April 8, 2009
2008-09 Women's Basketball Season Review
The Duquesne women's basketball team continued its turnaround under second-year head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio by posting the program's first-ever post-season appearance while setting a school record with 20 wins.
The Dukes, who were picked to finish eighth in the Atlantic 10 Conference, had their first winning A-10 season since 2003-04 while finishing tied for fourth with a 9-5 record. DU set a program record by winning their last six conference games.
DU opened the season with six consecutive wins, marking the school's best start since 1998-99.
McConnell-Serio, who inherited a team coming off a 7-20 season in 2006-07, led the Dukes to a 15-15 record last year.
Individually, the lone senior, Kristi Little, won her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honor as well as being named First Team All-Conference and to the All-Defensive team. Little was also welcomed into the 1,000 point club this season.
The Dukes' schedule featured 10 teams that qualified for the post-season. DU had their second consecutive winning non-conference season, going 10-5. The A-10 schedule was highlighted by wins over Temple, Richmond and St. Bonaventure. In the 2009 Atlantic 10 Championship, Duquesne (a six seed) advanced into the quarterfinal round with a victory over Massachusetts.
Duquesne was rewarded at the end of the season by being selected to host a game in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
NCAA RPI IMPROVEMENT: Duquesne has improved 163 spots from 2007 in the most recent RPI rankings which is the fourth best in the NCAA.
| Team | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | Imp. |
| Lehigh | 265 | 200 | 83 | +182 |
| Cleveland State | 304 | 135 | 100 | +176 |
| Lehigh | 265 | 200 | 83 | +182 |
| Charleston | 278 | 214 | 110 | +168 |
| Duquesne | 251 | 172 | 88 | +163 |
| Mercer | 324 | 315 | 166 | +158 |
| Central Florida | 273 | 273 | 117 | +156 |
| Oregon State | 220 | 209 | 69 | +151 |
| American |
A-10 IMPROVEMENT: Duquesne has been the most improved team in the Atlantic 10 Conference over the past two seasons with a +7 win total from 2006-07.
| Team | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | Imp. |
| Duquesne | 2-12 | 6-8 | 9-5 | +7 |
| St. Bonaventure | 5-9 | 6-8 | 9-5 | +4 |
| Saint Louis | 4-10 | 5-9 | 6-8 | +2 |
| Xavier | 11-3 | 11-3 | 13-18 | +2 |
| Charlotte | 9-5 | 9-5 | 11-3 | +2 |
| Richmond | 7-7 | 6-8 | 9-5 | +2 |
| Dayton | 6-8 | 9-5 | 7-7 | +1 |
| Fordham | 1-13 | 0-14 | 1-13 | 0 |
| Temple | 13-1 | 12-2 | 11-3 | -2 |
| Florida | 9-22 | 19-14 | 24-8 | 14.5 |
| Rhode Island | 4-10 | 5-9 | 2-12 | -2 |
| Massachusetts | 7-7 | 5-9 | 5-9 | -2 |
| Saint Joseph's | 8-6 | 8-6 | 5-9 | -3 |
| George Washington | 14-0 | 12-2 | 9-5 | -5 |
| La Salle | 7-7 | 4-10 | 1-13 | -6 |
OVERALL NCAA WIN DIFFERENTIAL: The Dukes +13 win differential from 2006-07 ties the fifth best in the NCAA.
| Team | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | +/- |
| Lehigh | 11 | 18 | 26 | +15 |
| Florida | 9 | 19 | 24 | +15 |
| Drexel | 10 | 18 | 24 | +14 |
| Eastern Illinois | 10 | 18 | 24 | +14 |
| Duquesne | 7 | 15 | 20 | +13 |
| Charleston | 10 | 16 | 23 | +13 |
| Boston University | 12 | 20 | 25 | +13 |
| Mercer | 5 | 4 | 17 | +12 |
| San Diego State | 12 | 18 | 24 | +12 |
OVERALL A-10 WIN DIFFERENTIAL: The Dukes +13 win differential from 2006-07 is the best improvement in the A-10 since 2006-07.
| Team | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | +/- |
| Duquesne | 7 | 15 | 20 | +13 |
| Richmond | 13 | 14 | 24 | +11 |
| Dayton | 12 | 25 | 20 | +8 |
| Fordham | 3 | 0 | 8 | +5 |
| St. Bonaventure | 16 | 18 | 21 | +5 |
| Rhode Island | 6 | 13 | 10 | +4 |
| Charlotte | 19 | 18 | 23 | +4 |
| Saint Louis | 13 | 10 | 12 | -1 |
| Xavier | 26 | 24 | 25 | -1 |
| Massachusetts | 17 | 13 | 12 | -5 |
| Temple | 25 | 21 | 21 | -4 |
| Saint Joseph's | 19 | 17 | 13 | -6 |
| La Salle | 19 | 12 | 10 | -9 |
| George Washington | 28 | 27 | 17 | -11 |
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: The Dukes fi nished November with six wins, the most ever in program history in the season's opening month.
FABULOUS FEBRUARY: The Dukes closed out February with a record of 7-1, which is their best all-time record in the second month of the year.
A NEW CONFERENCE-BEST: Duquesne's 66-51 victory over La Salle was their fi fth consecutive Atlantic 10 Conference victory, a program first. The Dukes finished the 2009 A-10 regular season winning six straight.
20 WINS AND COUNTING: Additionally, the win over Rhode Island set a Division I era program record with 19 regular season wins. The 1981-82 Duchesses recorded 19 wins as a Division II squad. The victory over Massachusetts in the Atlantic 10 Championship marked the fi rst time DU recorded a 20 win season.
BACK-TO-BACK: 2008 and 2009 marked the second time in program history Duquesne has had back-to-back 15+ wins in a season. The last time was in 2003 and 2004. Additionally, McConnell-Serio becomes the fi rst DU women's head coach in the Division I era to post a winning regular season in back-to-back years.
UPTOWN HITTING IT FROM DOWNTOWN: The Dukes drained a school record 14 3-pointers at La Salle on Feb. 25. The previous high was 13 against George Washington Feb. 22, 2004.
A GOOD NON-CONFERENCE SEASON: For the second straight season, the Dukes posted a winning record in their non-conference season, going 10-5.
