Duquesne starts its defense of the Atlantic 10 Tournament men’s basketball championship on Thursday against St. Bonaventure in Washington, D.C. The Dukes, seeded ninth, have a balanced history with the eighth-seeded Bonnies, splitting their regular-season matchups. Coach Dru Joyce III emphasizes the importance of player performance in March’s high-stakes environment. Duquesne is aiming to continue its four-game A-10 winning streak, chasing its second consecutive title, having previously won in 1977. Players like Kareem Rozier and Cam Crawford express confidence in their team’s ability to compete, highlighting that in March, “anything’s possible.”
Duquesne kicks off its defense of the Atlantic 10 Tournament men’s basketball championship on Thursday with an early-bird contest against a well-known rival.
The ninth-seeded Dukes (13-18) are set to face the No. 8 St. Bonaventure (21-10) for the 137th time since 1920 in a first-round clash at 11:30 a.m. at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
The teams divided their regular-season encounters, with Duquesne claiming a 75-57 victory on January 18 at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, while St. Bonaventure triumphed 70-63 on February 22 at Reilly Center in Olean, N.Y.
Who will take the decider?
“We have to be prepared,” said Duquesne coach Dru Joyce III. “It’s going to be a showdown. Players need to step up and make impactful plays. That’s what makes this time of year special. Playmakers begin to emerge because by now, everyone is familiar with each other’s plays, strengths, and weaknesses. At times, the players begin to take charge rather than the coaches directing everything. It should be an exciting game.”
The winner of this matchup will face top-seeded VCU (25-6) in the quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
Forget about the regular season. It’s time for March clichés. Everyone starts fresh at 0-0.
“There’s a spirit to March. It carries a unique intensity and a certain vibe,” Joyce III remarked, recalling his experience with the Dukes last year as their associate head coach during a remarkable postseason run that concluded with a second-round NCAA Tournament exit against Illinois.
Now, it’s Joyce’s chance to see if his first team can replicate even a fraction of the postseason success achieved by his mentor, former coach Keith Dambrot.
Joyce emphasized that, similar to his inaugural season as Duquesne’s head coach, replicating last season’s impressive A-10 Tournament performance will be a significant challenge in what he called “one of the best conferences in college basketball, without a doubt.”
“This is truly everyone’s journey, either advancing or coming to a close,” he stated. “It embodies both aspects, both emotions — pain and joy. That’s just the essence of the tournament. It’s fascinating to observe. It’s dynamic, and it really gets me into the spirit.”
Duquesne is participating in its 45th A-10 Tournament, where the Dukes hold an overall record of 25-42 (.373). They’ve won four consecutive games, matching their longest winning streak in the tournament’s history.
Before last season, the Dukes had secured only one A-10 title — back in 1977, when the league was called the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League.
The quest for their third championship and second consecutive title starts today.
“It’s March. Anything is possible,” stated Duquesne junior guard Kareem Rozier, one of six players who experienced last season’s remarkable journey. “We have a solid chance to do it again. We only had one (conference) game where we got dominated. We’ve been competitive in every other game.”
The Dukes faced a tough loss against Dayton, 82-62, on January 21 at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse but came close in a rematch on February 15 at UD Arena, losing narrowly 77-76.
In nine A-10 road games, Duquesne was outscored by a mere 14 points overall.
“That says a lot,” Rozier commented. “We can compete against anyone, and I truly believe we can win again.”
Redshirt junior guard Cam Crawford, one of seven transfers this season, shared a similar sentiment this week.
“We know our team’s capabilities. We’ve proven we can hold our own against anyone,” he said. “Against all the top teams in the league, we’ve demonstrated our competitiveness. Now, it’s a one-game scenario. Anything can happen in a single game. We have faith — the players, the coaches, everyone believes, and that’s what truly matters.”
Dave Mackall is a TribLive contributing writer.