Dukes Christen New Fieldhouse with Home Victory
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opinions features sports a & e ... February 4, 2021 The Legend of Black History DU MBB team Tune In, Jam Month continues streak Out Volume 104 GameStop A jazz-tastic week of GameStop future Office of Diversity & Men's hoops team wins records, TikTok singers Number 3 remains grim as trading Inclusion hosts events third straight and TV drama frenzy winds down throughout Feb. www.duqsm.com PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 PAGE 9 THE DUQUESNE DUKE Proudly Serving Our Campus Since 1925 Dukes christen new Remem- Fieldhouse with home victory bering Lucas Traverse Colleen Hammond news editor Kevin Hastings’ world completely transformed on Saturday with a single Griffin Sendek / Multimedia Editor The long-awaited UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse opened with a bang as the men's basketball team played for the first time in their new home on Wednesday. The phone call. After not hearing from his Dukes beat Dayton (69-64). childhood friend for several hours, he became concerned. Hours later, he re- Adam Lindner ties involved. For the longest time, the Field- Dixon Line and to be drafted into ceived a call confirming the worst case sports editor The Fieldhouse’s construction house appeared to be seemingly the NBA — officially opened Feb. scenario: Lucas Traverse had died. coincided with a major retool- half-done, leaving the project — 2, when the men’s basketball team At around 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, Duquesne waited a long time for ing of Duquesne’s athletic brand, and, by extension, the school’s beat Dayton, 69-64, in its first the Duquesne sophomore was struck this day to come. complete with a new typeface, logo teams — in limbo. game on campus since March 9, and killed by a train on the South Side Of course, construction began and color scheme (welcome to the Accordingly, the men’s and 2019. The game, broadcast nation- near Fourth St. and Color Park, accord- on the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse club, electric blue). Excitement women’s basketball teams would ally on ESPN2, saw Duquesne best ing to the Pittsburgh Office of Public — Duquesne University’s gleam- was mounting on the Bluff as it re- eventually embark on their sec- a Flyers program that it doesn’t of- Safety. the Pittsburgh City Police are ing new arena — in March 2019. lated to university athletics. ond-straight seasons as nomads, ten beat. Freshman forward Chad investigating his death and have not The school’s basketball and vol- Enter: Global pandemic. opting for neutral-sites or road Baker nailed a 3-pointer 41 sec- provided any more information as to leyball teams went without a home COVID-19’s proliferation in games when not hosting makeshift onds into the game, notching the the reason for his death. venue for the entirety of the 2019- March 2020 halted everything “home” contests. Fieldhouse’s first-ever basket and Traverse, a student in the Palumbo- 20 school year, hosting “home” at once, sending college students The women’s volleyball team, giving Duquesne a lead it would Donahue School of Business, had a games at nearby locales including across the country home. The plug which typically competes during never relinquish. years-long passion for the stock mar- PPG Paints Arena, Robert Morris was pulled on collegiate athletics, the fall, bided time in prepara- Fifty students were permitted ket and trading, according to Hastings University, La Roche University cancelling March Madness and tion for its season that will begin to attend Tuesday’s grand open- a student at Kutztown University. The and various area high schools. stopping spring sports just as they next week (the Atlantic 10 moved ing, plus some players’ family two spent many afternoons watching After all, the Cooper Fieldhouse began. Arena construction, natu- some fall sports, including vol- and friends. In all, 212 people at- the market and discussing potential — located on the site of the old rally, was put on hold. leyball, to spring). tended the arena’s long-awaited profitable stocks, Hastings said. A.J. Palumbo Center — was origi- The building’s assembly re- Sheesh, talk about good timing. christening. “He was a great guy,” he said. “He nally slated to open in time for the sumed in May following a nearly The Fieldhouse — named after The truth, though? always tried to make the best out of a teams’ prospective 2020-21 sea- two-month-long hiatus, but even 1950 Duquesne graduate Chuck The truth is Duquesne waited a situation.” sons. One year away from campus then, the construction team faced Cooper, who was both the first hell of a lot longer than 22 months in exchange