Duquesne’s Former 6-foot-7 Forward Signs Professional Contract

Former Duquesne University men’s basketball forward Andrei Savrasov has signed a professional contract with BC Irkut Irkutsk, competing in the Russian Basketball Superleague 1 and the Russian Basketball Cup.

Savrasov is the fourth Dukes player to secure a pro deal this summer, joining former forward Tre Williams (QSTA United) and former guards Tevin Brewer (Kipinä Äänekoski) and Jimmy Clark III, who recently signed with Bnei Herzliya Basket in the Israeli Premier League.

During his only season at Duquesne in 2023-24 after transferring from Georgia Southern, Savrasov started 12 of the 20 games he played, averaging 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of 48.4% (45-for-93). He reached double figures in scoring four times, including a season-high 17 points in a narrow 69-67 victory over Bradley in Akron, Ohio. In that game, he shot 8-for-9 from the field while also contributing five rebounds and four steals.

The Dukes were 4-0 in games where Savrasov scored in double digits during the season. He recorded 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals in a 90-72 win against the College of Charleston during the Veterans Classic, scored 15 points in a 66-62 win over UC Irvine at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, and narrowly missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds in an 85-72 victory at Marshall.

Over five seasons at the NCAA Division I level, Savrasov accumulated 958 points, 546 rebounds, 50 blocks, and 92 steals. He played 21 games at Texas Tech in 2019-20 before transferring to Georgia Southern, where he played three seasons from 2020 to 2023, earning All-Sun Belt Second Team honors in his last year.

In addition to being the fourth Dukes player to turn professional this summer, Savrasov is the 16th athlete to enter the pro ranks under former head coach Keith Dambrot at Duquesne.

The Dukes will return two starters and nine letterwinners as head coach Dru Joyce III begins his first season in 2024-25. Last season, Duquesne finished with a record of 25-12 (.676), captured its first Atlantic 10 Championship since 1977, and achieved its first win in the NCAA Championship since 1969.