 | Katie Stailing | JR | F | 6-0 | 9.6 | 5.2 |
| 35 | Tanya Rhodes | SO | F | 5-9 | 13.7 | 7.5 |
| 43 | Chrys Washington | JR | C | 6-1 | 4.3 | 2.1 |
| 12 | Shayla Johnson | SR | G | 5-10 | 12.0 | 3.4 |
| 24 | Denise King | SR | G | 5-9 | 11.3 | 4.10 apg |
About the Dukes
Duquesne is glad to be back on the home hardwood after a three-game Atlantic 10 road series. The Dukes went 1-2 defeating Fordham and losing to George Washington and Xavier. DU is 6-1 at home to date with the only loss coming at the hands of West Virginia, which is currently 16-5 overall. Candace Futrell leads the group with 21.7 ppg, which ranks fifth in this week's NCAA statistical report. Shiri Sharon leads the offense with 4.95 apg while Nicole Sinclair has a squad-best 7.6 rpg. The Dukes rank 34th in the NCAA with their 6.5 three-point field goals per game average.
Palumbo Sees 200th Game
Friday marks the 200th women's basketball game at the A.J. Palumbo Center. The Dukes are 6-1 at home this season on the home hardwood.
The Series
Rhode Island holds a slight 17-16 lead in the all-time series with the Dukes. The team first met during the 1983-84 slate and tonight marks the 34th meeting. Duquesne has won eight of the last nine match-ups, including a 69-62 margin last year in Kingston. The only fall in that span was a 57-64 decision at the Palumbo on Jan. 19, 2002. The Dukes are 6-7 at home, 8-6 on the road and 3-3 in the A-10 tournament vs. the Rams. Coach Durkin is 8-5 all-time against Rhode Island.
About the Rams
Rhode Island is coming off a 60-59 triumph over Temple, which handed the Owls their first league loss of the season. Four Rams hit double-figure scoring in that game led by Shayla Johnson and Denise King with 15 points each. Tanya Rhodes leads the squad with 13.7 ppg and 7.5 rpg and is 35th in the country with 2.9 steals per game. Johnson stands second with a 12.0 ppg average. The Rams rank 16th in the NCAA with a .754 free throw percentage and are 18th with 12.0 steals per game. Rhode Island is 2-6 on the road this year, which includes an 0- 4 league record.
The Coaches
Dan Durkin is in his 11th year at Duquesne and as a head coach. He is 10-10 this season and 140-159 overall over his tenure. Tom Garrick is Rhode Island's acting head coach as Boe Pearman is on a medical leave of absence. Garrick took over beginning with the Dec. 20 game at Harvard and is 6-6 on the season.
Futrell Hits Top Five of NCAA Scoring Leaders
Senior Candace Futrell moved into 5th in the Country among NCAA Division I scoring leaders this week with her 21.7 ppg average. Idaho's Emily Faurhold holds the top spot with 25.6 ppg. Futrell also ranks 39th in three-point field goals made per game with her 2.5 average. She leads DU with 49 extra-point goals, which is seventh on the DU single-season list.
Take a Kid to the Game
The Feb. 8 game with Massachusetts marks the annual Take A Kid to the Game promotion, which helps introduce the area youth to the collegiate game of basketball. All youths 18 years and under will be admitted with a paying adult. For more information contact the ticket office at 412-232-DUKE or call the marketing/promotions department at 412-396-1187.
Next Up
The Dukes end the week hosting UMass this Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Sharon to Hit 600th Career Assist
Senior Shiri Sharon became the Dukes' all-time assist leader Jan. 9 with five vs. Dayton. She is on track to be the first Duquesne player to reach 600 career assists with 599 entering tonight's game. Sharon is currently fourth among A-10 leaders with a 4.95 assist per game average and hit a season-best 10 assists at GW, making her the sixth A-10 player to do so this year. She stood fourth on the DU career list after her junior campaign with 505. Last year, Sharon posted a DU and Atlantic 10 best 6.6 apg average, which also stood 12th in the NCAA. She became the first player at Duquesne over the past nine-years to record 12 assists in a game when she did so at Xavier marking a careerhigh and a league single-game best mark. On the season, she had four games with double-figure dishes.
