Sept. 14, 2010
Non-Conference opponent team information | 2010-11 Non-Conference schedule
PITTSBURGH - Duquesne women's basketball head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio announced the details of the Dukes' upcoming 2010-11 non-conference schedule today. The Dukes, coming off back-to-back post-season berths, will play 15 games against non-conference opponents - eight of those made post-season appearances last year (6 NCAA, 2 WNIT).
"We increased the level of competition in the non-conference by adding some challenging games," said McConnell-Serio. "Over half of the teams we are going to face reached the post-season last year which will make us a better team."
Duquesne will open the 2010-11 season at home in the newly renovated A.J. Palumbo Center against defending Patriot League champions Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are coming off a program record 29 wins and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Championship.
The first road trip of the season is Nov. 17 at West Virginia. The Mountaineers are also coming off a program record 29 wins and finished second in the Big East Conference to national champion Connecticut. WVU made the NCAA Championship as a No. 3 seed and finished last season with a RPI of 13.
DU will hit the road for six consecutive games beginning Nov. 24 when they visit Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The Red Hawks are one of five opponents out of the Mid-American Conference.
Thanksgiving weekend, Duquesne will make the short trip to Robert Morris. The Colonials won the Northeast Conference regular season title, going 17-1 in league play and 23-9 overall. RMU received a berth in the WNIT.
On Dec. 1, Duquesne will visit Akron. This is the first time since the 2006-07 season that the Dukes and Zips have played each other. Akron finished 2009-10 with an 18-14 record.
The first weekend of December, DU will be in Buffalo, N.Y. Their first game will be at Canisius on Dec. 4. The team battled to double-overtime thriller last season, with the Dukes winning 72-70. Following the game with the Golden Griffins, Duquesne will visit the University of Buffalo on Dec. 6. This will be the first matchup with the Bulls since the 1993-94 season.
After a month away from the Palumbo Center, the Dukes host North Dakota State on Dec. 12. This marks only the second time DU has played a team from the Summit League. The Bison finished 2009-10 with a 16-13 record.
Duquesne travels to Athens, Ohio to take on Ohio University on Dec. 16. Last season, the Dukes used three foul shots in the final 10 seconds to defeat the Bobcats 52-50 at the Palumbo Center.
Highlighting the home non-conference schedule will be Vanderbilt on Dec. 19. The Commodores, out of the SEC, finished last season with 23 wins, a third place tie in conference, a NCAA Championship bid and a RPI of 23.
Defending Northeast Conference champions Saint Francis, Pa. will be at the Palumbo Center Dec. 22 as part of a double-header with the men's team. The Red Flash upset Robert Morris in the quarterfinal of the NEC Championship en route to an automatic NCAA Championship bid last season.
After Christmas break, Duquesne will have another challenging road contest on Dec. 28 when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio State. The Buckeyes, who were champions of the Big Ten Conference, were just one of five teams in the NCAA that recorded over 30 wins last year. OSU was a No. 2 seed at the NCAA Championship and its 31 wins were a program record.
The sixth NCAA Championship team Duquesne will face is Austin Peay out of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Lady Govs, who have won the OVC in back-to-back years, come to Palumbo Dec. 30.
The 2011 calendar year starts off in Muncie, Ind. when Duquesne visits Ball State, the last of the five MAC opponents.
The non-conference season ends with The City Game when the University of Pittsburgh comes to Palumbo on Jan. 5. The signature win of last season's non-conference schedule was when the Dukes defeated the #19 ranked Panthers at the Petersen Events Center last December. The victory marked the first time in almost 16 years DU defeated a nationally-ranked team. Pitt received a berth in the WNIT.
Remaining dates and times for the non-conference games as well as the Atlantic 10 schedule will be released at a later date.
"We believe part of the path to making the NCAA's is scheduling games against some of the most competitive teams in the country like Ohio State, Vanderbilt and West Virginia," added McConnell-Serio. "Each year, we want to challenge ourselves at a higher level. Our non-conference schedule will prepare us for our games in the Atlantic 10 Conference, which will be one of the most competitive conferences in the country again this season."
