He once shot 49% from 3-point range in a season at Pitt, where he is the school record-holder with 297 long-range makes. So, when Duquesne assistant Ashton Gibbs talks about life behind the arc, it’s a good bet players are listening.

With a high seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament still within reach, if the Dukes (15-5, 5-3 A-10) can catch fire from 3-point land, they might become this year’s Saint Louis in the A-10.

A year ago, the Billikens won the conference tournament to claim an unexpected bid to the NCAA Tournament, thanks to some hot shooting in the second half of the season.

“They lost (four) games in a row last year, then they got hot with one guy shooting the ball well,” Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot said. “They weren’t a very good shooting team, but Tramaine Isabell went nuts, and they’re in the tournament. They had one guy who helped them in an area they weren’t very good.”

At Duquesne, which is hoping to end a three-game losing streak Sunday against La Salle (10-10, 1-7) at PPG Paints Arena, who could that “one guy” be?

“I know from my playing days, it’s an important piece,” Gibbs said. “You see it in college, and you see it in the NBA right now. The 3-point shot is the biggest difference.”

Junior guard Tavian Dunn-Martin, who connected on four 3-pointers in Duquesne’s 73-69 loss to No. 7 Dayton on Wednesday at PPG Paints, is perhaps the leading candidate to give the Dukes a spark. Through 20 games, they’re shooting just 31.% (151 for 477) from behind the arc, 12th among 14 A-10 teams.

Dayton (37.6) and Richmond (37.2) are the conference leaders.

Duquesne is shooting 44.2% from the field, tied for third in the A-10 with Davidson and behind the same Dayton (52.8) and Richmond (46.8).

Dunn-Martin leads Duquesne at 36.2% (42 for 116) from 3, with two others, sophomore point guard Sincere Carry (35.9) and sophomore guard Lamar Norman Jr. (33.3), not far behind.

But those are not lofty totals compared to the A-10 leaders, Ibi Watson of Dayton (44.8) and Nah’Shon Hyland of VCU (44.3). The national leader is 5-foot-10 South Dakota senior Tyler Hagedorn, who is shooting 56.7 % (59 for 104).

“We’re getting open shots,” Gibbs said. “I think within the next couple games, we’ll start to pick it up more. Our interior is so dominant, especially (6-9) Mike Hughes. He does a really good job of passing out of the post. It’s just really up to our guys to move without the ball, get in his line of visions and get open shots. Moving without the ball is so crucial to getting your shot and building that percentage.”

College 3-point percentages are down a bit this season after the NCAA’s decision to move back the 3-point line to the international basketball distance of 22 feet, 13/4 inches.

Since 2008, the arc had rested at 20 feet, 9 inches from the center of the basket. The international distance had been tested for the past two seasons in the National Invitational Tournament before being approved for the start of the current regular season.

“It can throw you off big time,” Gibbs said. “But there comes a time when everyone should be able to adjust. You’ve got to get your legs under you, and you’ve got to have a good pass because passing is a direct effect on shooting.”

Gibbs said Duquesne’s players continue to build a chemistry the coaches hope will improve for the stretch run this season and lead into next year, when all five starters are expected to return.

“I’m so big on practice,” he said. “Building practice habits is something you want to do in order to build them into the game. A direct effect of that is from shooting practice shots consistently just like you’re in a game.”

The style of basketball played today requires efficient 3-point shooting, and Gibbs thinks Duquesne is close to developing a dangerous mix that can cause fits for opposing teams.

“Since we’re such a dominant post-up team and so interior-based, it gives us a good balance when we can hit the 3-point shots,” Gibbs said.

But the Dukes have yet to get on track from long range, and Dambrot on Friday said he doesn’t do much to coddle his players.

“I’m not a great massager. I’m not great for guys that are having self-doubt or issues,” he said. “I’m not the greatest coach for that. I’m not ‘Mr. Positivity’ all the time.”

While Duquesne hasn’t shot well from 3-point range, the Dukes were among the nation’s leaders in free-throw shooting early. But they’ve faltered a bit lately, though they still are hitting at a 73.2% clip.

Graduate student Baylee Steele, the 6-11 big man who usually is one of the first players off Dambrot’s bench, has slumped as a 3-point shooter (29%), and he raised his coach’s ire against Dayton when he missed a pair of free throws after the Dukes had fallen behind by 17 points with 12 minutes, 18 seconds remaining.

After those misses, Watson scored on a layup to give Dayton it’s biggest lead, 57-38, before Duquesne’s furious comeback attempt fell short.

“I got (ticked) off that he missed both free throws,” Dambrot said. “I want the best for him because he works so hard. I can’t stand when guys work hard, and they don’t get what they want out of it.”

Perhaps with a bit more attention to Gibbs’ practice-like-you-play mentality, Duquesne’s shooters can get hot.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)