BRONX, N.Y. – Sophomore Shavar Newkirk and freshman Lamarr Kimble each set new career highs in scoring to lead the Saint Joseph's men's basketball team past Fordham, 82-60, at Rose Hill Gym on Saturday afternoon. Newkirk led all scorers with 17 points, while Kimble chipped in with 13 of his own.
Junior DeAndre' Bembry posted another double-double, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists on the day, while senior Isaiah Miles scored 13 points, all in the second half, to give the Hawks four double-digit scorers. Papa Ndao had nine points with three three-pointers in the first half, as well as a season-high four assists.
With the win, Saint Joseph's improved to 19-4 overall and 8-2 in the Atlantic 10. The Hawks also pushed their road record to 8-0 and remain the lone road unbeaten in Division I men's basketball.
Newkirk made the most of his homecoming to New York, connecting on 6-of-9 field goals, while making 3-for-4 from three-point range. Kimble hit 4-of-7 from the field, while making three three-pointers.
Leading 40-30 at halftime, the Hawks broke it open in the second half. After sitting out most of the first half with two fouls, Miles got the Hawks going in the second half, scoring 11 of their first 15 points, as SJU staked a 55-37 lead at 14:29.
The Hawks took their first 20-point lead of the game, 65-45, with over eight minutes to go on a three-pointer by Newkirk.
“I think confident shooting by Papa Ndao, Lamarr Kimble and Shavar , got us stabilized after a really poor start. We had three turnovers in the first four possessions and we don't turn the ball over like that. We have work to do,” said SJU coach Phil Martelli. “We targeted on being the only team in the country without a road loss and we want to stay on that. I thought the bench in the first half was the difference in getting us a 10 point lead.”
“Shavar was in a rhythm. I'm happier that he played at home (New York) better because that wasn't the case last year. All of this was result of work in summertime. When a kid can come home and play well, you feel good for him. I like the fact that he had no turnovers.”
SJU missed its first six shots of the game and trailed, 7-0, but Newkirk broke the scoreless string five minutes in with a three. Newkirk then hit two more baskets, with a layup by Bembry in between, to ignite a 13-2 run, giving SJU a 13-9 lead.
The Hawks increased it as Kimble connected on three three-pointers, with the third giving SJU a 27-15 lead with under five minutes to play. After a pair of free throws by Demery, Bembry dunked one in for SJU's biggest lead of the half, 34-18.
Fordham cut its deficit to 10 points thanks to 4-of-5 three-point shooting by Sengfelder, and the Hawks took a 40-30 lead at halftime.
After missing their first six shots, the Hawks hit 14-of-20 from the field in the half and made 8-of-13 from three-point range.
Saint Joseph's goes on the road for the second straight game when it visits George Washington on Wednesday. The contest will be televised on The Comcast Network.
