PREVIEW: vs. Americans – Duquesne University Athletics

G7 | AMERICANS (2-4) at DUQUESNE (2-4)

Sun, Nov 28, 2021 • 2:00 p.m. ET • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)

LIVE BROADCAST: ESPN + with Josh Taylor & Ellis Cannon
RADIO: 104.7 HD2 / iHeartRadio with Ray Goss (’58) & Jarrett Durham (’71)

Duquesne (2-4), who scored 1-2 at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, last week, returns to UPMC on Sunday, November 28th at 2pm. back home to play American University (2-4) at Cooper Fieldhouse (ESPN +).

This is the first encounter between the Dukes and Eagles since 1976. DU leads the overall series 18-2, including a 10-0 mark at home.

The American, who has only played one home game this season, is coming to Pittsburgh to suffer a four-game losing streak.

DU, on the other hand, canceled his last two home games (against Hofstra and Weber State). Despite the two losses, Duquesne is 43-19 at home under Keith Dambrot, including a 22-6 mark in non-conference games. The Dukes are 14-4 in non-conference home games – including wins at four different “home” venues since 2018-19.

The Dukes won a 78:70 win over Bradley last Monday. YOU, led by Leon Ayers III 23 points off the bench, had five double-digit scorers on her best shooting day of the young season (.483).

TREND

• Duquesne shot a best .483 of the season in his 78-70 win over Bradley last Monday. DU, who shot below 40 percent in its first four games: .393 vs. Rider, .379 vs. Hofstra, .356 vs. Weber State & .311 vs. Northeastern, shoots .448 in the last two.
• The Dukes have scored 17 out of 38 (0.447) out of 3 points in their last two games.
• TCU transfer in the first year Kevin Easyley Jr. has scored double digits in five of DU’s first six games. Easley Jr. leads the Dukes with 12.7 ppg. Scoring average and 10 3-pointers (.455).
• Easley Jr. is one of four Dukes averaging double digits: Tre Williams (12.0), Primo spears (11.3) and Leon Ayers III (10.7) are the others.
• Ayers III came off the bench to score 23 points against Bradley in 34 minutes. Ayers III averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals at the Paradise Jam with three games. Ayers III had three or more steals in four of DU’s first six games (he has 16 in four games).
• First year Indiana state transfer Tre Williams, who led the Missouri Valley Conference in blocks last season (37), leads the dukes with 18 rejections. The 6-7 F / C blocked seven shots against Colorado on November 20. Williams averaged 14.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game at the Paradise Jam.
• Williams, who scored 3-out-of-10 on the 3-point arc in 55 games at ISU, is 3-out-of-18 on the arc from six games at Duquesne.
• Freshman Guard Jackie Johnson III, who had six points in DU’s first two games, scored 27 from the bench against Weber State on Nov. 15. It was the most points off the bench for a Duke since Jordan Stevens scored 27 points with Abilene Christian on November 22, 2014. Johnson III scored 18 of DU’s 27 points against WSU in the second half. Johnson III shoots .450 (9-20) from the 3-point arc.
• Freshman guard Primo Spears was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on November 15 after averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in DU’s first two games . Spears leads the Dukes with 15 assists.

DUKES AND EAGLES

Series record: Duquesne leads 18-2
In Pittsburgh: Duquesne leads 10-0
In Washington, DC: Duquesne leads 8-2
Neutral site: never met
Keith Dambrot vs. Americans: Never met

• Duquesne leads the streak 18-2, including a 10-0 lead in games in Pittsburgh … this is the first time the two have come together since a 79-75 DU road win on December 18, 1976 … the two schools met eight times in the decade of the 1970s (four home and away series) … the series dates back to 1928.
• American is in the middle of eight straight games on the road or neutral spots (AU opened with a 77-73 OT home win over Marist).
• Mike Brennan is in his ninth year as the Eagles’ head coach. He scored his 100th AU win at William & Mary on November 12th. Brennan was an assistant at Princeton (seven years), American (two years) and Georgetown (four years) before joining American in 2013-14. Brennan led the Eagles to a 20-13 record and an NCAA tournament appearance in his first season.
• The American was chosen to finish fifth in the Patriot League with 10 teams
• That is Keith Dambrot‘s first meeting with American.

LAST GAME
Duquesne 78, Bradley 70

November 22, 2021 • U. of Virgin Islands Arena • St. Thomas, VI

Summary of game 6

• Leon Ayers came off the bench and led five Dukes in double digits with a career high of 23 points to help DU hit a four-game losing streak.
• Tre Williams had 15 points (3 blocks), Primo Spears scored 14 and Jackie Johnson III and Kevin Easyley Jr. 12 and 10 respectively added for the dukes.
• DU, who was 10-0 behind early on, finally took the lead with 6:46 in the first half. It was the 16th time that Duquesne has made a double-digit deficit under Keith Dambrot. All 16 comebacks have taken place since 2018-19.
• Duquesne’s biggest lead was 16, at 53-37 with 12:59 remaining … Bradley’s biggest lead was 10-0 at the start of the game … there were five draws and five changes in leadership before Ayers III Duquesne finally gave Duquesne the lead a pair Free throws 6:46 left in the first half … Duquesne led for 27:32 … Bradley led for 9:38.