Duquesne Dukes Fan Forum » Game Thread

DuqLaw95 · 2/18/2026 9:40 pm

A win is a win in the A10 but it’s hard to feel good about this team between the awful free throw percentage and inconsistent play from game to game.

applecorps · 2/18/2026 9:47 pm

We keep getting out-rebounded. It always seems like there aren't enough bodies far enough away from the defensive glass.
Losing the big lead and then seeming that the game was in the "L" column with 2 minutes to go but winning - this might actually be another plus for this team. A sloppy game but a win might be another thing that builds the chemistry in late season.

Last edited by applecorps (2/18/2026 9:48 pm)

NapaDuke · 2/18/2026 10:04 pm

Just got back from the game. It looked like only Guinyard came to play. Everyone else looked tired or they just didn't want to move very much. I think about 6 times we got a rebound and should have pushed it fast down court to drive to the hoop,for the basket or the foul or both, but, we either held up instead, or threw it away with that very overused alley oop pass that ever team is well prepared for. Endless passing up an open shot for more endless passing didn't work very well. Just one other thought, do our Dukes practice on this court or somewhere else, because our players can't hit a three nor a free throw on this court?

Last edited by NapaDuke (2/18/2026 10:06 pm)

TheActualDuke · 2/18/2026 10:26 pm

How does this team compare to the 2023-24 team through this point of the season? It looks like we have the same record and a better a10 record than the 23-24 team through first 26

Styles1229 · 2/18/2026 10:32 pm

levon1975 wrote:
Really tired of watching Jimmie go one on five and turn it over again and again….!

Just a terrible night for Jimmy. Really the first of the season. Nice to get win while getting nothing from him

NapaDuke · 2/18/2026 10:51 pm

TheActualDuke wrote:
How does this team compare to the 2023-24 team through this point of the season? It looks like we have the same record and a better a10 record than the 23-24 team through first 26

THAT team, in fact had to beat the last place team (GW) on the last second,(at home) just like this game, the last game of that season. If Tre Clark, just like Guinyard, didn't just drive to the hoop, we would have lost by 1 point? So, that team did lay some big eggs that needed our best player to drive to the hoop and win.Maybe that strange similarity just might a positive. Who knows. At the end of that game, I said to my wife, we are going to be one-and-done in the tourney. But, you know in that tourney, that Dukes team did take the open shots, stayed loose hit the 3's, and Clark, just like Guinyard today, was unstoppable.

levon1975 · 2/18/2026 11:08 pm

Styles1229 wrote:
levon1975 wrote:
Really tired of watching Jimmie go one on five and turn it over again and again….!
Just a terrible night for Jimmy. Really the first of the season. Nice to get win while getting nothing from him

He’s had a few others where he’s looked disconnected from the team, but everyone is entitled to a bad game now and then. Not many guys are good every night. Other guys need to pick up the slack. Brandon Hall did step up his scoring, but mostly in the first half.
My point was not so much that Jimmie was having a bad night but that he never seemed to adjust to the double and triple-teaming when he tried to attack the paint. I mean he could have created some open shots for other players when the double and triple team came, but he never passed the ball. You just have to trust your teammates to score sometimes!

duq.dog · 2/18/2026 11:11 pm

Totally shocked those soft refs didn't call the tech on TG.

Not every game is going to be perfect. All that matters is that they got the win. This game had muck written all over it, and they somehow come out of it 8-5. However, the story would have been a lot different had TG not made that.

I've been watching more WPIAL media with Everhart. Guy knows ball. Time for the University to wish Ellis his farewells. He's simply terrible at this.

NapaDuke · 2/18/2026 11:13 pm

NapaDuke wrote:
Just got back from the game. It looked like only Guinyard came to play. Everyone else looked tired or they just didn't want to move very much. I think about 6 times we got a rebound and should have pushed it fast down court to drive to the hoop,for the basket or the foul or both, but, we either held up instead, or threw it away with that very overused alley oop pass that ever team is well prepared for. Endless passing up an open shot for more endless passing didn't work very well. Just one other thought, do our Dukes practice on this court or somewhere else, because our players can't hit a three nor a free throw on this court?

A quote on my qoute, but, you would think that playing a team, that fads late in games, that DJ would give the green light to run every rebound and turnover to the hoop to exhaust that opponent, and/or get them in foul trouble? Heck JD worked it the other way. We played very slow, keeping them in the game, not getting them in foul trouble, in fact, it made us in foul trouble for helping that team by JD's slow play? All scouting reports said to do the opposite of what just happened. Also, our bigs in the paint got a feed then passed it out instead of turning to the basket? Can't win that way.

Last edited by NapaDuke (2/19/2026 8:29 am)

levon1975 · 2/18/2026 11:23 pm

No help from anyone around the league tonight. St Bonny loses at home the Joeys, Richmond makes a good comeback but falls by 2 at Davidson, and Dayton has a rather easy time winning at Mason. Mason has fallen into the middle of the pack with 5-losses.
If the Dukes play as they did tonight it won’t matter. They would lose their last five.
The lack of awareness exhibited by this team just always seems to reappear just when you think it’s improving.

BluffHunter · 2/18/2026 11:28 pm

We got away with one. But wow, it was done in electric fashion. Good teams find ways to win.

BluffHunter · 2/18/2026 11:29 pm

Nearly 25 minute postgame presser with Dave and Dru:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xev3qE1Jcs

luckymcd · 2/19/2026 3:32 am

Once again we played to the level of the competition. Luckily "the blur" went full on Tyus Edney to save it. As close as the standings are, every game is big the rest of the way; but the next one at Dayton is huge.

