PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Purdue Fort Wayne and Duquesne will meet in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game on Tuesday at A.J. Palumbo Center. Purdue Fort Wayne will be the visiting team, and Duquesne will be the home team. Both programs enter the contest with 0-0 records, giving each side a clean starting point as it opens the schedule.

Purdue Fort Wayne, known as the Mastodons, will look to begin the season with a road result. The Mastodons’ most recent result was a 64-56 loss at Green Bay. Purdue Fort Wayne will try to establish pace early and create scoring chances against a Duquesne defense that will be working to settle in at home. The Mastodons will also aim to limit turnovers and make the most of their possessions at A.J. Palumbo Center.

Duquesne, nicknamed the Dukes, will counter with home-court advantage in Pittsburgh. The Dukes’ most recent result was a 71-66 loss at VCU. Duquesne will seek a more productive start in its opener and will try to use its home setting to build confidence. The Dukes will look to control the glass and apply pressure on both ends while working through their early-season rotation. Duquesne will also try to create second-chance points and force turnovers.

The matchup gives both teams an early opportunity to establish identity. Purdue Fort Wayne will try to use its road experience and transition opportunities, while Duquesne will lean on the comfort of playing at home. With both teams at 0-0, the game is a chance to set a tone before the schedule thickens. The Mastodons will aim to stay compact defensively and challenge Duquesne’s half-court sets. The Dukes will look to generate energy from the home crowd and string together productive stretches. Both teams will also use the game as a measuring point before a busy stretch of nonconference matchups. The early-season meeting should offer a useful look at each team’s rotation and depth.

Purdue Fort Wayne’s upcoming schedule includes a home game against Albion, followed by home contests against Western Michigan and Calumet Col. and road games at Eastern Illinois, Bradley, Southeast Missouri State and Xavier. Duquesne’s schedule features home games against Central St. (OH), Washington State, Binghamton, Howard, South Carolina State, Canisius and Delaware, along with games against Wyoming and High Point in Daytona Beach, Fla., and a road game at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh, Pa. Those matchups will give both teams chances to build early-season momentum after the game.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Duquesne 83, Purdue Fort Wayne 78.