Duquesne Dukes
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Big Wins: 12/12 Robert Morris (59-54), 2/17 at
Bad Losses: 11/25 at
Coach: Ron Everhart
Why They Can Surprise:
This is a team that can create a lot of scoring opportunities off of steals and blocked shots. And there is one man who deserves the credit for that. Not only does 6-8 junior Damian Saunders average an impressive 3.0 blocks and 2.8 steals per game, but he also leads Duquesne with 15.0 points and 11.3 rebounds. Now those are some impressive and versatile numbers. Saunders can even step outside and hit the mid-range jumper, although he does tend to drift out beyond the arc too often and his free-throw shooting is atrocious.
Bill Clark may be listed as a wing, but the 6-5 junior is the power forward on this team. He ranks second to Saunders in points, rebounds and blocks. B.J. Monteiro is another big 6-5 wing who can spend some time at the power forward position. He is a double-digit scorer who hits the glass hard and plays smart basketball. The true big man that Coach Ron Everhart can call on is Morakinyo Williams. The 7-0 sophomore will not play too many minutes, but he will be needed if Duquesne hopes to make a tournament run past some teams with a couple bruising forwards that Clark and Monteiro will have trouble defending.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Coach Everhart has let the team run late in the year and the results have not been too bad. He did the same thing at Northeastern with good results as well. It works because this is a team that is full of athletes who can run up and down the floor. It is nice to have athletes, but finding somebody who could shoot the ball would not force the Dukes to play in transition all day. The team as a whole is just awful from long range and Clark and Jason Duty are really the only outside shooting threats on the team and neither of them are anywhere close to being consistent. The return of a healthy Melquan Bolding could turn things around. Bolding, who missed 13 games early in the campaign with a broken wrist, only shoots 24.3 percent from long range, but he has been slumping since his return. A 32 point effort against Fordham in the season finale may have turned his shooting woes around, but he followed it up with an 0 for 4 effort in the first round of the conference tournament.
Who To Watch:
Eric Evans has been around for two years now, but it took him a year and a half to become a steady point guard. In conference play this season he has done a great job keeping the turnovers down and creating opportunities for his teammates. He is also a decent scorer and, of course, a bad shooter. But as long as he holds onto the ball, he is doing his job and helping Duquesne win games.
Probable Starters:
Eric Evans, Sophomore, Guard, 10.2 ppg, 3.8 apg
Jason Duty, Senior, Guard, 5.4 ppg, 1.4 apg
Melquan Bolding, Sophomore, Guard, 12.1 ppg, 2.1 apg
Bill Clark, Junior, Guard, 14.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 6.0 rpg
Damian Saunders, Junior, Forward, 15.0 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.0 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Sean Johnson, Freshman, Guard, 5.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg
B.J. Monteiro, Sophomore, Guard, 11.1 ppg, 1.8 apg, 4.3 rpg
Morakinyo Williams, Sophomore, Center, 2.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 71.0 (123rd in nation, 5th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 71.2 (239, 9)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.6 (210, 10)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.3 (79, 7)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.5 (245, 10)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 26.4 (280, 12)
Free-Throw Percentage: 60.9 (328, 14)
Rebound Margin:-3.6 (290, 12)
Assists Per Game: 14.0 (99, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.6 (232, 10)
