The one constant about Duquesne Dukes basketball was the fact that they were one of the worst programs in the nation. In 2004-05 the Dukes did nothing to improve their woeful reputation as they finished 8-22 straight up and 12-14 against the spread. Duquesne figured to only have more problems in 2005-06, as the Atlantic 10 Conference was expanded, improved, and tougher. Duquesne did cover 8 of their final 14 games in 2004-05, however, which was an indicator that they might serve gamblers as something of a bargain dog against overlays due to their horrible reputation as the oddsmakers would have to jack up the lines on the Dukes’ opponents in order to draw business Duquesne Dukes way. Gamblers would have to be on the lookout for making overlays on Duquesne’s opponents, particularly when the Dukes were on the road against the better caliber teams that they would be constantly going up against.
Opened as a bargain value
Duquesne Dukes began the season with a pair of unlined losses starting at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and then at Oakland. They next lost at Akron 61-79 as 17-point dogs to start off 0-3 straight up and 0-1 against the spread. The Dukes finally got their first straight up win in an unlined game against Robert Morris.
As Duquesne entered the meat of their lined action they scored a 60-71 loss/cover against crosstown rival Pittsburgh as 14-point home dogs. They next got the cash in a 66-86 loss at West Virginia, who was installed as a 23-point overlay. Duquesne next lost at Youngstown State 51-72 as 4-point dogs but got back on track against the sportsbooks with a pair of payoffs. First was a 90-61 win over the Citadel as 6.5-point chalks and that was followed by a 69-81 loss/cover against Boston College as 17-point dogs. Duquesne opened as a bargain value with 4 covers in their first 6 lined games for 2005-06.
Free fall Duquesne Dukes
A program as weak as Duquesne’s would not be able to sustain momentum against the pointspread for long, however, as gamblers found in the Dukes’ next game, a 72-78 home loss to Troy as 4.5-point chalks. This was followed up with a 68-71 home loss to Appalachian State in a pick’em affair. Duquesne’s free fall continued in the conference opener against La Salle as the Duquesne Dukes were blown out 61-84 as 14.5-point dogs. This was followed by a 63-82 home loss to Massachusetts as 6.5-point dogs. Duquesne continued to struggle with a 48-62 home loss to Richmond as 3-point dogs. The red ink continued to gush as Duquesne next lost at Forhdam 63-90 as 14-point dogs and then at Dayton 63-85 as 18-point pups to complete a string of 7 consecutive losses to the sportsbooks.
Up against overlays
One of the advantages that gamblers could gain from taking Duquesne Dukes against quality opponents is that they would be going up against overlays. At this stage of the season, with Duquesne getting blown out almost every game and gushing red ink, the oddsmakers would eventually find the price that caused a correction and for things to even out. As ironic as it may have sounded Duquesne actually stood their best chance at covering the spread against quality opposition as the Dukes would be so completely unappealing to the mainstream gambling public that they would actually end up getting more points than deserved.
This overlay effect occurred in their next game against George Washington, who was installed as a whopping 18-point road overlay in a 94-78 win over the Dukes, who got the cash as the big home dog. Once again the Dukes were up against an overlay as lowly St. Bonaventure was a 10.5-point home chalk in an 86-82 upset win by the Dukes.
Duquesne dropped their next two games both straight up and against the spread as single-digit-dogs. But as a 14-point dog at Rhode Island the Dukes prevailed in a 69-79 loss. This was followed by a 52-76 loss at Temple as 21.5-point dogs. Another single-digit dog failure occurred against Saint Louis but the Dukes next covered as a 22.5-point dog at Xavier in a 70-91 loss. After losing 76-77 as 1-point home chalks to St. Bonaventure the Dukes once again got the cash against an overlay in a 71-77 loss at Charlotte, who was a 19.5-point favorite. In the season finale Duquesne lost 63-79 at Saint Joseph’s as a 14-point dog. Still, Duquesne ended up getting the cash in 5 of their final 7 games as a double-digit dog.