*Course: Multiplatform Newsroom I (JOUR200W; Spring 2020)*
In perhaps Duquesne’s most important game of the 2019-2020 season, the Dukes struggled to find a rhythm in a 73-62 loss versus the Richmond Spiders on Friday at PPG Paints Arena.
Duquesne (21-9, 11-7) came into the evening with the possibility of earning a double-bye for next week’s Atlantic 10 Tournament in Brooklyn. That possibility was killed by a cold-shooting night in which Duquesne shot just 10-of-25 on free throws and 21-of-60 on field goals.
“We did enough good things to win, but you can’t shoot 10-for-25 at the free throw line. You take Tavian [Dunn-Martin] and Baylee Steele off the three-ball and we go 3-for-15 with the rest of our guys,” said a candid head coach Keith Dambrot, who was displeased with his team’s performance in the regular-season finale.
Cold-shooting nights had not been common lately for Duquesne, who took a three-game winning streak into the contest, which included overtime road wins over both St. Bonaventure and Virginia Commonwealth.
However, Dambrot had seen this type of night too many times during the Dukes’ nine losses. The third-year head coach said that it’s “hard to make shots when your head is not clear.”
Richmond (24-7, 14-4) is fighting for one of the final at-large spots in the 2020 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Spiders were led by junior guard Blake Francis, who recorded 21 points, including two 3-pointers. Junior forward Nathan Cayo also added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Spiders.
An at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament is almost guaranteed not to happen for Duquesne. That leaves winning the conference tournament as the only possible path for the Dukes, who have not reached the tournament since 1977.
The mindset has now shifted from regular-season shortcomings to a new opportunity for the young Dukes. Baylee Steele, a graduate transfer from Utah Valley, has stepped in as a vocal leader for a team that only carries one senior besides himself.
“We still have a lot of season left. I think we still have to put it all together as a team, and then we’ll be great. We’ve shown bits and pieces throughout the year. We just need to put it all together,” said Steele, who recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
While the regular season did not end on the highest possible note, the buzz around Duquesne is higher than it has been in a long time. Fans are optimistic about the blueprint Dambrot is laying in Pittsburgh.
“We’ve improved in so many areas, like being able to win on the road in very tough places like St. Bonaventure. We’ve also overcome significant injuries that hurt our depth. Next year, teams better be ready for Duquesne,” said Ron Surmacz, a current season-ticket holder.
The opportunity begins on Thursday for the Dukes. The tournament’s 6-seed will play the winner of the matchup between 11-seeded George Washington and 14-seeded Fordham. Duquesne split two regular-season matchups with George Washington, while winning both contests against Fordham.
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