Duquesne University’s men’s basketball team, seeded No. 11, continued its remarkable journey this season by securing a 71-67 victory over No. 6 BYU in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship’s First Round on Thursday in Omaha. This triumph marks the Dukes’ first NCAA Tournament win since 1969.
The 2023-24 Dukes, now standing at 25-11 for the season, notched their ninth consecutive win, the most victories since the school’s record-setting 26 wins in 1954 (26-3). Duquesne’s previous NCAA Tournament victory occurred during the East Region consolation game at Maryland’s Cole Field House, where they defeated St. John’s 75-72 on March 15, 1969.
Duquesne dominated the opening stages, seizing a 9-0 lead and holding BYU scoreless until the first media timeout. Dae Dae Grant’s early three-pointer ignited the team’s rapid start. Shooting 48.5% from the field in the first half, the Dukes enjoyed a double-digit lead on four occasions, stretching their advantage to 12 points (33-21) following a 14-1 run in response to BYU’s initial lead.
Despite extending their halftime lead of eight points (38-30) to a game-high 14 (46-32) early in the second half, Duquesne had to withstand BYU’s relentless comeback attempt. With 1:48 remaining, the game was tied at 60, but the Dukes rallied with five consecutive points, securing a hard-fought four-point victory.
In the final 88 seconds, Duquesne displayed composure from the free-throw line, going 9-for-10, with contributions from Jimmy Clark III (3-4), Jakub Necas (2-2), and Dae Dae Grant (4-4).
Despite announcing his retirement after seven seasons with the Dukes and 26 years as a head coach, head coach Keith Dambrot expressed his reluctance to retire, stating, “They just won’t let me retire, man. I’m trying to retire. We keep winning games, they’ll make me an old man.” Notably, this win marked Dambrot’s first NCAA Tournament victory in four attempts.
Leading the charge, Dae Dae Grant tallied 19 points, including three three-pointers, while freshman Jakub Necas contributed a career-high 12 points and six rebounds. Jimmy Clark III added 11 points, along with four assists and four steals. Fousseyni Drame made his presence felt with eight rebounds and eight points.
With a 46% shooting accuracy compared to BYU’s 39%, Duquesne also showcased defensive prowess, recording seven blocks and seven steals, holding the lead for 38 minutes and 50 seconds of the game’s 40 minutes.
Looking ahead, Duquesne advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Omaha, facing off against third-seeded Illinois, who secured a victory over Morehead State earlier in the day (85-69).
