Dec. 6, 2005

TELEVISION: Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh with Brent Stover & Mike White
DUQUESNE RADIO: KQV-AM (1410) with Ray Goss & George Von Benko
INTERNET BROADCAST: www.RedZoneMedia.com

DUQUESNE AND PITT MEET FOR 74th TIME

Duquesne (1-3), coming off a 73-58 win over Robert Morris on Saturday, faces its second local rival in four days when Pittsburgh (5-0) makes the 2.15-mile drive down Fifth Avenue to face the Dukes in the annual City Game on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the Palumbo Center. The game, set for an 8:05 p.m. (EST) start, will be televised by Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh (KQV-AM 1410 / www.RedZoneMedia.com).

This is Pitt's third appearance at the A.J. Palumbo Center in a series that moved from Mellon Arena back to campus in 2001-02. Duquesne defeated the Panthers 80-76 at Palumbo on Dec. 19, 1988 and Pitt returned the favor with a 59-45 win over the Dukes on Dec. 3, 2003 before the largest crowd ever to see a game at the Palumbo Center (6,303). This is the first time since 2001-02 that Pitt enters the game unranked.

The Panthers, 78-41 winners over Auburn on Sunday, are 5-0 on the season, with all five victories coming at home. Pitt jumped out to a 26-4 lead in holding Auburn to its lowest point total since 1982. Carl Krauser led the Panthers with 14 points in 20 minutes. Levon Kendall added a game-high 10 rebounds for Pitt as 13 different players saw action in the lopsided win.

Duquesne snapped a three-game, season-opening losing streak with its win over Robert Morris on Saturday. Senior guard Bryant McAllister led the Dukes with a game-high 24 points. Duquesne scored a season-high 71 points, shot a season-best 47.3 percent and held RMU to an opponent season-low 34.4 percent shooting in the win. Chauncey Duke chipped in with a career-high 10 rebounds for DU.

DUQUESNE LATELY

• Guard Bryant McAllister has led Duquesne in scoring in all three games he's played since his debut following a one-game, season-opening suspension ... the 6-3 senior averaged 20.5 ppg. and 4.5 apg. in DU's two games last week ... he is coming off a season-high 24-point outing vs. Robert Morris ... McAllister, who enters the Pitt game with 1,089 career points, ranks 26th on Duquesne's all-time leading scorer's list ... he needs 11 points to pass Jim Tucker (1,091), Moe Barr (1,094) and Kevin Forney (1,099) and move into the No. 23 spot
• 2004-05 Atlantic 10 most improved player Kieron Achara, who was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his left shoulder last Thursday, learned Monday that he will need surgery and will be lost for the season ... Achara, who came off the bench to score six points and grab five rebounds in 20 minutes vs. RMU, will have surgery on Dec. 15 ... the preseason second team All-Atlantic 10 pick originally injured the shoulder in a Nov. 12 scrimmage vs. Cleveland State

THE SERIES

This is the 74th meeting between Duquesne and Pitt in a series that dates back to Jan. 13, 1932 ... Pitt holds a 42-31 edge overall ... this is just the third time in series history that the Panthers will play a game on the Bluff ... the others were an 80-76 Duquesne victory at the Palumbo Center on Dec. 19, 1988 and a 59-45 Palumbo Center Pitt win on Dec. 3, 2003 ... all of the other meetings have either been at Civic/Mellon Arena, Fitzgerald Field House, Pitt Pavilion or the Petersen Events Center ... 2005-06 marks the 36th consecutive season the two teams have met ... the last time Duquesne and Pitt did not play was in 1969-70 ... 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 eight meetings ... Pitt has won the last four.

DANNY NEE VS. PITT

This is Danny Nee's seventh game against the University of Pittsburgh - with all seven meetings coming in the last seven seasons with Nee at the helm of three different teams. On Dec. 11, 1999, Nee's Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated Ben Howland's Panthers 69-57 at Lincoln. On Dec. 28, 2000, Nee's Robert Morris Colonials dropped a 77-55 decision to Pitt at Fitzgerald Field House. Four year's ago Nee's first Duquesne Dukes squad dropped a 78-63 decision at Mellon Arena. Three year's ago #5 (AP) Pitt defeated Duquesne 82-67 in the first game at the Petersen Events Center. Two years ago #22 (AP) Pitt beat the Dukes 59-45 in front of a sellout crowd at the Palumbo Center and last year #13 (AP) Pitt won 87-57 at the Petersen Events Center.

GETTING TO THE LINE

Duquesne, which has been outscored by an average of 8.7 points per game, is dead even with its oppoents with 93 total field goals (and 19 3-pointers). The difference lies at the foul line where Duquesne has attempted 16 fewer free throws than opponents have made. That's right, the Dukes are averaging 14.2 free throws per game (38-of-57 on the season), while opponents have gone to the stripe an average of 23.2 times per game (73-of-93). DU has been whistled for 84 fouls to 60 for their opponents. The trio of Ryan Lambert (15), DeVario Hudson (14) and Jack Higgins (11) has accounted for 47.6 percent of Duquesne's fouls.

ACHARA'S SEASON OVER

Junior F/C Kieron Achara, a preseason second team All-Atlantic 10 pick, will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on Dec. 15. The surgery, which will require 4-6 months of rehabilitation, will sideline him for the season. The left-handed Achara, who hurt the shoulder while blocking a shot in a preseason scrimmage vs. Cleveland State on Nov. 12, struggled while trying to play through the injury. The 6-9 Stirling, Scotland native, who entered the season ranked third on Duquesne's career field goal accuracy list at 54.5 percent, went 5-of-22 from the field (including an 0-of-10 effort at Oakland) in three games while trying to play with the bad shoulder. Achara, the 2004-05 Atlantic 10 Chris Daniels Award winner (most improved player), averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game last season. Duquesne will apply for a medical (redshirt) hardship waiver for Achara through the Atlantic 10 Conference office at the conclusion of the season.

QUICK NOTES

• Duquesne has been without one key returning starter in three of its first four games ... senior guard Bryant McAllister missed the opener vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff while serving a one-game suspension for an off-court incident over the summer ... sophomore swingman Chauncey Duke missed the game at Oakland to return to Missouri for his grandmother's funeral and junior pivotman Kieron Achara missed the Akron game with foot and shoulder injuries ... it has since been learned that Achara - who played 20 minutes vs. Robert Morris - will be lost for the season
• The Dukes, who were outrebounded by an 8.0 average in their first two games, have outrebounded their last two opponents 78-71 (3.5 per game)
• DU's most surprising rebounder so far has been 6-6 sophomore Chauncey Duke ... Duke, who had five or more rebounds four times in 28 games last season, has six, seven and a career-high 10 (vs. Robert Morris) in the three games he has played this year to bring his average up to a team-best 7.7 rpg. (that's five full rebounds better than last year's average)
• Jack Higgins, who entered the season second on DU's all-time 3-point accuracy list at 39.5 percent is 6-of-24 from the arc (25.0%) through four games ... Duke, who shot 35.3 percent from the arc last year, is also converting at a 25 percent clip (3-of-12)
• On the other hand, Duquesne opponents are shooting just 22.6 percent (19-of-84) from the arc ... 3-point defense has been an area of emphasis for the Dukes' coaching staff as last year opponents shot 36.7 percent from the arc
• Sophomore forward DeVario Hudson is 9-of-17 (52.9%) from the field in averaging 10.0 points in DU's last two games