When Baylee Steele was contemplating the destination of his third Division I school and fourth college overall, plenty of big-time options were available.

There was interest from Arizona, Boise State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech … and Duquesne.

That’s right. Steele, a 6-foot-11, 245-pounder with the ability to make 3-pointers, chose the Dukes (9-0) for his graduate student year. Nine games into the season, Steele is playing a key role for one of four undefeated teams entering Wednesday.

“I love being on this team. I love every single bit about it,” Steele said. “It’s a wonderful experience for me.”

As the Dukes’ sixth man, he ranks second on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg.), third in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and blocks (eight) and fourth in steals (10). He also is shooting 47.5% while playing an average of 23.8 minutes.

Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot, then at Akron, noticed Steele’s talents when the two were in the Mid-American Conference and Steele was looking to transfer from Eastern Michigan in 2017.

“When he left Eastern, we couldn’t get him because they wouldn’t release him to us,” Dambrot said. “It’s not that way anymore. You don’t need to do all that now.”

Steele decided on Utah Valley, a Western Athletic Conference school that went 25-10 last season. Steele was one of two players to start all 35 games.

He has yet to start at Duquesne, which traveled Wednesday to St. Petersburg, Fla., where the Dukes will play Austin Peay and UAB on Saturday and Sunday at the St. Pete Shootout.

“Never have I been a guy to come off the bench in my college career, but I’m actually loving it,” Steele said.

“I love the idea of coming in and being a spark when we need it. It gives me a chance in the first 3-4 minutes to see what the other team is doing, study their tendencies on defense, how they guard the post, are they doubling down, what they’re doing on ball screens, if I need to roll and pop or go short.

“If we’re struggling and down when I come in, it gives me a chance to see what I can do offensively, a chance to see how I affect the game when I get in.”

Last season, it was Duquesne guard Tavian Dunn-Martin who garnered the A-10 Sixth Man of the Year Award. Steele looks like a top candidate this winter.

“It’s been a good role for him,” Dambrot said. “I’ll be surprised if he’s not the sixth man of the year.”

A native of Norwalk, Iowa, Steele played one season each at Des Moines Area Community College, Eastern Michigan and Utah Valley. He scored in double digits 10 times and recorded four double-doubles at Des Moines CC, a Division I junior college.

At Eastern Michigan, Steele started 22 of 33 games, averaging 4.4 points and 4.1 rebounds and shooting 48.8%.

Then came his breakout year at Utah Valley, which finished runner-up to New Mexico State in the WAC regular-season standings. The Wolverines defeated Eastern Washington in the CBI first round before losing to San Francisco in the quarterfinals. Steele averaged 8.5 points and a team-leading 7.2 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game and finished with seven double-doubles.

He completed his undergraduate degree in communications from Utah Valley in June.

“Baylee has shown our guys what hard work can do for people,” Dambrot said. “He’s not the most gifted guy in the world, but he works hard. So when I say this, I never pull any punches: He’s the hardest-working guy I’ve ever had. Ever. Ever. That includes ’Bron (LeBron James at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School).”

After the transfer to Oregon of leading scorer and rebounder Eric Williams Jr., Duquesne is playing with a bonded starting five — juniors Michael Hughes, Marcus Weathers and Dunn-Martin, sophomore Sincere Carry and freshman Maceo Austin — and the Dukes have opened eyes.

They’ve benefited by a defense that limits opponents to an average of 56.0 points, eighth-fewest in Division I.

Steele is delighted with what he sees.

“I expected some of this, but I didn’t really have any understanding of how bad Duquesne basketball has been over the years,” he said. “Being here this whole summer and seeing things first hand, this is really my first time seeing Duquesne basketball and the A-10.”

Steele said he is committed to Dambrot’s cause: to win basketball games and make a postseason tournament.

“The NCAA Tournament,” Steele emphasized. “It worked out how it was supposed to work out. Look at us now. We’re 9-0, and I’m playing for Coach Dambrot.

“I can tell you this is the most talented team I’ve ever been on. I see us having the chemistry and even more talent (than Utah Valley a year ago). It’s just a matter if we can play together as a team for the entire year. I’m telling you this is a real team here.”

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