PITTSBURGH — March Madness 2024 is nearly here, and some of the usual suspects are missing.
Pennsylvania is usually well represented in the NCAA Tournament, with multiple schools from the Commonwealth regularly making the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in March.
Schools like Villanova or Bucknell are among the nearly-annual contenders, and yet, they are missing from the field this year.
In fact, only one school from Pennsylvania will be competing in March Madness: The Duquesne Dukes.
It will be Duquesne's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 47 years.
The Pittsburgh-based school saw the Dukes play to a 25-11 record, including an Atlantic 10 Tournament title that helped Duquesne clinch an automatic bid to the tournament.
Duquesne is led by 65-year-old coach Keith Dambrot, who coached LeBron James for two years in high school.
The Dukes matched a program record for victories set in 1953-54, when Dambrot’s father, Sid, played for Duquesne.
"YESSIRRR!! Punch that (ticket) to the Big Dance @DuqMBB!!!" James posted on X.
The last time Duquesne won the A-10 and went to the NCAA Tournament, future NBA All-Star Norm Nixon was leading the Dukes, who beat Villanova in the conference title game.
The team was named a No. 11 seed in the East Region, and will face off against the BYU Cougars at 12:40 p.m. on March 21 at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.