PITTSBURGH – Coming off a thrilling victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) in its last outing, the Duquesne women's basketball team looks to start Atlantic 10 conference play on the right foot when the Dukes (1-1, 0-0) host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (0-0, 0-0) on Friday afternoon at La Roche University. The opening tip is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Kerr Fitness Center.

•  Due to health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, games at La Roche will be played without spectators. The Department of Athletics, based on guidance from state, county and local health officials, will actively review fan attendance policies as the season progresses. For more information, click here. 

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Friday's contest will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and with live stats available on goduquesne.com.
• Fans living internationally can watch the game here with a subscription. For more information, click here.
• Follow @DuqWBB on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.

• Winners of seven-straight over its closest Atlantic 10 foe in terms of distance, Duquesne holds a 41-20 advantage in the all-time series over St. Bonaventure.
• At home sites, the Dukes hold a 24-5 lead in the series, including a 58-39 win at La Roche University on Jan. 30, 2020.  
• In that matchup, Libby Bazelak recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Dukes. Duquesne's defense held the Bonnies to shoot 14-of-55 from the floor (25.5%) and just 4-of-18 from 3-point land.
• Duquesne Head Coach Dan Burt is 11-2 all-time against the Bonnies and 8-1 against current SBU head coach Jesse Fleming.

ELITE

• The Dukes enter Friday's game with a free throw percentage of 86.1 percent (26-for-30), which is tied with North Dakota State for third in all of Division I (291 teams having played at least one game).
• The Dukes are ranked 31^st nationally and first in the A-10 in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing foes to shoot just 20.7 (6-for-29) percent from long range.

SCOUTING THE BONNIES

• Friday's matchup is the season and A-10 opener for St. Bonaventure.
• St. Bonaventure was picked to finish 12th in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll.
• The Bonnies posted a 7-23 record along with a 4-12 mark in the Atlantic 10.
• Junior guard Asinae Johnson returns, who led the Bonnies with 12.7 points per game and earned Atlantic 10 Preseason Second Team honors.
• SBU returns four starters and add three Division I transfers.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

• Friday's matchup is the first home basketball game for the Dukes since Duquesne took down Rhode Island, 70-53 in the Atlantic 10 Championship First Round on March 3, 2020 at the Kerr Fitness Center. The Dukes fell to Fordham in the quarterfinal round, but were projected to earn an at-large bid to the WNIT, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling postseason play.
• Duquesne played 10 of its 14 home games a season ago at La Roche, posting an 8-2 record. Overall the Dukes averaged 71.5 points to the opponents 62.1 points (+9.4 scoring margin) at La Roche.
• The Dukes trio of Laia Sole (14.6 ppg /5.0 rpg/2.0 apg), Libby Bazelak (14.4 ppg /6.3 rpg/4.1 apg) and Amanda Kalin (12.2 ppg/5.0 rpg/4.1 apg) led the team in scoring and off the glass at La Roche.
• Precious Johnson posted a very impressive .621 field goal percentage (18-of-29) in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, while Kalin countered with a mark of .588 (50-of-85). As a squad, Duquesne shot .466 (75-192) to the opponents .407 (232-570).
• Among all home tenants at La Roche's Kerr Fitness Center during the  2019-20 season, Duquesne women's basketball (8-2), Duquesne men's basketball (3-0), La Roche women's basketball (12-1) and La Roche men's basketball (12-0) combined for a 35-3 record at home. Only UMass women's basketball, George Washington women's basketball and Carnegie Mellon women's basketball (vs. La Roche) have escaped the Kerr Fitness Center with wins as visitors. The La Roche men and La Roche women's teams secured Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships at the Kerr Fitness Center against Penn St. Behrend (62-61) and Hilbert (88-69), respectively during the 2019-20 campaign.

LAST TIME OUT

• Led by Amanda Kalin's 25 points, Duquesne held off a four-quarter rally from Saint Francis (Pa.) to earn its first win of the season, 69-67. With the game-tied at 67-67, Kalin drove to the hoop and was blocked, but got the rebound and laid in the game-winning points as time expired in regulation. The play was recognized on both SportsCenter Top 10 (#3) and NCAA Women's Basketball Top Plays of the Week (#2).
• Tess Myers added 11 points off the bench in her second collegiate game.

COMING UP

• Next on the schedule for the Dukes is a matchup on the road against Toledo on Friday, Dec. 18.
• The Dukes will then close out 2020 (as currently scheduled) at Kent State on Monday, Dec. 21.