GAME 5 | DUQUESNE (1-3) vs. Pitt (3-0)
Sat. Nov. 20, 2021 • 8:00 p.m.
UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (4,242), Pittsburgh, Pa.
TV: ESPN+

For the 39th time, Duquesne will battle rival Pitt in the City Game.

Last season marked the first time since 1982-83 that the City Game was not played.

UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse is the fifth different venue for the City Game. The game has also been played at A.J. Palumbo Center, Fitzgerald Fieldhouse, Petersen Events Center and the Civic Arena.

HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
• Live stats are available here.
• Follow @DuqWBB on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.

THE CITY GAME

• Although the Panthers hold the all-time series edge with 17 wins in 38 meetings, the Dukes have enjoyed recent success in the City Game by taking nine of the past 11 contests.
• In 2019 at the Petersen Events Center, Duquesne posted an 81-62 win - its largest margin of victory over Pitt in the City Game series.
• The Dukes outscored Pitt in all four quarters, led for 36:55 minutes of game time and held a 31-4 advantage in bench points to pull off the dominant effort.
• Amaya Hamilton matched a career-high with 17 points to lead Duquesne in the 2019 City Game win.
• Pitt halted a four-game win streak in the series for the Dukes in 2018 with a 66-58 win at the former Palumbo Center in the last meeting on Duquesne's campus.

SCOUTING PITT

• The Panthers were picked to finish 14th in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll conducted last month.
• Pitt enters the City Game 3-0 with wins over Radford, Lafayette and LIU by an average margin of 26.3 points.
• Jayla Everett is the team's leading scorer through three games with 18.3 ppg., including over 20 points in each of Pitt's first two games.
• Rita Igbokwe leads the Panthers with 8.3 rpg. and slots second on the team with 11.0 ppg.
• The Panthers routed LIU 92-41 at the Petersen Events Center Wednesday evening.
• The 92 points were the most scored by Pitt in the Lance White era.
• Destiny Strother posted a game-high 17 points for the Panthers.
• All 12 Pitt players converted a field goal in the blowout win.

DUQUESNE VERSUS THE ACC

• The Dukes are 8-10 all-time versus teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, with five of those victories coming against Pitt.
• Duquesne's other three ACC wins came against Virginia (2017-18) and Florida State (1996-97, 1997-98).

DUQUESNE VERSUS THE POWER 5

• The Dukes have earned wins against a Power-5 conference school in five of the past six seasons.
• Duquesne has defeated Pitt (5x), Penn State, and Virginia in that span.

LAST TIME OUT

• Despite erasing a 19-point deficit, the Dukes came up short in the closing seconds 77-76 at Longwood Wednesday afternoon.
• The Dukes trailed 47-28 with 8:42 in the third quarter, before out-scoring the Lancers 43 to 23 over the next 14 minutes of game time to take a 71-70 lead with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
• The lead changed hands three more times in the final five minutes, but not a sixth time.
• With the ball and down one point in the closing seconds, Megan McConnell had a good look from the right elbow, but it rimmed out to allow Longwood to escape with the win.
• After shooting just 2-of-15 (13 percent) in the first quarter, the Dukes closed the game shooting 23 of 40 (57 percent) in the final three periods. Longwood shot 31 of 66 (47 percent) for the game.
• Fatou Pouye led four Dukes in double figures with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds (six offensive).
• The 25 points scored was a career high.

CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE DOUBLES

• After 12 games without a player registering a double-double, Duquesne teammates Fatou Pouye and Megan McConnell have each recorded one in the past two games.
• McConnell finished with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the team's win over Lafayette on Sunday, while Pouye finished with 25 and 10 in the loss at Longwood.
• It was the first-career double-double for McConnell, who had eight rebounds in the first half alone.
• The double-double was the fourth of Pouye's career and first at Duquesne.
• The last time the Dukes had a player with a double-double in consecutive games was in 2019 when Libby Bazelak did so in wins over Cornell (21&13) and Saint Francis U (10&10).

BENCH BOOST

• Fatou Pouye provided a spark off of the bench for the Dukes against Lafayette and Longwood.
• After averaging just 5.0 points as a starter versus UCF and Tulsa, Pouye has come off of the bench and averaged 21.5 points in the past two games.
• The Western Kentucky graduate transfer currently leads the team with 13.3 ppg. and is shooting a team-best 52.4 percent from the field (22 of 42).

LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER

• Tess Myers is second on the Dukes in scoring through four games with 13.0 points per game.
• Myers dropped 16 points in the opener at UCF and posted 17 in the setback at Tulsa on Thursday.
• Tess's father, Joey starred at Duquesne from 1980-83 playing for two NIT teams. He scored 831 points as a career .455 shooter.
• The 6-8 forward was one of the top shooting big men in the Atlantic 10 and had the nickname "Sonar Joey Myers" for his range.
• He played in the pre-3-point era until his senior season, where he moved inside as one of the big men Duquesne had (5-13 3PT).
• He was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the eighth round (179th overall).

