When’s the last time Duquesne made the NCAA Tournament?

Keith Dambrot and the Duquesne Dukes are officially bid stealers. Ironically enough, they may have taken an at-large spot away from the University of Pittsburgh, their City Game rival in the Steel City.

Dambrot has done an outstanding job rebuilding the Dukes program to its once impressive heights. While college basketball fans in Pittsburgh may not always appreciate Dambrot, his ability to recruit and develop, as well as utilize the transfer portal to his advantage, has Duquesne back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in decades.

Duquesne started 0-5 in conference, but turned their season around thanks to an impressive stretch in A-10 play.

When’s the last time Duquesne made the NCAA Tournament?

Duquesne last made March Madness in 1977 -- yes, it's been almost fifty years since the Duke appeared in the NCAA Tournament. The Dukes defeated Dayton and VCU, among others, on their way to the Atlantic 10 tournament championship.

As great of a story as Duquesne has been, they have the head coach narrative to match. Dambrot's future is up in the air beyond this year, but not because he's unwanted in Pittsburgh. Dambrot's wife is battling breast cancer, and thus he's been noncommittal about his future beyond this season.

“I’ve got some extenuating circumstances, obviously with my wife’s sickness. So we’re gonna sit down as a family with the doctors and see where she’s at. Then we’ll make a decision that’s in the interest of everyone," Dambrot said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Dambrot's father played at Duquesne the last time they made the tournament. In fact, those teams were ranked in the top-10 in the country at one time or another. The Dambrot family legacy has been building towards this point.

It's been a very long time coming, but the Dukes are going dancing once again.