Duquesne Basketball: Projected starting lineup, depth chart for 2021-22

Duquesne Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22 season

Mar 5, 2021; Richmond, Virginia, USA; Duquesne Dukes head coach Keith Dambrot gestures from the bench against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the second half of a quarterfinal in the Atlantic 10 conference tournament at Stuart C. Siegel Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

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Duquesne Basketball Kevin Easley Jr. TCU Horned Frogs (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Power Forward

Starter: Kevin Easley (15 mpg)

Although he only averaged 4.5 ppg and 3.7 rpg at TCU in the Big 12, Easley put up much bigger numbers at Chattanooga in 2018-19. He put up 14.2 ppg and 6.7 rpg in 29 games, including shooting 40% from three-point range. The SoCon is much more comparable to the Atlantic 10 than the Big 12 so look for his numbers to get closer to the Chattanooga days than with the Horned Frogs.

Easley can play both the small and power forward positions at the A-10 level, especially if he can shoot well. His athleticism and offensive potential will be needed and could be a replacement for Marcus Weathers, last season’s leading scorer and rebounder at just 6’5.

Bench: Toby Okani (15 mpg), Rodney Gunn Jr. (10 mpg)

Just as Easley could play at the four-spot, so could Okani, who defensively would be better off here. With there not being a “true” power forward on the roster, that throws the “traditional” positions out of the window which may be a benefit to these guys as well.

Another frontcourt newcomer is Gunn, who comes from a Division II program in Lenoir-Rhyne. The 6’7 and 230-pound forward averaged around 18 ppg in the past two seasons, including shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. How he transitions to the D-I and A-10 level remains to be seen but the hope is that the Dukes have a reliable rotational piece in Gunn, who gives them a potential max-spacing option at the five-spot.

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