Game Info: Saturday, December 7, 2024 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, Pa.
TV: NBCSP+ | Listen: sjuhawks.com | Live Stats: sjuhawks.com | Saint Joseph's Game Notes | La Salle Game Notes | Tickets

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Opening Tip
The Saint Joseph's men's basketball team plays for its 22nd outright Big 5 championship when it takes on the La Salle Explorers on Saturday, December 7 at the Wells Fargo Center. Tipoff for the Toyota Big 5 Classic is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Big 5 Title On The Line    
Saint Joseph's plays for its 22nd outright Big 5 title on Saturday evening. The Hawks are in the Toyota Big 5 Classic championship game for the second consecutive year. Because the two schools are conference opponents, the championship game is the only way that St. Joe's and La Salle can compete in the Big 5 Classic.

Increased Offense    
Rasheer Fleming exceeded the 20-point mark for the first time this season against Princeton. It was his third career game with 20+. He had 22 against Temple in the Big 5 Classic championship game last season. Later in the year, he set his previous personal best with 23 against Davidson. The junior from Camden, N.J. has improved his  overall numbers from a season ago, averaging 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, up from 10.7 and 7.4 in 2023-24. The shooting numbers are up as well as Fleming is connecting on 56.4 percent of his shots from the floor and 40.6 percent of his attempts beyond the arc.

Double Trouble (Part I)    
Xzayvier Brown recorded his second double-double of the season and third of his career against the Tigers with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Earlier this year, he had 18 points and 13 assists against Villanova. His first double-double came with 13 points and 10 dimes at Seton Hall in the 2024 Postseason NIT. Tuesday was his first double-double with points and rebounds. His previous personal best in boards was seven, which he did four times, most recently against Texas Tech at the UKG Legends Classic.

Double Trouble (Part II)    
Brown's consistency this season has also been on display as he is the only Hawk to score in double figures in all eight games. Dating to last year, he has scored 10+ points in nine consecutive contests. His previous long streak was six straight double digit games, from January 3-23 and February 21-March 13, 2024.

Who's Next?    
Against Princeton, Erik Reynolds II continued to move up the career charts for the Hawks in scoring and three-pointers made. By tallying seven against the Tigers, he stands at 1,731 points for his career and moved up four spots on the leaderboard, climbing to seventh. Norman Black (1975-79) and Maurice Martin (1982-86) are now tied for tenth at 1,726. Cliff Anderson (1964-67) is at 1,728 and Tony Costner (1980-84) is at 1,730. Next up is Craig Amos (1988-92) who scored 1,735. The top-five begins with Ahmad Nivens (2005-09) with 1,789. Reynolds II enters the La Salle game 14 three-pointers behind Pat Carroll (294 - 2001-05) for second and is 20 away from becoming just the second ever SJU men's basketball player with 300 or more threes. Langston Galloway (2010-14) owns that distinction at 343.

Get Us To 70    
The Hawks are 5-0 this season in games where they score 70 or more points this season, topping out at a season-high of 86 at Penn on November 15. St. Joe's is 0-3 when scoring 69 points or less in 2024-25.

Fresh Faces    
Dasear Haskins followed up his 15-point, four rebound performance against Coppin State by scoring six with a career-best six boards against Princeton. The Willingboro, N.J. native is averaging 10.5 points and 5.0 caroms a contest in his last two games, shooting 69.2 percent (9-for-13) from the floor. For his game against Coppin State, Haskins was named the A-10 Rookie of the Week.

Swiping Left    
It's been a block party this season for SJU and all opponents are invited. St. Joe's is averaging 5.5 rejections per game this season. That total is second in the Atlantic 10 and 21st in NCAA Division I. It is the most for the program since the 2012-13 squad recorded 5.7 swats a game, led by 82 from C.J. Aiken. The Hawks rejected 12 Coppin State shots on November 26, a season-high. Both Rasheer Fleming (5) and Erik Reynolds II (4) recorded career highs in blocks. Justice Ajogbor, Anthony Finkley and Shawn Simmons II each had one. St. Joe's was also in double figures in the season-opener against Navy, turning aside 11 attempts. Prior to the game against the Midshipmen, SJU had not blocked 10 or more shots in a game since January 12, 2013 against Duquesne.

Scouting report    
La Salle enters play 6-3 overall and is coming off an 82-68 loss at Northeastern its last time out. The Explorers earned their spot in the Big 5 Classic championship game with pod wins at Drexel and at home against Temple.

Graduate transfer Corey McKeithan leads the offense at 19.2 points per game. Two other players score in double figures with Jahlil White posting 11.8 a contest and Daeshon Shepherd scoring 11.7. Demetrius Lilley tops the team at 7.8 rebounds per game. McKeithan has 28 assists.

La Salle has made good use of the transfer portal as McKeithan (Rider), White (Temple) and Mac Ettienne (UCLA/DePaul) have combined for 45.3 percent of the Explorers scoring and 35.9 percent of the team's rebounds.

The team will give up its share of points, ranking in 13th in the A-10 in points allowed per game at 73.2. Opponents are also shooting 43.6 percent against La Salle, ranking 12th in the conference.

One of the most revered coaches in college basketball history, Fran Dunphy is in his third season as the head coach of his alma mater and his 30th year as a collegiate mentor overall. He enters Saturday with 617 career wins and is one of 46 men's basketball coaches with more than 600 victories at the Division I level.

All-Time Series
The Hawks hold a 71-58 series advantage against the Explorers. 129 matchups between SJU and La Salle are the second most in St. Joe's history behind 165 games against Temple. The Explorers are Saint Joseph's oldest opponent, as the teams met in the second ever game in SJU program history in 1909.

Last Time Against La Salle    
Four players scored in double figures and the Hawks erased a six-point halftime deficit to defeat La Salle 88-82 on February 3, 2024. Erik Reynolds II topped the Hawks with 21 points. Lynn Greer III had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Rasheer Fleming posted 17 points and nine boards while Christ Essandoko tallied 16. SJU won the game at the line, going 26-for-33 at the charity stripe including 21 made second half free throws.

Third Time Is The Charm
By playing in the Big 5 Classic championship game,  Saint Joseph's and La Salle will compete three times this season. It is just the third time in 115 years the two schools have been playing each other that the Hawks and Explorers will play three times in a season, all of them coming since 2020-21. In both 2021 and 2022, the teams played two regular season games and once in the A-10 Tournament.

Throwing It Down
The Hawks have 29 dunks this season, an average of 3.63 per game. Rasheer Fleming has 12 of those rim rockers, accounting for 41.4 percent.

Up Next    
The Hawks are back in action on Tuesday, December 10 when they host the College of Charleston. Tipoff from Hagan Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.