The Coach Dru Joyce era is off to a rough start, with Duquesne Basketball going 0-2 to start the season. They were competitive in losses to Lipscomb and Princeton but are looking to be on the right side of the final score this time around against DePaul.
The Blue Demon are off to a strong start under new head coach, Chris Holtmann. They're 3-0, including wins over Mercer, Prairie View A&M, and Southern Indiana in overtime. But the last time these two programs faced off, the Dukes got the upset at home a couple of years ago. Can Duquesne get the win in Chicago? Here are three keys to watch.
1. Slow down the high-scoring offense
A year ago, DePaul scored just 80 points once. Already, they have 92 and 95 points in the past week alone. They have a pair of 16 ppg scorers in guards Isaiah Rivera and Jacob Meyer, with five others putting up at least 8.0 ppg. They've been very 3-happy so far, making 11 three-pointers a game. That's been a weakness for the Dukes, who are giving up 44% from deep, good for bottom-10 in the country. If that doesn't change, this could get ugly for the road team.
2. Get Maximus Edwards back on track
The big offseason pickup for Duquesne was Edwards, a transfer from George Washington who averaged 12.4 ppg as a sophomore. So far, he's struggled badly from the field, making 5/22, including 0/10 in the loss to Princeton. The collective effort may work to keep them in games, but with games against high-major opponents, they need a go-to scorer that can go off. Edwards is capable of it but needs to start showing it.
3. Get better at the FT line
One area where the Dukes have been awful at is at the free throw line, going 22/38 in two games. It's good for 58%, good for bottom-20 in the country. Yes, it's a small sample size and no one has shot more than eight free throws individually. However, when you have two close losses by 13 points combined and 16 missed FTs, that's the game.
Against DePaul on the road, Duquesne needs to find ways to not only fall behind, but consistently be ahead. The FT is one area to watch.