Duquesne Dukes: Men’s Basketball Looking To Move Up From Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
By Larry Snyder
The ballots have been collected in the Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll for Men’s Basketball and opinions are that the Duquesne University Dukes have their work cut out for them this season.
The Atlantic 10 announced their poll results at their annual media day on Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y, with the coaches and media selecting four of the six A-10 schools who played in last year’s NCAA Championship Tournament.
The Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, the George Washington University Colonials, the University of Dayton Flyers, and the University of Massachusetts Minutemen were ranked as one thru four in the poll.
Duquesne, under third-year coach Jim Ferry, was chosen to finish 11th in the 14 team league. While Ferry’s crew does return four starters from last season’s 13-17 squad, the Dukes were not able to secure any players on the A-10 Preseason All-Conference or All-Defensive teams.
The one lone senior on this year’s Dukes squad is forward Dominique McKoy, who had 290 points, 216 rebounds, and 35 blocked shots in 30 games-played. A trio of juniors complete the quartet of returning starters, guard Micah Mason, who contributed 265 points, 74 assists, 21 steals in 25 games; guard Derrick Colter who put up 272 points and led the team in assists with 101; and forward Jeremiah Jones who averaged 6.3 points-per-game and pulled down 101 rebounds.
The University of Richmond Spiders, the University of Rhode Island Rams, and the La Salle University Explorers were chosen for slots five, six and seven in the poll.
Meanwhile, the A-10’s other two NCAA tournament participants from a season ago, the Saint Joseph University Hawks and the Saint Louis University Billikens, were selected to finish eighth and ninth. The St. Bonaventure University Bonnies came in one spot ahead of Duquesne at No. 10.
Following the Dukes in order were the Davidson College Wildcats, the George Mason University Patriots, and the Fordham University Rams for the final three spots.
For a preview of this year’s squad, the Dukes will host an exhibition game against the Shippensburg Unversity Raiders on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. The regular season opens at the A.J. Palumbo Center against the Bluefield State College Blues on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2:00 p.m.