PITTSBURGH – The Duquesne women's basketball team looks to bounce back with a pair of home games this weekend, as the Dukes (2-4, 1-1) host VCU (3-5, 1-0) and Richmond (3-3, 0-1) at La Roche University's Kerr Fitness Center. The Dukes tipoff with the Rams on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and close out the weekend against the Spiders on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

• Due to health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, home 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

• Both games will be broadcasted on ESPN+ 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.

GAME PROGRAM

THE SERIES

• The Dukes are 11-2 all-time against VCU, including a mark of 5-1 in the Steel City
• Richmond leads the series over Duquesne, 13-12, but the Dukes own a 7-6 record in Pittsburgh.
• Duquesne Head Coach Dan Burt is a combined 14-2 all-time against both VCU and Richmond.

LAST TIME OUT

•  In its first game of 2021, the Duquesne women's basketball team could not find rhythm offensively, falling to the Dayton Flyers, 64-48 on Sunday afternoon at UD Arena. The Dukes were led by freshman Megan McConnell, who scored a season and game-high 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. The Steel City native did not miss a shot from inside the arc and contributed five rebounds and a pair of assists. Senior guard Amanda Kalin added eight first half points and three rebounds, before missing the second half due to an injury. Diamond Bragg posted six points and five rebounds.

• VCU enter Friday's matchup with a 3-5 record, earning a commanding 73-49 victory over Richmond in its Atlantic 10 opener on Dec. 20 in its latest matchup.
• VCU has wins over Saint Mary's (87-79), Buffalo (61-55) and Richmond. They lost to Arizona St. (40-49), Stephen F. Austin (66-71), Old Dominion (76-81 OT), East Carolina (55-58) and Vanderbilt (81-90). The Rams' tough slate ranks 57^th nationally in strength of schedule.
• The Rams have six players averaging over eight points per game, led by Atlantic 10 Preseason honorees Tera Reed (16.0 ppg) and Taya Robinson (13.8 ppg). Sarah Te-Biasu also averages double-figures in scoring with 12.1 points per contest.

SCOUTING THE SPIDERS

• Richmond is 3-3 on the young season. It holds wins over Navy (65-49), Gardner-Webb (85-73) and William & Mary (72-55) and have fallen to Virginia Tech (64-85), VCU (49-73) and Howard (54-65).
• The Spiders will battle St. Bonaventure on Friday night before taking on the Dukes on Sunday.
• The balanced Spider lineup has four players averaging double-figures in scoring, including Kate Klimkiewicz (13.5), Claire Holt (12.8), Addie Budnik (11.5) and Siobhan Ryan (10.0). Elaina Chapman has cleaned the glass with 9.0 rebounds per contest.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

• Among all home tenants at La Roche's Kerr Fitness Center since the 2019-20 season, Duquesne women's basketball (9-2), Duquesne men's basketball (3-1), La Roche women's basketball (12-1) and La Roche men's basketball (12-0) combined for a 36-4 record at home. Only UMass women's basketball, George Washington women's basketball, Carnegie Mellon women's basketball (vs. La Roche) and Davidson men's basketball 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.

COMING UP

• After taking on the Rams and Spiders this weekend, the Dukes will host a pair of Philadelphia foes in Saint Joseph's (Jan. 15) and La Salle (Jan. 17) next weekend at the Kerr Fitness Center.