Duquesne category, Page 25
Pitt’s Jeff Capel, Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot learn to ‘move on’ after confronting reality of transfers
Jeff Capel admits the past week has not been easy. He spent the better part of his first three years as Pitt’s coach recruiting, mentoring, counseling, prodding and developing Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney, helping to turn them into good men and better players than they were the day he...
Robert Morris, Duquesne football teams ready to open spring season
As recently as 1978, Duquesne was playing college football as a club team, signing up students from every corner of the campus. Robert Morris didn’t even offer the sport until 1993, when Beaver Falls native Joe Walton, after whom the school’s football stadium is named, agreed to oversee the proposition...
Michael Hughes ejected in Duquesne’s loss to La Salle
When a coach who has led teams through 731 games in 23 seasons bares his soul after a loss, his words probably matter. Especially when he says, “It’s probably as poorly as I’ve had a team play.” Painful honesty from Duquesne’s coach after the Dukes’ 85-65 loss Wednesday night at...
Freshman Mike Bekelja gives Duquesne the defense it needs
When Keith Dambrot looked back at Duquesne’s loss to Richmond, he knew the truth. Richmond is the third-highest scoring team in the Atlantic 10 (76.1 points per game). So, it wasn’t outrageously out of line that the Spiders scored 79 in a seven-point home victory last Saturday. It was the...
Financial concerns drive A-10 tourney changes, but Dukes’ Keith Dambrot understands
Most Atlantic 10 teams will play far fewer conference games this season than the original schedule called for at the outset of the season. A-10 officials decided last week to start the conference tournament a week earlier (March 3) to provide some cushion before the NCAA Tournament if there are...
Winning record in sight for Duquesne, but Keith Dambrot wants more
Duquesne has been a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for 44 years. So long ago that Keith Dambrot was barely out of high school, and he needed only 62 cents to put a gallon of gas in his car. Duquesne has had only seven winning conference seasons in all...
Duquesne fades late against Richmond in 1st game in 17 days
Like any coach, Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot is never happy with a loss. In a college basketball season of uncertainty, though, perhaps there’s a spot for some wiggle room. Duquesne’s 79-72 road loss to Richmond on Saturday still falls under the wrong column in Dambrot’s book, but the fourth-year Dukes boss...
Dissatisfied with their choices, Western Pa. voters write in athletes, coaches for president
Duquesne men’s basketball coach Keith Dambrot isn’t sure why one person in Allegheny County — a voter from Baldwin — chose him as a write-in candidate for president in November’s election. He is sure, however, that he doesn’t want the job. “I have enough problems,” Dambrot said with a laugh....
Despite covid-related pause, Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot contends, ‘We don’t stink’
Anyone who knows Keith Dambrot might be surprised by how he is approaching the final days before the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Practices are shorter, about an hour this week as he prepared Duquesne for its first game in 18 days Saturday at Richmond. He might even overlook a misstep or...
Duquesne will open 2022 football season at Florida State
Duquesne football will venture into the ACC in 2022, but it must travel almost 900 miles to make it happen. Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt announced Tuesday that the Dukes will play Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., on Aug. 27, 2022. It will be the first meeting...
Duquesne vs. George Mason postponed, but Dukes will travel to Richmond on Saturday
More proof of the disjointed college basketball season emerged Tuesday when the Atlantic 10 announced Duquesne’s game at George Mason, scheduled for Wednesday in Fairfax, Va., has been postponed. It is the fourth postponement of a Duquesne game this month, following VCU (Feb. 7), at Davidson (Thursday), and UMass (Saturday)....
Duquesne set to play George Mason on Wednesday in A-10 makeup game
Cleared of its covid-19 complications, Duquesne will travel to Fairfax, Va., on Wednesday to play George Mason. The game will begin at 7 p.m. at EagleBank Arena. It’s a makeup of a game that would have been played Saturday. The game Wednesday replaces the Dukes’ trip to Davidson. After a...
Atlantic 10 postpones 2nd Duquesne basketball game this week
Duquesne’s men’s basketball game at George Mason, scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday in Fairfax, Va., was postponed by the Atlantic 10 because of continued covid-19 concerns within the Dukes’ program. It is the second Duquesne game postponed or canceled this week, and the fifth this season. The Dukes also were...
