Duquesne Basketball had a rough start to the 2024-25 season but has been on a roll entering A-10 play. They hosted Rhode Island at home, a team that was 11-1 and had NCAA Tournament aspirations.
But the Dukes were the better team on New Year’s Eve, getting an early double-digit lead and ultimately coasting to a 67-55 win to start out league play with a 1-0 record. Here are some keys to Duquesne’s big win.
1. Dukes have one of the best defenses in the A-10
Even with the early-season issues, the one saving grace of Duquesne Basketball was its overall defense. It came through versus the Rams, one of the top offenses entering A-10 play. The 55 points allowed were the best all of the teams who played on Tuesday, with the Dukes limiting them to just 37% shooting from the field. Sebastian Thomas, the team’s best player, had 20 points but on just 5/15 FG on the night, with no one else in double figures.
Even if the offense for the Dukes is below average in league play, the defense alone will keep them in games.
2. Jakub Necas the most impactful player of the game
Offensively, Necas was the only of the eight main rotation players not to make multiple field goals, scoring four points on 1/6 FG. He made up for it by excelling in all other aspects, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists, along with exceptional defense on the opposing wings and bigs in 34 minutes. Necas has become one of the key clogs on the team, and even if his shot doesn’t fall, he still can have a big two-way impact overall.
3. Frontcourt domination
After suffering an injury early against Cleary, starting center Halil Barre was held out against Rhode Island. It didn’t hurt the Dukes, as the center duo of Eli Wilborn and David Dixon combined for 16 points and eight rebounds in the win. They also shut down Javonte Brown and Drissa Traore defensively and on the boards, with the Dukes having a 41-30 edge on the boards.
Duquesne wasn’t even great offensively overall, with leading scorer Tre Dinkins going 3/11 FG and the team missing 11 FTs. Still, they won by double-digits against a potential top-4 team in the A-10. The Dukes may not be the best team in the league, but they look to be more than competitive going forward.