March Madness: Long before Duquesne spent 47 years in anonymity, a progressive approach led to glory

By WILL GRAVES
AP National Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Duquesne’s return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 47 years is putting a spotlight on the team’s storied past. The small Pittsburgh Catholic school was among the first collgiate programs to heavily recruit Black players like Basketball Hall of Famer Chuck Cooper. The 1955 team that won the National Invitational Tournament had several Black players in the starting lineup. Current Dukes head coach Keith Dambrot says the program’s rich history is one of the reasons he took the job in 2017. The current Duquesne team faces BYU in the first round of the NCAA tournament.