After facing some adversity for the first time this season, Duquesne Basketball got a convincing win over a power conference opponent in DePaul.
Compared to the season prior, Duquesne Basketball has already achieved some level of success, winning eight games versus six total in 2021-22. Wins over Montana, UC-Santa Barbara, and Colgate were more impressive than any from the year before and the new-look roster has shown some great promise.
But the past week provided some trying times for the Dukes. They were defeated at home by both Marshall and New Mexico State by double-digits, getting thoroughly outplayed in the combined 80 minutes. Making matters worse, starting point guard Tevin Brewer suffered a shoulder injury and is out for the foreseeable future. And with DePaul coming up, the odds were decent that the A-10 program would lose three straight.
But credit to Duquesne, who came out strong on Wednesday night to make it an 18-8 game early. The Blue Demons were without multiple key pieces themselves, including centers, Nick Ongenda and Yor Anei. The Dukes took complete advantage inside, winning the rebound battle, 48-30, including 18 on the offensive end. Starting forward Joe Reece had 15 points on 7/14 shooting, while Tre Williams had a game-high +25 when on the court.
Despite missing multiple players once again, Duquesne’s depth still took over, especially inside. Freshman center Halil Barre had six points and five boards in just 10 minutes and was highly impactful on the defensive end. On offense, Dae Dae Grant rebounded from his off-game with 15 points, with Jimmy Clark going for 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Dukes were by as much as 17 points in the second half and never trailed, beating the Demon Deacons, 66-55. It’s the first win over a Big East opponent for Duquesne since West Virginia in 2002. That gives the team a record of 8-3, with matchups against Indiana State and Winthrop at home to round out the non-conference.
This is a team that has yet to play at full strength, but yet consistently plays 9-10 guys every night. They’ve yet to have both Brewer and Reece healthy in the lineup together and both Kevin Easley and RJ Gunn are set to return soon, providing floor-spacing at the five-spot. And after ranking in the bottom 10 nationally in three-point shooting defense a couple of weeks ago, the Dukes have improved slightly for it to not be a fatal flaw.
That stats are skewed due to injuries but there are currently 12 different players averaging at least 5.0 ppg. And that doesn’t even include backup point guard Kareem Rozier, who has been a stabilizing force off the bench as a ball-handler.
This is a team that still has plenty of improvement to make once everyone gets healthy and considering how weak the Atlantic 10 looks at the top, there’s no reason why Duquesne Basketball can’t have aspirations higher than simply being better than last season. They have the talent to compete with the likes of Dayton, VCU, and Saint Louis, who haven’t looked impressive in their respective schedules. If you’re looking for a darkhorse threat to win the league, the Dukes might be that squad to take a gamble on.