Next to VCU’s active 10-game win streak, Duquesne Basketball is the next hottest team in the Atlantic 10 Conference, having won five straight games. And thanks to the wins, the Dukes have a chance at reaching as high as a three seed in the conference tournament.
But the next game is one of the toughest of the season, a road game at Dayton (17-9, 8-5). In the first matchup in Pittsburgh, the Dukes fell 71-65. But both teams have changed since, with the Dukes winning and the Flyers being much more inconsistent.
With both teams 8-5 in league play, this game has massive implications for the standings, as a Dayton win would give them the tiebreaker over Duquesne.
Here are the keys to victory for the Dukes.
1. Bounce back games for the star duo
While Tarence Guinyard had the final four points for the Dukes in the comeback win over La Salle, he only had 11 points on 4/11 shooting. But he was better than Jimmie Williams, who had more turnovers (7) than he had total points (6) and had to be benched at the end of the game.
In the first game against Dayton, the guards combined for 24 points on 7-for-19 shooting, including 4-for-13 from deep. Duquesne will need more from them on the road and outplay De’Shayne Montgomery and Javon Bennett for the Flyers.
2. Dealing with Dayton’s new double-big lineup
In the first meetup, Amael L’Etang was unavailable due to an injury for Dayton. In the last game against George Mason, the center finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Another change has been the emergence of Jaiun Simon, who now starts alongside L’Etang in the frontcourt. With Keonte Jones now at the three-spot, it’s an even bigger lineup for the Dukes to contend with.
3. Better transition defense
Overall, Duquesne’s defense has improved in league play, ranking in the middle in most categories. But one area where they’ve struggled is in transition, whether via turnovers or after missed shots. In the first game against Dayton, the Dukes allowed 25 transition points, nearly 33% of the Flyers’ overall scoring. The Flyers’ half-court offense has been shaky of late, so if Duquesne cleans it up in terms of allowing easy baskets, they’ll have a shot at winning.