Duquesne Dukes Fan Forum / Game Thread - Saint Louis University Billikens

**Posted by luckymcd** 2/21/2024 3:05 pm

CityDuke wrote:
Beating Bonnies at Bonnies qualifies as a Quad 1 win.

And if it stays that way it will only be our third ever after @ St. Louis and @ VCU in 2020.

**Posted by NapaDuke** **Online!** 2/21/2024 6:57 pm

El Presidente wrote:
CityDuke wrote:
Beating Bonnies at Bonnies qualifies as a Quad 1 win.
Meanwhile we are positioned way behind them in any ranking that you care to look at.
Needed to win some other games that we didn't.

That shows the Dukes have been too inconsistent to this point. I think it's pretty clear. These Dukes should have won, by all predictions, at least 5 other games, that would now be 21-5. But they under-performed. Too much. So, looking forward, they, in this last game proved they can put up the points, and this starting line-up is likely very hard to beat. And the coaching in this game by KD and staff was very good. So, if going forward, this team, and this coaching staff, both keep up this defense, and this aggressive offense, and keep this line up and subs, then they have a very good chance of getting to the A-10 finals and a shot at winning it. Maybe it took a whole season to get there, but if they can keep this lineup on the court I think they can do it.

**Posted by BluffHunter** 2/21/2024 7:42 pm

NapaDuke wrote:
El Presidente wrote:
CityDuke wrote:
Beating Bonnies at Bonnies qualifies as a Quad 1 win.
Meanwhile we are positioned way behind them in any ranking that you care to look at.
Needed to win some other games that we didn't.
That shows the Dukes have been too inconsistent to this point. I think it's pretty clear. These Dukes should have won, by all predictions, at least 5 other games, that would now be 21-5. But they under-performed. Too much. So, looking forward, they, in this last game proved they can put up the points, and this starting line-up is likely very hard to beat. And the coaching in this game by KD and staff was very good. So, if going forward, this team, and this coaching staff, both keep up this defense, and this aggressive offense, and keep this line up and subs, then they have a very good chance of getting to the A-10 finals and a shot at winning it. Maybe it took a whole season to get there, but if they can keep this lineup on the court I think they can do it.

RALLY THE TROOPS. WE BELIEVE.

**Posted by Wildwood13** 2/21/2024 8:41 pm

CityDuke wrote:
Beating Bonnies at Bonnies qualifies as a Quad 1 win.

St Bonnie’s losing to 241 ranked LaSalle by 13 points this evening doesn’t look like a quad 1 win to me!!!

**Posted by phil95** 2/21/2024 9:17 pm

And George Mason has beaten Dayton.

**Posted by indygjm** 2/21/2024 10:27 pm

In the post game conference, there was a reference by Dae Dae about some bad blood with a coach on the opposing team. I assume that might be Carl Thomas. Does anyone know what that might be about?

**Posted by Ironduke81** 2/22/2024 7:53 am

After last nights A10 games Dukes looking at a 6 spot in the final standings. Dayton in trouble for automatic bid after last nights game against George Mason. A. Kelly for GM is playing very well. Hard not to cheer for this kid.

**Posted by BluffHunter** 2/22/2024 9:33 am

indygjm wrote:
In the post game conference, there was a reference by Dae Dae about some bad blood with a coach on the opposing team. I assume that might be Carl Thomas. Does anyone know what that might be about?

Charles Thomas is the assistant coach at SLU, Carl Thomas is the head coach at Cleary. When they moved on I assumed it was because they were ready for their next steps and I don't think there was any true "bad blood" Although they were fixtures for a long time on Dambrot's coaching staff. The addition of Dru Joyce and seemingly giving him the keys to the car maybe turned them off too. Here's what I think Dae Dae was getting at... Carl going to Cleary and building a program as a HC is respectable... Charles leaving to be an assistant at another school within the same conference?? Not so much.

**Posted by BluffHunter** 2/22/2024 9:35 am

Ironduke81 wrote:
After last nights A10 games Dukes looking at a 6 spot in the final standings. Dayton in trouble for automatic bid after last nights game against George Mason. A. Kelly for GM is playing very well. Hard not to cheer for this kid.

Isn't it great to see Amari have the success he is? He is developing just as I had hoped he would! Hopefully when we go to GMU in a couple of weeks he does not put up a "Tre Clark against VCU" performance!

**Posted by lakersnixon** 2/22/2024 10:07 am

Wish he stayed. Wish a lot of people stayed.......

Also glad to see him developing and playing well.

**Posted by Styles1229** 2/22/2024 10:50 am

BluffHunter wrote:
indygjm wrote:
In the post game conference, there was a reference by Dae Dae about some bad blood with a coach on the opposing team. I assume that might be Carl Thomas. Does anyone know what that might be about?
Charles Thomas is the assistant coach at SLU, Carl Thomas is the head coach at Cleary. When they moved on I assumed it was because they were ready for their next steps and I don't think there was any true "bad blood" Although they were fixtures for a long time on Dambrot's coaching staff. The addition of Dru Joyce and seemingly giving him the keys to the car maybe turned them off too. Here's what I think Dae Dae was getting at... Carl going to Cleary and building a program as a HC is respectable... Charles leaving to be an assistant at another school within the same conference?? Not so much.

I saw Kareem and Charles in an extended, seemingly heartfelt and emotional hug on the court post game. No bad blood there anyways.

**Posted by BluffHunter** 2/22/2024 10:56 am

Styles1229 wrote:
BluffHunter wrote:
indygjm wrote:
In the post game conference, there was a reference by Dae Dae about some bad blood with a coach on the opposing team. I assume that might be Carl Thomas. Does anyone know what that might be about?
Charles Thomas is the assistant coach at SLU, Carl Thomas is the head coach at Cleary. When they moved on I assumed it was because they were ready for their next steps and I don't think there was any true "bad blood" Although they were fixtures for a long time on Dambrot's coaching staff. The addition of Dru Joyce and seemingly giving him the keys to the car maybe turned them off too. Here's what I think Dae Dae was getting at... Carl going to Cleary and building a program as a HC is respectable... Charles leaving to be an assistant at another school within the same conference?? Not so much.

I saw Kareem and Charles in an extended, seemingly heartfelt and emotional hug on the court post game. No bad blood there anyways.

I think Dae Dae and Tre also like to fuel the fire for extra motivation, like Dambrot mentioned about how pumped Clark gets to guard Eric Reynolds.

**Posted by lakersnixon** 2/22/2024 11:12 am

Giving the keys to Dru made no sense and was a huge slap in the face to the twins, Rick M. and Terry W. on staff. How does a a young coach with 2-3 years of coaching experience and little-to-no recruiting experience suddenly become our associate head coach?

These comments by Styles1229 & BluffHunter are great and have my mind turning. More to follow if I can collect my thoughts and put this on the board.

**Posted by Styles1229** 2/22/2024 11:58 am

lakersnixon wrote:
Giving the keys to Dru made no sense and was a huge slap in the face to the twins, Rick M. and Terry W. on staff. How does a a young coach with 2-3 years of coaching experience and little-to-no recruiting experience suddenly become our associate head coach?

These comments by Styles1229 & BluffHunter are great and have my mind turning. More to follow if I can collect my thoughts and put this on the board.

I very much believed at the time that the Thomas brothers had to have felt slighted when Dru came in. I assumed they left hurt and angry. I just found it interesting that a Dukes player would mention the bad blood and list it as a motivator. Thomas should be the one motivated and feeling like he had something to prove. Not the other way around.