GAME 1
Lipscomb (0-0) at Duquesne (0-0)
Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 | 8:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)
 
Stream: ESPN+ with Tim Benz & Ellis Cannon
Radio: 104.7 HD2 / iHeartRadio with Ray Goss ('58) and Noah Buono ('22)
 
Game Notes | Media Center | Record Book | Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
 
Opening Tip
 
- The Duquesne University men's basketball team opens the 2024-25 season as well as the Dru Joyce III era Monday, Nov. 4, with an 8:00 p.m. tip at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse against Lipscomb.
 
- The Dukes, selected eighth in the 2024-25 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, return two starters from a 2023-24 squad that made history with an overall record of 25-12 (.676), claimed the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship and first automatic bid to the NCAA Championship since 1977 and earned its first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1969.
 
- Returning as starters for Duquesne are junior forward David Dixon and sophomore guard Jake DiMichele. Dixon averaged 7.2 points per game on 54.3 percent shooting last season and averages 1.3 blocks per game during his career, while DiMichele scored at a 6.4 points per game clip as a rookie while shooting 46 percent from the floor.

- In all, the Dukes welcome back 32.7 percent (853-of-2,611) of their scoring, 37.2 percent (479-of-1,288) of their rebounding and 33.4 percent (166-of-497) of their assists.
 
- The 2024-25 season marks the 109th year of Duquesne basketball. The Dukes started play in 1913-14 (DU did not field a team in 1944-45-46 due to World War II). Duquesne has compiled an impressive 90-18 (.833) record in season-opening games, including an 85-4 (.955) mark when opening the season at home.
 
- The active leading scorer for Duquesne entering the 2024-25 season is junior forward David Dixon, who has scored 387 points over the last two years. Junior guard Kareem Rozier, meanwhile, has scored 319 career points on the Bluff.
 
- In two seasons with the Dukes, junior guard Kareem Rozier has handed out 155 assists against 62 turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.50.
 
- Senior wing Jahsean Corbett enters the 2024-25 campaign with career totals of 1,303 points and 725 rebounds, tops among student-athletes on the roster. Over the last three seasons at Chicago State, Corbett posted 71 double-figure scoring games, including 18 efforts of at least 20 points, and 19 double-doubles.
 
- Redshirt junior guard Maximus Edwards, a transfer from George Washington, was named the 2023 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in a vote of league head coaches. In his first season on the Bluff, Edwards carries career totals of 722 points and 413 rebounds. Edwards is a career 43 percent (264-for-614) shooter at the NCAA Division I level, including 35.6 percent (101-for-284) from beyond the arc.
 
- Duquesne should also get a boost from senior guard Tre Dinkins III, who connected for 118 three-pointers over the last two seasons at Canisius. Dinkins owns 669 career points entering the 2024-25 campaign and also has registered an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.39 in 62 career games, including 41 starts.
 
At The Helm - Dru Joyce III was named the 18th head coach in the 109-year history of Duquesne basketball March 28, 2024. Joyce III, a native of Akron, Ohio, spent two seasons as associate head coach for the Dukes under Keith Dambrot from 2022 to 2024, helping guide Duquesne to an overall record of 45-25 (.643), including a 20-16 (.556) mark in the Atlantic 10, during that span. The Dukes made an appearance in the 2023 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) before earning the automatic bid for the A-10 in the 2024 NCAA Championship by winning four games in five days en route to the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship crown in Brooklyn, N.Y., at the Barclays Center. Duquesne, as a No. 11 seed, made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1977 and earned its first victory in the championship since 1969 thanks to a 71-67 win over No. 6 seed BYU in Omaha, Neb., at CHI Health Center Arena. 
 
Scouting the Bisons – Member of ASUN Conference... located in Nashville, Tenn. ... Duquesne leads the all-time series, 1-0 ... Duquesne is 9-3 (.750) all-time against members of the ASUN ... In the only meeting between the two programs, the Dukes held Lipscomb to its lowest point total since the Bisons moved to Division I in 2004-05 with a 58-36 victory in a home game played at Kerr Fitness Center on the campus of La Roche University ... Duquesne was playing its game at the Kerr Fitness Center while the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse was under construction ... The Dukes held Lipscomb to just 29.2 percent (14-for-48) shooting from the field, including 0-for-18 from beyond the arc ... The point total for the Bisons was the lowest by a Duquesne opponent since a 34-33 loss to Saint Peter's March 10, 1980 in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) ...  Former forward Marcus Weathers (2018-21) recorded a double-double in the victory with 13 points and 12 rebounds ... Former center Michael Hughes (2018-21) also posted a double-double in the triumph with 10 points and 10 rebounds ... Duquesne never trailed, grabbing its biggest lead, 56-30, with 2:42 remaining ... The Dukes and Bisons combined to finish 1-for-40 from the three-point line ... The only triple in the contest came courtesy of former guard Tavian Dunn-Martin (2018-21), who connected at the 9:16 mark of the second half for Duquesne.
 
International Flavor – Sophomore forward Jakub Necas will look to take the next step for Duquesne during the 2024-25 season after a strong performance on the international circuit this past summer. As part of the 2024 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) U20 EuroBasket, Necas was named one of the tournament's 10 Rising Stars. In seven games, Necas finished as the top scorer in the tournament, posting an average of 18.6 points per game while shooting 44 percent (44-for-100) from the field, including 38.8 percent (19-for-49) from beyond the arc. He also added averages of 8.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, registered six blocks and converted 95.8 percent (23-for-24) of his chances at the free-throw line.
 
Historical Context – Duquesne, which has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1971 & 1972, will look to record three consecutive 20-win campaigns for the first time since finishing with four straight 20-win seasons from 1952 to 1955. The Dukes also enter the 2024-25 season 14 wins shy of 1,500 as an NCAA program.
 
What Was Lost ... At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, the seven players that wrapped up their NCAA Division I career for the Dukes combined for an amazing 346 double-figure scoring games. Included in that was 117 from former guard Dae Dae Grant (56 with the Dukes) and 54 for former guard Jimmy Clark III, all of which came on the Bluff.   
 
... And What Was Gained – In the day and age of the NCAA Transfer Portal, it's reload instead of rebuild. Duquesne welcomes a total of 199 double-figure scoring games from the student-athletes that transferred in as part of the first recruiting class for head coach Dru Joyce III. In addition to the 71 over the last three years from wing Jahsean Corbett, junior guard Maximus Edwards owns 40 double-figure scoring games and senior guard Tre Dinkins III has scored at least 10 points on 33 occasions.
 
Near The Rim – Junior forward David Dixon ranked seventh in the Atlantic 10 last year with an average of 1.62 blocks per game and also finished the year with 38 of the 83 dunks (45.8%) for Duquesne. Dixon is just 23 dunks shy of becoming the second member of the Dukes on record with 100 to his career credit. The most in program history is Damian Saunders, who rattled the rim 166 times during his career from 2008 to 2011.
 
Did You Know? The Dukes finished 12-0 last season when first to reach 70 points against an opponent and have won 31 consecutive games when turning the trick.
 
Duquesne Basketball Palooza – Monday's season opener against Lipscomb is the second game of a doubleheader at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, with the women's team hosting Princeton in a 5:00 p.m. tip. Prior to the doubleheader, fans can take part in a tailgate party from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with food trucks, face painting, games and a live DJ on Magee Street. Activities in the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse include giveaways as well as Happy Hour from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with all drinks 50% off in all concession stands. Fans are encouraged to allow plenty of extra time to navigate to campus and ensure you're on time for both games!
 
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