Duquesne Basketball: 5 key storylines heading into 2022 offseason

After beating UMass to start Atlantic 10 play 1-0, it looked as if Duquesne Basketball was moving in the right direction. However, injuries, awful shooting, and poor defense created a perfect storm of issues that led the team to lose its final 17 games of the season to finish with a 6-24 record overall and 1-16 in league play.

Of course, changes were going to be made in the offseason. Head coach Keith Dambrot got the vote of confidence from the AD and will be back for the next season but he has a lot of work to do with the roster, which has already seen some changes. As the transfer portal heats up, here’s a look at some key offseason storylines for the Dukes.

1. Roster departures

Duquesne has lost three players to the portal, who combined for 42 starts this past season. Here’s who won’t be back for the team.

G Tyson Acuff – 5.7 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 24 mpg

The sophomore guard was easily the best three-point shooter on the team, making 39% from deep on a team that ranked 324th overall. Acuff also was a solid defender and played meaningful minutes but wasn’t much of an offensive threat inside the arc.

G/F Toby Okani – 3.9 ppg and 3.7 rpg in 20 mpg

As a 6’8 wing, Okani had the size and potential to be a factor both ways. But his offense never took the jump, shooting just 36% from the field and making 6/31 from deep. Okani’s versatility will be missed but after a brutal offensive season for the team, they should be able to make an upgrade off the bench scoring-wise.

G Jackie Johnson – 9.5 ppg on 37% three-point shooting in 20 mpg

The 5’11 guard was either feast or famine for Duquesne this season, scoring 27+ points three times, including a season-high 30 against George Washington. He also had 13 games of five or fewer points as well. His scoring will be missed and depending on the next stop, could become the next great former Duquesne guard in NCAA Basketball.