After serving a six-game suspension for what Duquesne men’s basketball coach Dru Joyce III simply described as a “coach’s decision,” John Hugley IV returned to the Dukes lineup Tuesday night against Dayton at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
The enigmatic senior forward, Duquesne’s second-leading scorer and rebounder, was a starter in the team’s first 10 games but came off the bench against Dayton to score three points and grab two rebounds in 10 minutes in Duquesne’s 71-65 loss to the Flyers.
Earlier Tuesday, a Duquesne athletics department spokesman clarified the reason for the suspension, saying Hugley was in “violation of team rules and standards of the program.”
Joyce said the team is ready to help Hugley’s transition back to Duquesne’s campus in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood in whatever way possible.
“For John, it’s about growth. How is he growing as an individual?” Joyce said. “It’s not about basketball. Basketball will take care of itself if he continues to grow as a young man. That’s the most important thing. And the love and support that John gets from his teammates and staff is important as he’s going through that process.”
The 6-foot-10, 265-pound Hugley, who has played for three other Division I programs, including Pitt, was suspended by Joyce after a Dec. 10 loss at Boise State.
Joyce has declined to discuss a specific reason for the suspension.
According to Duquesne, Hugley was permitted to return to the team “after showing growth in those areas (of concern).”
Hugley, who was averaging 15.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, resumed practicing following the Dukes’ 93-80 home loss to VCU on Saturday.
“He’s fighting, which is what anyone in this room has to do every day.” Joyce told reporters in a postgame interview Tuesday night. “We’ve got to fight. We’ve got to stand on two feet and see if we can make it through this day. And that’s what he’s doing. He’s just got to continue to put forth the fight, and he has a supporting cast to help him with anything he needs.”
A former all-ACC honorable mention as a sophomore at Pitt, Hugley has scored 20 points or more four times this season for Duquesne (9-8, 1-3 Atlantic 10).
His college playing career, which also includes one season each at Oklahoma and Xavier, has been marred by personal, legal and injury matters.
He told TribLive in July 2025 that he was excited to join Duquesne’s program.
“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, an Akron, Ohio, native, and Hugley have been acquainted since Hugley’s high school days at Lyndhurst (Ohio) Brush.
Upon Hugley’s arrival at Duquesne last summer, Joyce told TribLive he was excited to see what would unfold.
“It’s huge having John here,” Joyce said at the time. “His experience is something I can’t take credit for. 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). He comes from that stock of seeing basketball played at a high level, and it does wonders for our team.”
