Spencer Thomas | Sports Editor
The Duquesne women’s basketball team released the schedule for their upcoming season on Tuesday afternoon. It features a pair of nationally televised contests, and is highlighted by a home clash with Pitt on Nov. 18.
Beyond that rivalry matchup, the nonconference schedule doesn’t feature any opponents whose stature towers over the Dukes. Last season, the Dukes went 11-4 in non-conference play, and this winter’s slate of opponents suggest that a similar record is achieveable.
Dan Burt’s squad will open the season with a three-game road trip. The season gets underway in New Jersey on Nov. 6, when the Dukes travel to face the Princeton Tigers. After games at Niagara and Howard, the Dukes will have their home opener on the 18th when they face the Panthers in the City Game. The Dukes have lost their last two games in the rivalry, although prior to that had won nine of the previous 11 matchups.
Besides the Panthers, Duquesne will face six opponents that were on last season’s schedule. The Dukes went 6-0 in those contests.
After a trip to Bowling Green, the Dukes will open the month of December with a four game homestand that includes their Atlantic-10 Conference opener against the Fordham Rams. Other key matchups include clashes with Delware and Kent State.
The non-conference schedule closes when the Dukes take a trip to the Crescent City for the Tulane Holiday Tournament.
Their opponents for the invitiational are officially TBD, but will be made up from any two of the participating teams, which include Maine, Little Rock and the hosting Green Wave.
Once the conference schedule gets into full gear, the Dukes will look to improve upon last season’s 8-8 record.
On Jan. 7, the Dukes will host George Mason, a game that will be shown live on CBS Sports Network. Their other televised game comes on a trip two weeks later to Davidson.
They wll face the defending conference champion Saint Louis Bilikens on Feb. 17, and will close out the regular season on March 2 with a home game gainst St. Joseph’s.
Finally, Duquesne will play in the A-10 tournament, hosted at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Virginia. For the past three seasons, the conference champion has been a first time winner. The Dukes will look to extend that streak to four and punch a bid to March Madness that weekend.