After positive covid test, Duquesne postpones game Sunday vs. VCU
Keith Dambrot had every reason to feel sorry for himself and his team Friday when Duquesne postponed its game Sunday against VCU after a player tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s the second time this season a game was called off due to covid-19 complications, and more may follow. Five...
Duquesne rolls into Cooper Fieldhouse, defeats Dayton, 69-64
On a historic night when Duquesne christened the new $45 million UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse with a 69-64 victory against Dayton, it wasn’t clear what was most important to coach Keith Dambrot. • The final score, which marked Duquesne’s fourth victory in the past five games and nudged the Dukes (7-6,...
Chuck Cooper III ‘pinching himself’ as Duquesne is poised to open new arena named after his father
It seems as if everyone associated with Duquesne Athletics has something they love about the reconstructed building around the bones of the 33-year-old Palumbo Center. During a tour of the facility on Monday, athletic director Dave Harper beamed as he showed off the design of the interior and looked out...
First Call: Jerome Bettis’ take on Ben Roethlisberger’s issues; alumni support for new Steelers O-line coach
Tuesday’s “First Call” features Jerome Bettis’ take on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. At least one person is a fan of the team’s new offensive line coach. An honor for Duquesne basketball as they get ready to open their new building. And Duquesne’s football team will have a 2020 season —...
Duquesne AD Dave Harper envisioned UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse before he set foot on campusVideo
Dave Harper saw UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse long before anyone else on Duquesne’s campus. In his head, anyway. Finally, he gets to turn on the lights, open the doors and let others inside. Cooper Fieldhouse will be open for business Tuesday night when the Dukes tip off against Dayton at 9...
Amid refurbished home court buzz, Duquesne tries to keep focus on Dayton
While the pregame buzz at Duquesne has centered mainly on the long-awaited reopening of the refurbished and renamed UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, the Dukes hope to keep their focus on a familiar opponent. The nemesis known as the Dayton Flyers will serve on Tuesday night as the first men’s basketball team...
Duquesne routs St. Joseph’s with suffocating defense
Goodbye to the “La Roche Hex.” Duquesne made its final home-away-from-home men’s basketball game a rousing success before shedding its vagabond status Saturday night. Riding senior Marcus Weathers’ 24 points and 12 rebounds and a suffocating defense, the Dukes posted a 67-50 victory over St. Joseph’s at Kerr Fitness Center....
Michael Hughes, Marcus Weathers hope to carry Duquesne to winning season
Through it all — the repeated covid-19 tests, cancellations, postponements, the unnecessary trip to St. Louis and the unforeseen roster upheaval — Duquesne’s Michael Hughes is sure of this: “I don’t want it to end,” he said. The senior center, who is just as happy recording an assist as a...
Duquesne’s Cooper Fieldhouse set to open Tuesday for Dukes’ game against Dayton
After a 22-month construction project that was delayed in 2020 by the covid-19 pandemic, Duquesne’s UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse will open its doors for the first time Tuesday for the Dukes’ men’s basketball game against Dayton. The game starts at 9 p.m. and will be televised nationally by ESPNU, but athletic...
Duquesne basketball bounces back to rout Fordham
Duquesne’s 86-62 victory against Fordham on Wednesday night in the Bronx serendipitously coincided with Chad Baker’s 21st birthday. He scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from beyond the 3-point line (23 overall) to help the Dukes rout Fordham in a game that was not as close as the 24-point margin...
Keith Dambrot finds ‘joy’ in efforts to rally Duquesne from losing record
There’s no minimizing the difficulties Keith Dambrot and his Duquesne players have confronted this season. Through the team’s covid-19 outbreak, displacement from its home arena for a second consecutive season, three players leaving the team, poor shooting and a losing record (4-6, 3-5 Atlantic 10), the struggles have been almost...
Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot said question was ‘fair,’ but he understands Coach K’s reaction
Keith Dambrot said he feels empathy for Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had testy words for a student reporter after a loss last week. But he added, “I thought it was a fair question.” After Duke’s third loss in a row, 70-65 to Louisville on Saturday, reporter Jake Piazza of...
