The Duquesne women’s basketball team was victorious in Head Coach Dan Burt’s return to the sideline on March 19, beating Georgetown 69-66 in Washington, D.C., in the Second Round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Burt, who returned to the sidelines on Monday evening following a one-game suspension handed down by the A-10 as a result of the coach’s open criticism of officials following a March 2 loss to Saint Louis in the conference tournament, watched junior guard Chassidy Omogrosso lead the Dukes past the Hoyas with 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting and five assists in the team’s second round match-up. Junior guard Julijana Vojinovic contributed 19 points and four assists, and junior Kadri-Ann Lass added 14 points for the Dukes while scoring her 1,000th career point in the process. The win counted as the program’s 500th Division I victory, as well, a feat that Burt told the school’s website post game was “great to see” his team accomplish alongside a 25-win season and a deep run in the WNIT. 25 wins marks Duquesne’s second-highest single-season win total in program history.
Duquesne’s third round contest tips off at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, New York. Duquesne is 2-0 all-time against the Red Storm, with wins in both 2015 and 2016. The Dukes have won four straight games against Big East schools, and 10 of their last 13.
The winner of Thursday’s game will play the winner of West Virginia and James Madison in the quarterfinal round.
— Adam Lindner
This Week in Sports History…
— On March 23, 1994, Los Angeles Kings centerman Wayne Gretzky scored his 802nd career NHL goal, breaking his childhood idol Gordie Howe’s record for most goals scored in a career.
— On March 24, 1976, all-time great NFL quarterback Peyton Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Manning retired on March 7, 2016, with two Super Bowl titles.
— On March 26, 1973, the UCLA men’s basketball team won its seventh-straight NCAA Championship, and its ninth title in 10 years.
