No. 11 seed, East Region
Opponent, time, TV: BYU, 12:40 p.m., truTV
Team in 16 words: Duquesne landed a haymaker on VCU to reach the Dance for the first time since 1977.
Record: 24-11 (10-8 A-10)
Coach: Keith Dambrot (0-3 in NCAA Tournament)
Player to watch: Jimmy Clark III (second-team All-A-10)
Numbers:
BetMGM title odds: +50000
Sweet 16 projected chance: 7.9 percent
Final Four projected chance: 0.4 percent
Strengths: You can’t spell Duquesne without a ‘D,’ which is entirely appropriate. Unshakeable when guarding the basketball, the Dukes locked down the opposition with steady ferocity. Exhibiting shifty hands, they forced a turnover on more than 19 percent of opponent possessions. Their physical on-ball onslaught will frustrate any team with subpar rock handlers.
Weaknesses: At No. 284 nationally in average height, per KenPom, Duquesne is often outmatched against strong interior teams. Unsurprisingly, the Dukes don’t rate very highly in terms of offensive and defensive rebounding. Keith Dambrot’s group also lacks pizzazz offensively. Over the regular season’s final month, they tallied a mediocre 1.07 points per possession, No. 172 nationally during the stretch. Whether scoring inside or out, they’re average, at best.
Outlook: Entering the NCAA Tournament sporting one of the longest active win streaks (eight games) on the collegiate circuit, the Dukes have reached their zenith at the most opportune time. Given their willingness to defend, generally methodical pace and overall experience, they’re somewhat interesting. However, expectations should be tempered. Duquesne recorded zero victories against the tournament at-large field.
— Brad Evans