LOOKING BACK

• After dropping seven in a row at one point last season, the Dukes capped the 2020-21 regular-season with three victories in five games.
• Precious Johnson ranked second in the A-10 in field goal percentage, shooting 53.0 percent from the floor (44-of-83) on the season.
• In the Dukes' last five regular-season games, Megan McConnell dished out 12 assists compared to just three turnovers. At 5-7, she also pulled down 20 rebounds during that span.
• Tess Myers ranked fifth in the A-10 in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 39.7 pct. of attempts from long range (25-of-63).

STORY LINES

• This will be Duquesne's first full season at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. The Dukes scored a 71-63 victory on Feb. 18 over Rhode Island in the team's lone game at the newly-renovated facility last season. Duquesne was forced to play off campus the past three seasons and responded by going a combined 13-9 in "home games" at La Roche University, PPG Paints Arena, UPMC Events Center and Oakland Catholic High School.  
• Since taking over as head coach in 2013-14, Dan Burt has led the Dukes to 159 wins. Only Dayton (167) and Fordham (166) have amassed more wins during that span in the Atlantic 10. The Dukes are also one of three A-10 programs to post a winning season in six of the past seven seasons (Dayton, Fordham, & VCU).
• Since 2013-14, the Dukes have led the Atlantic 10 in scoring offense (2x), scoring margin, field goal percentage (2x), free throw percentage and assists per game (2x). Duquesne has ranked at least fourth in the conference in points per game, field goal percentage and assists per game in all but one season since 2014-15.
• The Dukes have earned wins against a Power-5 conference school in five of the past six seasons. Duquesne has defeated Pitt (5x), Penn State, and Virginia in that span.
• Head Coach Dan Burt's time on The Bluff has brought unmatched success. The Dukes have earned 10 postseason appearances and 10 20-win seasons in 14 seasons in the Steel City. Prior to joining the coaching staff in 2007-08, the Dukes had never earned a trip to the postseason or eclipsed 20 wins in a single season. In 2015-16, Duquesne earned its first bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 9 seed and earned dominant 21-point win over No. 8 Seton Hall.
• Duquesne has posted five 20 win seasons and five trips to the postseason since 2013-14. Burt has coached six of the 11 top scorers in program history and 11 of the 30 1,000-point scorers at Duquesne. Under his tutelage, the Dukes have earned 21 all-conference honors.
• Duquesne's top-eight scorers all return in 2021-22. The Dukes scored 999 points last season and 845 of those points were scored by players returning to the fold this season.  
  • AMANDA KALIN: Started each of the first six games, before suffering a season-ending injury ... Expected to return to the team later this season ... Led team with 15.5 points per game and scored in double figures four times ... Finished with 25 points and a season-high seven rebounds at Saint Francis (Pa.) ... Tallied 11 points and a season-best five assists versus Saint Bonaventure ... Dropped a career-high 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including a career-best five three-point shots, at Toledo ... Averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.94 blocks per game in 2019-20 … Posted fourth triple-double in program history with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in win over La Salle … One of 23 players in the nation and only A-10 player to accomplish the feat during the 2019-20 season.
  • LIBBY BAZELAK: Limited to eight games with five starts ... Finished the season second on the team with 8.4 points per game ... Led the team with 3.3 assists per game ... Tallied 18 points and five rebounds at George Mason ... Established a season high with seven assists at La Salle ... Registered a season-high 19 points with five rebounds and four assists in an A10 Championship game versus La Salle  ... 2020 A-10 All-Conference Second Team  … Led Duquesne in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (6.5 rpg), assists (3.9 apg), steals (1.3 spg), 3-point field goal percentage (.444) and free throw percentage (.758) in 2019-20.
  • LAIA SOLE: Appeared in all 16 games with 12 starts ... Ranked third on the team with 8.1 points per game ... Tied for the team lead with 5.7 rebounds per game ... Led team in total offensive (26) and defensive (65) rebounds ... Slotted fourth on the team with 1.4 assists per game ... Registered a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds at Ohio State ... Registered a season-high with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting at Kent State ... Finished with 17 points and eight rebounds against Richmond ... Established a new career-high with 13 rebounds at George Mason ... Ranked second on the Dukes with 11.8 points per game in 2019-20 ... Recorded 38 of Duquesne's 72 points in a overtime win over Saint Francis, the most points for a Duke in the Dan Burt era.
  • PRECIOUS JOHNSON: Appeared in 14 games with 13 starts ... Slotted fourth on the team with 7.6 points per game ... Ranked second in the A10 with a 53.0 field-goal percentage ... Tied for the team lead and ranked 21st in the A10 with 5.7 rebounds per game ... Ranked fourth in the A10 with 1.5 blocked shots per game ... Finished just shy of a double-double with nine points, 10 rebounds and a season-high five blocks versus St. Bonaventure ... Established a season-high with 20 points to go with nine rebounds versus Rhode Island ... Registered a double-double with 15 points and season highs of 11 rebounds and five steals in an A10 Championship game versus La Salle
  • MEGAN McCONNELL:  Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Week (12/14/20) ... Appeared in all 16 games with nine starts ... Led the team and ranked 17th in the A-10 with 2.8 assists per game ... Led the team and ranked 12th in the A-10 with 1.4 steals per game ... Played a team-high 28.7 minutes per game ... Dished out a season-high six assists versus St. Bonaventure ... Finished with nine points, and season highs of six rebounds and three blocks while making her first start against VCU ... Established a season-high with 16 points to go with six rebounds and six assists versus Richmond ...  Scored 15 points and matched a season-best six rebounds against La Salle ... Registered a season-high four steals at George Washington