Duquesne Career Assists Leaders
1 Shiri Sharon 599 2001-present2 Korie Hlede 570 1995-983 Darcie Vincent 555 1989-924 Becky Oglevee 528 1983-865 Michelle Bouldin 446 1992-94
Sharon's Season High Assists - 2003-04
10 ....... at George Washington 1/298 ........ vs West Virginia 12/207 ........ at Pitt 12/37 ........ at La Salle 1/66 ........ vs Siena 12/226 ........ at Saint Joseph's 1/46 ........ vs St. Bonaventure 1/165 ........ vs Robert Morris 11/235 ........ at Toledo 11/255 ........ vs Dayton 1/9
The Dukes' Last Game
Duquesne lost at Xavier Feb. 1, 62-45 in an Atlantic 10 match-up. The win avenged an 83-69 Duquesne win in Pittsburgh back on Jan. 11. It is also the lowest point production for the team this season. Candace Futrell led the Dukes with 18 points while Aiga Bautre added 14. Nicole Sinclair and Futrell led the rebounding with seven each. Shiri Sharon tied the team lead with three assists to put her career total at 599 and posted a game-high five steals. Tara Boothe led Xavier with 28 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Despite taking 14 more shots than Duquesne in the first half, Xavier was tied with the Dukes at 24 at the break. XU was plagued by poor outside shooting in the opening period. The Musketeers were 2-15 from three-point range. However, XU got second chances with nine offensive rebounds. The Musketeers used a 9-2 run to open the second half and take a 33-26 lead with 15:43 remaining. Duquesne pulled to within five at 41-36 with 9:55 left, but XU responded with a 6-0 spurt over the next 2:46 to put the game out of reach. Xavier asserted itself on the inside in the second stanza shooting 12-of-24 from the field and collecting 18 points in the paint. XU also scored 16 points off Duquesne turnovers in the final 20 minutes. Xavier held a 40- 26 rebounding advantage.
The Last Time They Met the Rams
Khalihah Este-Shehu hit a season-best 15 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds to lead Duquesne to a 69-62 win at Rhode Island Feb. 6, 2003. Beth Friday hit her 45th career double-double with 10 points and 10 boards while Candace Futrell added 15 points as well. The Rams took an 8-3 lead as Duquesne was held scoreless for 4:23 early in the first half, but a 9-2 run for the Dukes followed shortly afterward for a 12-10 lead over Rhode Island with 9:40 remaining. Maria Stankevich put Duquesne up 15-14 at 8:24 before URI connected on one of two free throws for a 15-15 tie at 8:11. A 7-0 Rams' run gave them a 22-17 lead at 5:21 before Erin Wehrle hit back-toback goals for a 21-22 Duquesne reach at 3:25. Rhode Island then rattled off a 6-0 spree for a 28-21 advantage at 1:45. Friday hit one of two free throws to end the half's scoring as URI held a 28-22 edge at the break. The Rams held a 31-24 edge to start the second half before Futrell capped off a 7-0 Duquesne run to knot the game 31-31 at the 16:59 mark. Four ties would follow with the last being 40-40 with 11:44 on the clock, but the Dukes sprang to a 7-2 run to take a 47-42 advantage and the lead for good as Nicole Sinclair competed the series with her three-point play. The Rams got within a 46-47 reach, but the Dukes out-scored the host 13-4 for a 60- 51 cushion and the largest lead of the game with 3:37 to go. Rhode Island would not get within six points thereafter. Duquesne out-rebounded the Rams 40 to 30 and shot .468 from the field to their .361 effort. The Dukes recorded three blocks and did not have a shot rejected for the game by Rhode Island.
Common Opponents
Team DU URIToledo L, 57-81 W, 73-54Vanderbilt L, 60-92 L, 61-74St. Bonaventure W, 74-60 W, 72-64Richmond L, 61-82 L, 50-73Fordham W, 62-61 L, 69-81Dayton W, 75-59 W, 48-43Xavier W, 83-69 L, 55-66 L, 45-62La Salle W, 78-67 L, 73-81
No Stop'n Futrell
All-America candidate Candace Futrell produced her fourth career game scoring 30 or more points with a 30-point effort vs. Siena Dec. 22. She notched her third the earlier this season pouring in a game-best 32 points in the Dukes' loss to Kentucky at the USF odwalla Classic over Thanksgiving. This past summer, she became the first Duquesne player to compete in the USA Basketball Team Trials when she was one of 60 D-I athletes invited to participate. The 5-10 guard did not make either of the 12- member rosters, but had the chance to compete with some of the top talent in the country. One of the top scoring threats in Duquesne history and the Atlantic 10, she entered her senior campaign with 1,047 career points, even after missing eight games last year with injuries. Futrell owns a team- and A- 10 best 21.4 ppg average this year. She moved into fifth on the Duquesne career list with 1,345 after the Xavier game, took over the #4 spot with a team-high 21 points at Richmond and moved into third with 30 points vs. Cornell. The quick and agile guard could surpass Darcie Vincent as the #2 scorer with 1,538 points. She would need to net 59 markers.
Duquesne Career Points Leaders
1 Korie Hlede 2,631 1995-98 2 Darcie Vincent 1,538 1989-92 3 Candace Futrell 1,480 2001-present 4 Beth Friday 1,410 2000-03 5 Kris Sebastian 1,374 1991-94 6 Kathy Ridilla 1,312 1986-89 7 Amy Alger 1,306 1986-89 8 Becky Oglevee 1,292 1983-86 9 Katie Collins 1,186 1987-9010 Chrissi Stough 1,152 1981-84
