Duquesne University’s men’s basketball squad is set to travel to Daytona Beach, Florida, for the 2026 Sunshine Slam, where it will open its schedule against Wyoming on November 22 and then meet High Point on November 24.
Florida Slate Sets the Stage
The matchup with Wyoming marks the first meeting between the two programs since 1961, a series that Duquesne has dominated with a 3‑1 record and a 75 % win rate, giving the Dukes a historical edge as they head into the early‑season test.
High Point arrives as the recent Big South regular‑season and tournament champion, having upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the 2026 NCAA Championship before falling to Duquesne in their only previous encounter, underscoring the significance of the upcoming clash.
Both teams enter the Florida slate with identical 18‑15 overall records from the 2025‑26 season, but Duquesne’s run to the Atlantic 10 quarterfinal round adds a narrative of momentum heading into the early‑season tests.
Under head coach Dru Joyce III, the Dukes have assembled a roster that includes standout guard Damian Saunders, whose 2008‑09 performance of 21 points and six steals still echoes in the program’s memory.
The Sunshine Slam is organized by the Gazelle Group, a company known for producing nationally recognized college‑basketball events such as the Empire Classic and the CBI, lending the tournament a reputation for competitive, well‑structured play.
The games will be played at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, a venue that has hosted a variety of regional tournaments and adds a vibrant atmosphere for both teams and fans, situating the contests within a broader basketball tradition that includes previous appearances in the Quaker City Tournament back in Philadelphia.