David Borne | Sports Editor
Sept. 12, 2019
Duquesne women’s basketball announced its 2019 non-conference schedule on Sept. 5. The Dukes will be playing a total of 13 games before getting into Atlantic 10 play. Eight of those games will be on the road, with the rest coming at three different venues in the Pittsburgh area.
With the on-going renovations of the UPMC Chuck Cooper Fieldhouse, Duquesne will use PPG Paints Arena, Oakland Catholic High School, and the Kerr Fitness Center at La Roche University as its home venues.
The women’s team will kick off the 2019-20 slate by hosting Kent State in the program’s first ever game at PPG Paints Arena on Nov. 5. The matchup will serve as the second leg of a Duquesne basketball double header, as it will follow the men’s basketball game vs. Princeton.
After the home opener, Duquesne will play five consecutive road games. First, the Dukes will head to Philadelphia to take on Temple on Nov. 8. The two programs met last season, with the Red and Blue pulling out a last second 54-53 victory at the A.J. Palumbo Center.
Two opponents from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will follow. For the first time ever, Duquesne will play Manhattan (Nov. 10). Manhattan is coming off a 12-19 record last season, with 12 players returning from its 2018-19 team.
The Red and Blue will return to New York the following weekend, as they will play Iona on Nov. 15. The game will mark the third time in as many years that the programs meet. Duquesne defeated the Gaels in 2016-17, and again last season. The Dukes will then head to Easton for a game with Iona on Nov. 17.
Pitt will host the annual City Game at the Petersen Events Center on Nov. 23. Duquesne has won eight of the previous 10 meetings between the two Steel City programs, but the Panthers grabbed a 66-58 result over the Dukes last season.
Duquesne will take the court at Oakland Catholic High School on Nov. 26, hosting Central Connecticut State. The Dukes will then have over a week off, before getting back in action with three games.
The team will travel to Akron (Dec. 4), then host Toledo (Dec. 7), and take on Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. on Dec. 10.
Saint Francis (Dec. 15) and Kennesaw State (Dec. 20) round out Duquesne’s home non-conference schedule. SFU notched 16 wins last year, but Kennesaw State saw less success. The Owls finished 2018-19 with a 9-22 record.
A trip to Stillwater, OK will be Duquesne’s final test before conference play. Oklahoma State finished 14-16 last season. This year, the Cowgirls return leading scorer Vivian Gray. Gray averaged 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds per game in 2018-19.
The non-conference slate provides the young Dukes team with plenty of experience against quality competition, especially on the road. Duquesne should be well prepared for its Atlantic 10 opponents following the sturdy non-conference schedule.
