PITTSBURGH – The 48^th season of Duquesne women's basketball will begin with a challenge against #20/22 Ohio State on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio.

HOW TO FOLLOW: Sunday's contest is available to be streamed via a subscription to Big Ten Network+. For information, on purchasing a Big Ten Network+ subscription, click here. Live stats are available for free at ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Follow @DuqWBB on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

THE SERIES

• Sunday's meeting with the Buckeyes marks the eighth game all-time between Duquesne and Ohio State.
• The Dukes are 1-6 all-time against OSU, with its lone win coming on Dec. 28, 2010 when Duquesne upset #12/13 Ohio State, 71-67, at Value City Arena.
• In that matchup, Wumi Agunbiade registered a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Samantha Polino added 14 points. Current Dukes' assistant coach Vanessa Abel dished the game-winning assist, as Kelly Britcher's 3-pointer proved to be the difference. The Dukes trailed by eight points with 5:04 remaining, finishing the game on a 16-4 run to secure the victory. 
• The matchup with OSU is the first since Nov. 11, 2016, when the Dukes opened the 2016-17 season with an 89-69 loss against the #7/6 Buckeyes.

A DUQUESNE WIN WOULD…

• be the first win over a ranked team since the Dukes knocked off RV/#25 St. John's (76-57) at the Palumbo Center on Dec. 18, 2015.
• be the first win over a ranked team on the road since Dec. 20, 2012 when Duquesne defeated #24/20 West Virginia, 62-54.
• snap a five-game losing streak against ranked teams. This is Duquesne's first game against a ranked team since Dec. 21, 2018 when the Dukes fell to #15/14 Syracuse, 71-87. Overall, Duquesne is 7-37 against ranked foes.
• be its third victory over a Big Ten team. The Dukes are 2-14 all-time against the Big Ten, earning wins against previously mentioned #12/13 Ohio State on Dec. 28, 2010 and its most recent matchup against a Big Ten team on Dec. 5, 2018 at Penn State (64-58).
• mark the seventh consecutive season that the Dukes have knocked off a Power-5 conference school. Since 2014-15, the Dukes have defeated Pitt (5x), Penn State (2018-19) and Virginia (2017-18).
• be the first win in the season-opener since Nov. 13, 2015 when the Dukes knocked off Saint Peter's, 63-38.

PRESEASON LAURELS: The Dukes were predicted to finish in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic 10 with Fordham and Davidson in the conference's coaches' poll. Libby Bazelak was selected to the Atlantic 10's All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team. Laia Sole was named to the A-10 Second Team.

Check out Duquesne's season preview for more information on the Dukes

SCOUTING #20/22 OHIO STATE

• The Buckeyes were picked to finish fifth in both the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' and Media Poll
• Junior forward Dorka Juhasz was selected to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Watch List and Big Ten Preseason All-Conference Team. Juhasz averaged 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds a season ago, finishing fourth in the conference in double-doubles with 10. She earned first-team All-Big 10 a season ago and is the first Buckeye to lead the team in scoring and rebounding in each of her first two seasons.
• Senior guard Braxtin Miller, a transfer from Oklahoma State, enters her second season in Columbus after starting in 32 games and leading the Buckeyes in assists. Miller and Dukes' senior Libby Bazelak won a pair of Ohio high school state championships as teammates at Archbishop Alter.
• Ohio State finished 21-12 last season with a 11-7 record in conference play. No. 6 Maryland topped the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship game in OSU's final game of the season prior to COVID-19 canceling the postseason. 
• OSU's scheduled season-opener on Nov. 25 against Akron was canceled due to Covid-19 concerns with the Zips.  

UP NEXT:  Next up on the schedule for DU is a meeting with Saint Francis in Loretto, Pa. on Dec. 2. The contest will be broadcast on NEC Front Row with a tip time of 5:00 p.m.