Welcome to the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Tipoff for the 2020-21 Season. This morning, we feature the Duquesne Dukes. To revisit all of the season previews throughout the week, click here.
Duquesne
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Hop aboard. Coach Dan Burt predicts a women’s basketball season synonymous with a rollercoaster ride. He predicts the prize going to the team able to weather the highs and lows the best.
Don’t be surprised if it’s the Dukes.
Duquesne boasts an elite and veteran bunch that includes four graduate students and two seniors starting with All-Atlantic 10 Second Team point guard Libby Bazelak. The team leader in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and free-throw percentage also shot a team-best .444 from beyond the arc.
“We were disappointed she wasn’t on the first team,” Burt said. “She is efficient. No wasted movement, no wasted reps.”
Amanda Kalin is the other senior. The 5-8 Pennsylvanian started every game and led Duquesne in blocks, ranked second in assists and averaged 10.2 points. Bonus: Kalin’s improved from 3; she shot .368 from downtown last season.
Anie-Pier Samson, who played just five games before a torn ACL shut her season down, returns for a fifth year in what Burt deems “the best shape of her life.” The 6-2 Canadian embraced road bike racing during her recovery, logging as many as 20 miles a day. “She’s probably more athletic now than she was before the injury,” Burt said. “She is in incredible shape.”
Laia Sole, a 6-2 center who Burt regards as the top offensive post player in the Atlantic 10, will be hard to stop. Kiersten Elliott, a 6-2 guard who shot .423 from 3, and 5-11 guard Halle Bovell, who missed all of last season with an injury, are the other graduate students who make up an imposing lineup. Sole benefitted from a summer training with the Spanish national team.
Speaking of size, don’t overlook 6-2 sophomore Amaya Hamilton or 6-4 center Precious Johnson, both expected to up their minutes. Burt also expects Wisconsin transfer Diamond Bragg to receive a waiver to play immediately.
The Dukes were primed to make the postseason a year ago for the 11th time in the past 12 years before COVID cut the season short. Their 20 victories included victories over Pitt, Toledo, VCU and Fordham on Senior Night. With this bunch, Burt anticipates an even stronger season ahead.
“Practices are as competitive as they’ve been in years,” he said. “So many people are trying to take minutes.”
Duquesne can go with a smaller lineup playing Ny Langley, a physically imposing guard eager to play her first minutes after missing last year due to injury, at the 4 spot. Or they can go with what Burt calls a jumbo lineup that includes bigs Precious Johnson and Snezhana Serafimoska, both 6-4.
“I haven’t figured it out yet,” admitted Burt, adding that’s a good problem to have.
A look at the Dukes:
Dan Burt: 153-78 overall, 76-36 in A-10 play in seven seasons at Duquesne.
Last year: 20-11, 9-7 Atlantic 10 (Lost to Fordham 54-47 in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Championship)
They’ll miss: G/F and co-captain Paige Cannon, who started every game, averaging 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.5 apg and .359 from 3-point land. She signed a pro contract in Portugal. Nina Aho, 5-10 guard/forward from Hungary. Co-captain and on the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team (6.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg). The Hungarian signed a pro contract with a squad in her home country.
Impact returners: Libby Bazelak, 5-9 senior G, 13.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.3 spg, all team highs; Laia Sole, 6-2 graduate student, 11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg (started 30 games); Amaya Hamilton, 6-2 sophomore G/F; Amanda Kalin, 5-8 senior G, 10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, led team in blocks; Precious Johnson, 6-4 sophomore C, 4.8 ppg, .543 FG percentage;
Newbies of note: Tess Myers, 5-9 freshman G, showing early defensive promise; Lindsey Linard, 6-4 freshman C, a lefty who can shoot a baby hook.
Reason for optimism: Bazelak is primed for another banner year, and Sole should be among the conference’s best scorers. Duquesne ranked No. 1 in offense and field-goal percentage a year ago and given its crop of talent could definitely do so again.
Bottom line: Going with Burt’s rollercoaster metaphor, it looks like a fun ride for these Dukes. The uncertainty of COVID means reliance on veterans, and Duquesne boasts them along with an ace in Bazelak at point. Expect the Dukes to challenge for their first Atlantic 10 title since 2016.