Pittsburgh, Pa. - The Duquesne University women's basketball team will take on Niagara University Saturday afternoon in the second game of the 2022-23 season.

GAMEDAY INFO
November 11, 2023 | 1 PM | Gallagher Center (Niagara University, NY)
Duquesne Dukes (0-1): Roster | Schedule | Stats
Niagara Purple Eagles (1-0): Roster | Schedule | Stats

GAMEDAY LINKS 
Watch Live on ESPN+ | Follow Live Stats
DUQ Game Notes | Niagara Game Notes

OPENING TIP

• Duquesne returns nearly all of its production from last season's 19-win team with nine players back on the roster including all five primary starters.
• The 19 wins were the most since 2020, when the Dukes posted a 20-11 record.
• Duquesne led the Atlantic 10 in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 36.1% shooting, and pulled in a league-best 29.6 defensive rebounds per game, both stats ranked in the top 20 nationally.
• Megan McConnell is coming off a Second Team all-conference and All-Academic Team selection in 2022-23 ... Entering this season, she was named to the 2024 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watchlist.
• Duquesne was picked to finish 5th in the A-10 preseason poll.

THE SERIES - vs. NIAGARA

• Duquesne leads 11-2
• At Niagara: DUQ leads 4-1
• Last meeting: W, 100-69 at Niagara (11/15/2009)
• Streak: Duquesne W6
• Under Coach Burt: first meeting
• Duquesne has scored 100 points on the dot in back-to-back meetings (2009 and 2008) ... The meeting will be the first in nine seasons.
• Duquesne is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.

LAST TIME OUT

• Duquesne jumped out to a 10-point lead after one quarter at Princeton in the season opener, but a back-and-forth battle ensued and ended 65-57 in favor of the Tigers.
• The opener featured nine lead changes and four ties.
• Princeton led by two at the break, then DU took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter ... The defending Ivy League champion Tigers put together a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter and limited Duquesne to five points.
• Amaya Hamilton paced the Dukes with 18 points and pulled in seven rebounds, she was 5-for-5 from three and had 15 of her points in the third quarter.
• Ayanna Townsend had 10 points and was a large part of the first quarter jump start.
• Megan McConnell played all 40 minutes and coraled a team-high 12 rebounds, while dishing out four assists with no turnovers and four steals.
• Duquesne shot 50+% in the first and third quarters, but was at 36% for the night ... DU was 50% from three (8-for-16).

VS. MAAC OPPONENTS

• Duquesne is 23-3 all-time against MAAC opponents.
• Last season, the Dukes went 2-0 with wins over Manhattan and Siena at home.
• Duquesne has won 15 straight games against MAAC opponents and has not lost since 2004 at Siena.

SCOUTING NIAGARA

• Niagara was ranked the top team in the MAAC Preseason Poll, the first time in program history.
• Junior Aaliyah Parker was tabbed the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year and was alongside Angel Parker on the first team preseason all-conference list.
• The Purple Eagles closed out 2022-23 with an 18-13 overall record and program-best 16-4 record in MAAC play.
• Niagara rolled past St. Bonaventure at home with 75-51 trounce in the season opener ... A 26-6 third quarter helped create the seperation ... Four Purple Eagles scored in double figures with Aaliyah Parker leading the way with 12.

ON THE ROAD

• Duquesne is on the road for the first three games of the season, its longest away stretch to start the season since four in a row began the 2017-18 campaign.

UP NEXT

• The Dukes head to Howard to wrap up the season-opening, three-game road trip on Tuesday at 5:30 pm.

TICKETS ON SALE
Duquesne women's basketball opens its home season on Nov. 18 at 2 pm against crosstown rival Pitt for the City Game. Tickets for the home opener, as well as every home game this season are available now by clicking here.

FOLLOW THE DUKES
For the latest news and updates for Duquesne women's basketball, follow @DuqWBB on Twitter (X) and Instagram all season.