PistolPete · 2/19/2026 7:16 am

Napa totally agree about our slow play and not attacking LaSalle and wearing them out - which is what the scouting report said to do. Also its frustrating when our bigs get the ball 1' from the basket and throw it out for a 3 when they should go up for 2 and maybe get fouled, especially when our 3 point shooting wasn't good last night.

Motor · 2/19/2026 7:53 am

BluffHunter wrote:
We got away with one. But wow, it was done in electric fashion. Good teams find ways to win.

Bluff can’t agree with you more. How many times over the years have we been on the other end of these?
I love how Dru had a timeout but did not use it on last play. He didn’t want to let the defense get set.
I’ll take the WIN. Thanks TG

On to Dayton
Go Dukes

Last edited by Motor (2/19/2026 9:10 am)

CLK · 2/19/2026 9:24 am

Motor wrote:
BluffHunter wrote:
We got away with one. But wow, it was done in electric fashion. Good teams find ways to win.
Bluff can’t agree with you more. How many times over the years have we been on the other end of these?
I love how Dru had a timeout but did not use it on last play. He didn’t want to let the defense get set.
I’ll take the WIN. Thanks TG

On to Dayton
Go Dukes

Absolutely agree guys. The Dukes found a way to win ugly with TG making the heroic game saving play. Dixon, however, in my opinon is the engine on this team that makes it go. Dru needs to maximize his minutes by teaching him how valuable he is to this team and avoid the needless reach in fouls 30 feet from the basket and that he doesn't need to block every shot. I love this kid's heart and think he can have a great pro career but he has to play smarter.
Keep fighting guys! Dukes Up 🏀

DuqLaw95 · 2/19/2026 9:48 am

Student turnout was abysmal last night. Why can't more than 20 students make the 5 minute walk from their dorms?

I truly think school administration should give out free tickets to the first 200 or so students who show up. Not like those seats are being used anyway.

luckymcd · 2/19/2026 9:58 am

DuqLaw95 wrote:
Student turnout was abysmal last night. Why can't more than 20 students make the 5 minute walk from their dorms?

I truly think school administration should give out free tickets to the first 200 or so students who show up. Not like those seats are being used anyway.

Do students not get in free anymore? In my years on the bluff (2000-2004) there weren’t even student tickets. You just showed your ID and walked in. Of course student turnout still probably only averaged about the 20 you mentioned unless it was a TV game (something else I never understood).

The one exception was when we hosted the City Game the year after the Pete opened. That game there not only student tickets, but a lottery to get them. They were still free and I was pissed to not win the lottery having been one of those 20 every game. So I bought one from a scalper. Man what a bizarre sight that was.

BluffHunter · 2/19/2026 10:06 am

DuqLaw95 wrote:
Student turnout was abysmal last night. Why can't more than 20 students make the 5 minute walk from their dorms?

I truly think school administration should give out free tickets to the first 200 or so students who show up. Not like those seats are being used anyway.

Students get in for free. Actually, last night students got in for free and received a complimentary Duquesne tote bag. Still not enough to get kids to go I guess.

BluffHunter · 2/19/2026 10:07 am

SkepticAl wrote:
THAT FINISH should be #1 on ESPN's top plays

Ended up being #5 on sportscenter today.

S.R.M. · 2/19/2026 10:15 am

That was an incredibly ugly game and might have been the worst our offense has looked all. With that said, it was still a great finish and a win is a win. I'm hoping Jimmy was sick or something because he looked completely out of sorts. We 15+ points from he and TG to beat the other top teams in conference. At this point I'd rather see Van Bussel spell Dixon instead of Hughley. Hughley's offense has disappeared and Van Bussel is better defender and rebounder. The game on Saturday is massive. It would be wonderful to beat Dayton on the road to position ourselves for the double bye.

On the student attendance topic, it is truly embarrassing how few students come to the games. I was in school during the horrible Danny Nee years and even then more than 15 students showed up to watch the team go 4-29. Also, why do the other athletes that are being honored at halftime leave as soon as their ceremony concludes? Would it kill them to stick around for the whole game.

PhoenixRising2 · 2/19/2026 10:21 am

DuqLaw95 wrote:
Student turnout was abysmal last night. Why can't more than 20 students make the 5 minute walk from their dorms?

I truly think school administration should give out free tickets to the first 200 or so students who show up. Not like those seats are being used anyway.

There were many Dukes student athletes there to be honored at halftime. And then the vast majority of them left right after that; didn’t have time to stick around for another hour to watch and cheer on the second half. Screw then and their pissy self-centered attitudes.

Motor · 2/19/2026 10:22 am

BluffHunter wrote:
SkepticAl wrote:
THAT FINISH should be #1 on ESPN's top plays
Ended up being #5 on sportscenter today.

TG is one of the quickest guards ever to play for Dukes
Other ones

Norm Nixon
Mike James
James Hargrove
Derrick Colter
Jimmie Clark
Willie Somerset
Aaron Jackson
Any others ?
Go Dukes

Last edited by Motor (2/19/2026 10:24 am)

DuqLaw95 · 2/19/2026 10:52 am

BluffHunter wrote:
DuqLaw95 wrote:
Student turnout was abysmal last night. Why can't more than 20 students make the 5 minute walk from their dorms?

I truly think school administration should give out free tickets to the first 200 or so students who show up. Not like those seats are being used anyway.
Students get in for free. Actually, last night students got in for free and received a complimentary Duquesne tote bag. Still not enough to get kids to go I guess.

Man, that's sad. School administration has to do SOMETHING to get more student support. I'm not sure what exactly, but the turnout is frankly embarrassing.

BluffHunter · 2/19/2026 11:43 am

BluffHunter wrote:
Nearly 25 minute postgame presser with Dave and Dru:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xev3qE1Jcs

I think this is a must watch for everybody.