Duquesne will play Richmond in 1st A-10 Tournament game Thursday

Jerry Dipaola | Monday, March 1, 2021 9:12 p.m.

Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot (middle) stands for the national anthem before taking on UNCG on Dec. 2, 2020, at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center.

After a wait of two years, Duquesne (8-8, 7-7) will play its first game in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday as the No. 9 seed against No. 8 Richmond. The game will be played at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va., home venue of No. 2 seed VCU. The game will be televised on NBCSN.

The winner will play No. 1 seed St. Bonaventure on Friday.

Duquesne endured two covid-related pauses this season, the second of 17 days preceded its 79-72 loss at Richmond on Feb. 20. Richmond (13-7, 6-5) will enter the tournament on a two-game losing streak after dropping decisions to Saint Louis, 72-67, on Friday and and St. Joseph’s, 76-73, on Monday.

Duquesne ended a two-game losing streak Saturday with an 86-75 victory against Rhode Island.

The A-10, which canceled last year’s tournament at the outset of the covid-19 pandemic, has scheduled the first four rounds for Wednesday through Saturday. Games will be played at the Siegel Center and Richmond’s Robins Center.

The championship game will be March 14 — Selection Sunday— at Dayton’s UD Arena.

Get the latest news about Duquesne basketball and all things Dukes athletics