Duquesne’s final nonconference basketball game came and went Saturday at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse without a glimpse of the Dukes’ second-leading scorer and rebounder for a third consecutive game.
John Hugley IV, where are you?
“No comment to that,” Duquesne coach Dru Joyce III said following the Dukes’ 99-49 rout of NAIA opponent Cleary.
Hugley, the former Pitt star who was an all-ACC honorable mention as a sophomore with the Panthers, was still listed on Duquesne’s roster when the Dukes (8-5) turned their attention to Tuesday night’s Atlantic 10 opener at Davidson.
With the Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, a Charlotte, N.C., native and arguably the school’s most famous alum, set to be honored at Davidson’s Belk Arena, Duquesne was hoping to keep its focus.
“I don’t think we’ve beaten Davidson in five or more years,” Duquesne’s Jake DiMichele said. “That’s all the motivation we need.”
In fact, the Dukes haven’t beaten the Wildcats since a 71-64 victory in January 2020, a span of six games.
Picked to finish ninth in the A-10, Duquesne will be trying to spoil Davidson’s recognition of the state’s renaming of Interstate 77’s Exit 30 in Davidson as Stephen Curry Interchange.
Curry, the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, wears the No. 30 jersey for the Warriors.
“He’s a great player. I enjoy watching him play,” Joyce said. “I’m excited that they’re celebrating him. It’s well-deserved. At the end of the day, we’re there to play a basketball game. They don’t have us as part of the celebration, and so, we feel uninvited.”
Jimmie Williams scored 16 points to lead five Duquesne players in double figures against Cleary (5-8), which was facing its third Division I team. The Cougars also lost to Detroit Mercy, 92-54, and Eastern Michigan, 86-48.
Jakub Necas added his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Duquesne. DiMichele, the former Our Lady of the Sacred Heart star who missed most of last season and a portion of this year while battling a foot injury that required surgery in the offseason, and Stef van Bussel also scored 11 points each for the Dukes.
David Dixon, whose highlight reel dunk against Canisius registered as the ESPN’s No. 1 play on its Monday night “SportsCenter” telecast, finished with 10.
The Dukes, facing Cleary in just one of three Division I games during an unusually light Saturday schedule, nearly topped the century mark for a second consecutive time and third time this season after rolling past Canisius, 103-59, and defeating Division II Central State (Ohio), 101-80, on Nov. 26, both at “The Coop.”
Now, the games take on more meaning.
“What we wanted to focus on (against Cleary) was implementing our habits,” Joyce said. “Can we do the things we work on every day in practice? Outcome, score have nothing to do with it. Can we make sure we establish who we are defensively, how we want to play offensively? That’s not only the attack in a game like tonight, but every day.”
The victory improved Duquesne’s record this season to 8-1 at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, where the Dukes are averaging 91.1 points and shooting 52.6%.
Duquesne was ranked fourth in the A-10 in scoring offense (86.3 ppg.) and second in the conference and 27th in Division I in field goal percentage (50.5).
“We know (the nonconference) is a buildup until we get to the A-10,” Joyce said. “There’s no forgiveness when you get into conference play. We want to be ready for any challenges that come our way because there’s going to be quite a few.”
Dixon nodded in agreement.
“Coach told us to treat this like any other game,” he said. “They came in here. They scheduled us. Play as hard as we can, play together, do the same things we’ve been doing.”
When the Dukes arrive at Davidson on Monday, they surely will feel a special vibe building around campus.
“Seeing a guy like Steph Curry is kind of awe-inspiring, but at the same time you are going against his team,” Dixon said. “It’d be a lot better for me since I haven’t beaten him in over three years to give them that ‘L.’ Especially while he’s there. That would make me feel really good. I can’t wait.”
Joyce’s brief response on Hugley’s status was in keeping with his tight-lipped approach since Hugley was benched two weeks ago for what Joyce said was a “coach’s decision.”
Hugley, who is averaging 15.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, hasn’t practiced with the team since.
Playing in his first season at Duquesne, where he’s already scored 20 points or more four times, including a season-high 27 against Queens, Hugley has seen his career derailed by personal, legal and injury matters.
He was not in uniform but was with the team in the Dukes’ 78-75 loss at Nevada on Dec. 13. He was not on the bench for Duquesne’s past two games, including Saturday.
The 6-foot-10, 265-pound senior, who played three seasons at Pitt and one each at Oklahoma and Xavier before coming to Duquesne, told TribLive in July that he was excited to join the Dukes.
“I love Pittsburgh. This is a second home for me,” Hugley said. “It’s just like my home in Cleveland. I want to come here to live one day. … Just happy to be here.”
Joyce, who was raised nearby in Akron, Ohio, enthusiastically welcomed Hugley to The Bluff upon his arrival this summer.
“It’s huge having John here. His experience is something I can’t take credit for,” Joyce told TribLive at the time. “He’s seen basketball at some high levels. He’s been coached by some great ones: Jeff Capel (Pitt), Porter Moser (Oklahoma), Sean Miller (Xavier). These guys have coached deep into March Madness. They’ve had No. 1-ranked teams at times. He comes from that stock of seeing basketball played at a high level, and it does wonders for our team.”
