Duquesne doesn't make it to the NCAA tournament very often. The Dukes win a game there even less.
So when it happens, you have to make sure the students have the opportunity to hold a proper celebration.
That's what one Duquesne professor did after the team's victory over BYU on Thursday. He emailed his students to tell them that classes were canceled, as relayed by Barstool Sports.
The professor, Robert Edward Healy III, delivered a simple message.
"Go celebrate," he insisted. "I'll figure it out." It was signed, "Prof. Healy."
Ego out of control right now. https://t.co/nVxlJfFea4
— Robert Edward Healy, III (@blufftalk) March 22, 2024
Healy's Twitter/X bio describes him as also an athlete, coach and umpire, as well as in "sports information and media." So he likely gets the joy of victory and the spoils that come with it.
For the record, this marks Duquesne's first appearance in the tournament since 1977. It's also their first tournament win since 1969. That's 55 years ago. So yeah, the fanbase deserves to take a day, man.
"We all know the days of school, hell you can be in it now or an old," Barstool wrote. "Teachers in high school who let you put on games on CBS stick with you. Professors who cancel classes so you can celebrate a win for the first time in 55 years stick with you. Same with those hard asses who refuse to have any fun."
Dukes coach Keith Dambrot is retiring after the season, his seventh at the school. His father was actually a member of the 1952 team that made it to the Big Dance.
And no less than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James celebrated the victory on Twitter — just one day after providing shoes for the entire squad. Why not? Dambrot was James' coach for James' first two years at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. LeBron has been tight with Dambrot since.
For now, of course, Duquesne students appreciate Dambrot for an entirely different reason.
