BYU opens NCAA Tournament on Thursday against Duquesne

PROVO, Utah – BYU will make its 31^st appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 21, when the sixth-seeded Cougars face 11^th-seeded Duquesne in the Round of 64 at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. Tip is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. CT.

Thursday’s contest will be broadcast on TruTV with Tom McCarthy, Avery Johnson, Debbie Antonelli and AJ Ross on the call. It will also be broadcast live on KSL 102.7/1160 AM and the Varsity Network app with Greg Wrubell and Mark Durrant on the call.

No. 21 BYU Cougars (23-10, 10-8 Big 12)
·      BYU is 15-33 all-time in the NCAA Tournament including a 3-2 record as a sixth seed (1981, 2021).
·      The Cougars are ranked second in the nation in 3-point makes and attempts per game. According to KenPom.com, BYU is on pace to become one of four high majors to ever attempt more 3s than 2s.
·      Aly Khalifa ranks second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio as the junior has 114 assists to only 30 turnovers (3.80:1).
·      Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Jaxson Robinson has hit at least one 3-pointer in 20 consecutive games which is the seventh longest streak in a single season in program history. The senior continues to lead the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game.

Head Coach – Mark Pope
·      Alma Mater: Kentucky, 1996
·      Division I Career Record: 187-107 (9^th Season)
·      Record at BYU:  110-51 (5^th Season)

Duquesne Dukes (24-11, 10-8 A-10)  
·      Duquesne is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 47 years after defeating VCU in the Atlantic 10 Championship game on Sunday. The Dukes have won eight straight games with four of those coming in five days at the A-10 tournament.
·      Head coach Keith Dambrot announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of the season having compiled a record of 115-95 in his seven seasons at Duquesne.
·      Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III were named to the 2024 All-Atlantic 10 Second Team as the duo averages a combined 31.8 points per game
·      Grant has led the Dukes in scoring over the past two seasons since transferring from Miami (Ohio). He is averaging 16.7 points per game and ranks fourth in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting 93.9 percent from the charity stripe.

 Head Coach – Keith Dambrot
·      Alma Mater: Akron, 1982
·      Career Record: 528-304 (26^th Season)
·      Record at Duquesne: 115-95 (7^th Season)

Series Information
·      Series Record: Duquesne leads 2-0
·      Last Meeting: Duquesne won 69-47, 12/28/1953
·      H/A/N: 0-0/0-1/0-1