for a revitalized gym “logistical challenges” once it re- Black man to play in a college bas- see MEMORIAL— page 2 seemed like a fair trade for all par- turned to work. ketball game south of the Mason- see ARENA— page 7 2 POLICE briefs Lucas Traverse, as remembered by There was only one crime report- his childhood best friend ed from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2. When Hastings and his circle of On Jan. 29, a Duquesne po- from MEMORIAL— page 1 friends did not hear from Traverse for several hours on Saturday, the lice officer observed a tan SUV Hastings met Traverse back in “burn tire” up Locust Street from group began to fear something middle school, while the two were McAnulty. Half way up Locust had happened to their friend. growing up in Chalfont, Pennsyl- Street, the driver of the vehicle Hastings recalled the moment an- vania. Despite living just one street stopped and asked a passing other friend called him and said apart for the majority of their lives, female student if he could get “We found out the worst.” they did not meet until their pre-teen marijuana off of her. The officer Although Hastings was deep- followed the driver down Lo- years. Hastings was drawn to Tra- ly saddened by the loss of his cust Street where he observed verse’s “extremely outgoing” person- friend, he expressed a need to the driver fail to stop at the stop ality, and the two formed a close bond help the Traverse family in any sign at Lower Magee and Locust that continued through high school way possible. Street. The officer conducted a and college. As a result, Hastings started traffic stop where he confiscated “He loved to make people feel hap- a GoFundMe campaign to help two pipes containing a small py,” Hastings said. raise money for funeral arrange- amount of burnt marijuana. The Along with their shared passions for ments for the Traverse family. driver was cited for the stop sign entrepreneurship and the stock mar- “Whether there is a funeral or violation and the paraphernalia. ket, the two bonded over their love of not, there will be a cost to bury- He was also issued a defiant tres- sports, frequently cheering each other ing your son,” Hastings said. “It’s pass warning. on in their respective games through just not fair to the family.” high school: football for Hastings and Since launching the campaign Lucas Traverse lacrosse for Traverse. on Saturday, Hastings has raised Memorial Events Hastings recalled a long-treasured nearly $30,000, almost triple his moment between himself and Tra- initial goal of $10,000. And dona- verse. When the two were in high tions continue to pour in. Hast- Thursday Feb. 4- 12 p.m.- school, Hastings was playing a foot- ings noted that Duquesne’s Greek Private, in-person mass for ball game while Traverse sat and Life community has been among family and the brothers of cheered him on in the stands. Part- the most generous and supportive Sigma Tau Gamma, others way through the game, Hastings was during this difficult time. can attend virtually injured and could not continue to “It just shows you how much he was loved,” Hastings said. Thursday Feb. 4- 1 p.m.- play. He remembered feeling “beat- Duquesne mourns the loss of Lucas Traverse, a sophomore business student, after he died suddenly on Saturday morning. Candlelight vigil and prayer service on Academic Walk, the mass will be limited to family counseling stations available members and fellow fraternity mem- bers. However, students and faculty Saturday, Feb. 6 12 p.m.- may attend the mass and prayer ser- Funeral sercice for friends vice virtually. and family at St. Jude “Thank you for all the donations Church in Chalfont, Penn. and support. It’s all for his fam- ily. And please just keep praying for them,” Hastings said in gratitude to the Duquesne community. JOIN THE DUKE! In addition to Traverse’s on-campus memorial, his family will also receive SCAN HERE If you’re interested, email thed- friends and family this coming Satur- [email protected] or stop by our day from 10:30 a.m. until his funeral GoFundMe page for the newsroom located in the basement service at noon in St. Jude Church in Lucas Traverse Fund. The of College Hall (Room 113). his hometown of Chalfont, PA. money raised will go to “It’s just not going to be the same, all funeral arrangements for Lucas Traverse (far left) seen with his childhood friends. Hastings said the two of us — together — and he’s not going the family frequently could be seen with a large group of friends from the neighborhood. to be there with us,” Hastings said. T h e S t y o t r up” and “upset.” After the game, Traverse, a brother of Sigma Tau i i n e u BLACK s Traverse called Hastings and Gamma, will be missed greatly by the m o gave him a pep talk.