Duquesne's John Hugley IV put on a show at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, leading his team to an 87-81 win over Queens (NY). Hugley IV's impressive 27-point, 11-rebound performance was the difference-maker in a tightly contested matchup. The Dukes' forward was unstoppable, using his size and strength to score effortlessly in the paint and stretch the defense with his mid-range jumper.
Queens (NY)'s Yoav Berman tried to keep pace with Hugley IV, scoring 22 points and grabbing 5 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Dukes' balanced attack. Duquesne's Maximus Edwards added 16 points, while Jakub Necas chipped in with 12 points and 8 rebounds. The Royals' Nasir Mann and Chris Ashby also had notable performances, scoring 16 and 13 points, respectively, but their team's defensive struggles ultimately cost them the game.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Duquesne taking a 41-32 lead into the break. The Dukes' offense was clicking, with Hugley IV and Edwards combining for 24 points in the opening 20 minutes. Queens (NY) struggled to contain Duquesne's big men, allowing them to score easily in the paint and draw fouls.
In the second half, Queens (NY) made a push, outscoring Duquesne 41-32 to cut the deficit to 73-71 with just over 5 minutes remaining. However, Hugley IV took over, scoring 6 points in the final 3 minutes to seal the win for the Dukes. Duquesne's ability to close out the game was impressive, as they made several key stops on defense and converted their free throws to ice the victory.
This win is a Quadrant 4 victory for Duquesne, which may not significantly boost their tournament resume, but it's still an important win for a team looking to build momentum. For Queens (NY), this loss is a Quadrant 3 defeat, which won't hurt their resume too much, but it's still a missed opportunity to pick up a road win against a decent opponent. With a current net ranking of 197, Queens (NY) must string together some wins to improve their tournament chances. Duquesne, on the other hand, sits at 148, and while this win helps, they'll need to perform well in their upcoming games to make a serious push for the postseason.