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Duquesne Dukes
Duquesne Dukes
Published by Whacker
11-07-2010
Post Duquesne Dukes

Cincinnati (OH) – Duquesne Dukes Preview

Previous Record (Conf)
16-16 (7-9)

Key Non-Conference Games
Pittsburgh (01 Dec), at Penn St (04 Dec), West Virginia (12 Dec)

Conference Home-and-Home Partners
Dayton, St Bonaventure, St Louis

OVERVIEW
Head coach Ron Everhart made an immediate impact at Duquesne in 2006, taking a team that had won 11 games combined the previous two seasons to a 10-19 season and 10th place finish. Years two, three and four of the Everhart Era mark the first time since 1968-73 that Duquesne has won 15 or more games in three consecutive seasons. The Dukes have remained competitively mediocre even though Everhart has been able to recruit top-flight talent including POY Aaron Jackson and POY candidate Damian Saunders. He just hasn’t been able to fill in enough talent around them. The Dukes took a step back last year after being picked 5th in the league and coming off an NIT appearance. The Dukes had some untimely injuries and apparently some discord in the locker room with four juniors transferring or foregoing their full eligibility prior to this season.

On the court Duquesne lacked playmakers and shooters. They finished last in the nation making only 26.1% of their three-point attempts and finished 330th at the stripe making only 60.4% of their free-throw attempts. For the first time under Everhart the Dukes finished with a negative assist-turnover ratio (441-457) and the backcourt was a liability. Eric Evans transitioned into a point-guard role struggling at times and shooting guard Jason Duty was a starter with a role player’s skill set.

“I don’t think we finished games as well as we wanted to,” says Everhart of last year’s struggles. “We have to be more efficient from the perimeter to extend defenses. We were not able to do that last season and it caught up with us.”

SPOTLIGHT ON
Stat-stuffing senior Damian Saunders, the reigning A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 15.0 points and 11.3 rebounds to go along with 94 blocks and a school record 89 steals last season. Saunders, who ranked among the NCAA Top 15 in steals (2nd), rebounds (t6th), blocks (13th) and double-doubles (t6th) in 2009-10, enters his senior season with more career assists (203), blocks (216) and steals (205) than turnovers (197).

“Damian has such a high motor and plays so hard that he has the ability to make plays even when there aren’t a lot of opportunities,” says Everhart. “It’s his ability as a shot blocker, defender and rebounder that makes him so valuable. He can - and has - guarded everyone from a point guard late in a game to a center and been effective in both situations.”

OUTLOOK
Everhart prefers to press and pressure the ball creating turnovers and easy baskets on offense and masking their lack of size and presence on the glass. Last season Everhart did not trust his bench and used primarily an eight-player rotation. This season he wants to get back to the up-tempo offense the Dukes had success with during the 2008-09 season (28th ADJ OFF). He’ll have the horses with a highly anticipated recruiting class, but not much experience with eight underclassmen on the roster. Everhart plans to leverage the increased athletic ability to open up the offense, which means they’ll struggle against teams that value the basketball and can score and defend in the half-court or that can beat them at their own tempo with superior talent.

“I’m excited about the three freshman guards we have coming in. I think they will help us immensely,” says Everhart. “All three have playmaking ability which will give us a whole different look. I look for us to get back to ripping and running like we have in the past.”

Not only were all three prolific scorers in high school but TJ McConnel and Mike Talley are both sons of highly successful high school coaches that averaged over eight assists per game. Jerry Jones is a 6-4 wing with point guard skills and the ability to guard four positions.

Mercurial wing Bill Clark is a physical scorer with a nose for contact and a knack for rebounding, but led the team in fouls and DQs. A fierce competitor, Clark will need to play smarter and not harder for the Dukes to be successful.

Point guard Eric Evans is not a dynamic playmaker or scorer, but could be successful in a caretaker role with more talent around him. Evans had 14 games with three or more turnovers and has a career 3FG% under 28%.

“There is a fine line between being efficient and being a shot taker,” said Everhart “and Eric began to understand that in the second half of last season.”

The Dukes will be competitive this season and should again protect their home court where they were 11-4 last season. Everhart will have more talent and more depth and the Dukes couldn’t possibly be any worse from behind the arc. Expect a POY-type year from Saunders if the Dukes can keep defenses honest giving him more room to operate and fewer double-teams. With inconsistent point guard play and an inexperienced roster, the road woes should continue (3-12). Everhart’s up-tempo offense has only proven moderately successful even with a POY running the show. The Dukes should surprise a few teams in the non-conference especially at home, but a top four finish in conference play is unlikely.

Duquesne will play a selected number of games at the new CONSOL Energy center (home of the Pittsburgh Penguins) beginning this season and will have a dedicated locker room in the facility. A record 1,050 season tickets have been sold for the 2010-11 season.


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  #1  
By THirt on 11-07-2010, 12:41 PM
Unfortunately for the Dukes, Evans is out with a broken foot. I wouldn't be surprised if hat hindered him for a good part of the season, even after he comes back. Plus, I thought I'd read Saunders was suspended for the exhibition games and first regular season games, but I didn't read any details as to why.

I don't know what to think of Duquesne. They, like a lot of A-10 teams, could stink in the non-con but turn it on in conference play if they get it together.
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  #2  
By Whacker on 11-07-2010, 04:53 PM
Saunders sits for violating team rules. The injury to Evans might be a blessing in disguise, providing an opportunity for some of the talented youngsters to show their stuff. The Dukes might have a higher ceiling without Evans getting the bulk of the PG minutes. Sadly, it appears too many A10 teams might tank in the non-con hoping to get healty and dangerous for conference play.
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