PROS ACROSS THE SEA: The following Duquesne graduates are playing professionally overseas.

• Nina Aho '20 (Aluinvent DVTK Miskolc / Hungary-A Division)
• Paige Cannon '20 (CAB Madeira / Portugal-Liga Feminina)
• Jose-Ann Johnson '15 (SIG Strasbourg / France-LF2)
• Eniko Kuttor '19 (Cegledi EKK / Hungary A-Division)
• Kadri-Ann Lass '19 (Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre /Spain-Liga Feminina)

FAMILY TIES

• Libby Bazelak: Brother, Connor is the starting quarterback at Mizzou. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2020 ... Sister, Maddy, played volleyball and graduated from Duquesne in 2019. In 2019-20 she played basketball at Ohio University as a graduate transfer.
• Amaya Hamilton: Father, Brian, played defensive tackle and was a captain at Notre Dame (1994) under legendary coach Lou Holtz. He signed as a free agent with the Atlanta  Falcons after graduation.
• Precious Johnson: Father, Stew, is the ninth all-time leading scorer in the history of the ABA. He played for seven different franchises (Kentucky Colonels, New Jersey Americans/New York Nets, Houston Mavericks, Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors, Carolina Cougars, San Diego Conquistadors, Memphis Sound, Baltimore Claws, San Diego Sails and San Antonio Spurs). He was a 3x all-star in the ABA. The Clairton, Pa. native went on to play professionally in Iceland and Sweden, where Precious was born and raised.
• Megan McConnell: "Pittsburgh's First Family of Hoops" Brother, TJ, a Duquesne (2010-12) and Arizona (2013-15) basketball standout is currently a member of the Indiana Pacers. He previously played for the Philadelphia 76ers ... Brother, Matty, was an 1,000- pt. scorer at Robert Morris ... Father, Tim, is one of the most successful basketball coaches in Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) history with eight combined WPIAL championships at Chartiers Valley High School as the boys (1992-2018) and girls (2018-present) coach ... Aunt, Suzie McConnell-Serio was an All-American at Penn State, Olympic Gold Medalist, and WNBA standout as a women's basketball Hall of Famer. She posted an 123-68 record as the Duquesne's women's basketball head coach, before taking the head job at Pitt (2013-18). Before coming to Duquesne, she was the head coach of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx ... Aunt, Kathy McConnell-Miller, went to four NCAA tournaments at Virginia and has been a Division I head coach at Tulsa and Colorado and an  assistant coach at Pitt, Rutgers, and Illinois ... Uncle, Tom, is the head coach at Division II contender Indiana University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team. He previously served as the head coach of Saint Francis (Pa.) men's team and was an assistant coach for the men's teams at Wake Forest, Marquette, Dayton. He served as an assistant coach for Colorado and Old Dominion's women's teams.
• Tess Myers: Father, Joey, graduated from Duquesne and played basketball on two NIT Teams in 1980 and 1981, totaling 831 points. He was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in  1983 ... Sister, Natalie, was a Class 2A All-State selection at Burrell High School and led IUP in rebounding and ranked third in scoring as a senior on a team that ranked 8th in the nation in DII prior to the COVID-19 pandemic ... Sister, Taylor, was an 1,000 pt. scorer at Burrell High School.
• Aniya Walker: Father, Myron, is Robert Morris' all-time leading scorer (1,965 pts, 1990-94). He is a member of the Northeastern Conference Hall of Fame, RMU's Hall of Fame and Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame ... Cousin, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, played at Maryland and was the sixth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft. She earned a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2017 and won the WNBA Championship with the Washington Mystic in 2019.Walker-Kimbrough is one of only three players in WNBA history to hold a career free-throw percentage of at least 90 percent (Elena Delle Donne and Tiffany Mitchell) ... She currently plays for the Washington Mystics.

UP NEXT

• The Dukes return to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Nov. 23 for a non-conference showdown with Akron.
• Tip is set for 7 p.m. and the game will broadcast on ESPN+.