Game Info: Saturday, January 11, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Hagan Arena - Philadelphia, Pa.
Tickets |  TV: CBS Sports Network | Listen: sjuhawks.com | Live Stats: sjuhawks.com | Saint Joseph's Game Notes | Loyola Chicago Game Notes

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Opening Tip
The Saint Joseph's men's basketball team returns to Hagan Arena where it hosts a nationally televised game against the Loyola Chicago Ramblers on Saturday, January 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on CBSSN.

A Double Double-Double    
Saint Joseph's had some individual standout performances at Duquesne with both Rasheer Fleming (20 pts, 10 reb) and Xzayvier Brown (17 pts, 10 ast) notching double-doubles. It was the sixth such game for Fleming and the third for Brown this year. For Brown, it is the second time in 2024-25 he achieved the feat in points and assists. He had 18 points and 13 helpers against Villanova on November 12. The game marked the first time since January 29, 2023 at George Mason that the Hawks had two players post double-doubles in the same game when Lynn Greer III (18 pts, 11 reb) and Ejike Obinna (15 pts, 12 reb) both did it.

Chairman Of The Boards    
As good as he has been previously, Rasheer Fleming has taken his rebounding to another level this season. The junior from Camden is second in the Atlantic 10 and 27th nationally at 9.1 boards per game. He has seven games this season with double digit rebounds, including two in a row and three of four. His 20 caroms against Texas are tied for the second most in the NCAA this season against a Division I opponent.

Seeing Double    
With seven games in double-figure rebounding, it should come as no surprise that Fleming has recorded his share of double-doubles this season. His six double-doubles in 2024-25 lead the A-10 and are 37th nationally. The 6-9 forward only had three such games in his first two seasons.

Noticing A Theme Yet?    
As we continue with the trend in this set of notes about player achieving double digits in a statistical category, Xayvier Brown added to his total of double figure scoring games with 17 points at Duquesne. Brown is the only Hawk to have netted 10+ points in each game he has played this season. Despite missing three games at the end of the non-conference slate, he is still tied for the team lead in that category with Rasheer Fleming at 13.

All Rise    
In his first season with the Hawks, Justice Ajogbor has made his presence felt, particularly in recent games. In his last four contests, Ajogbor is averaging 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, also blocking 2.3 shots an outing. Those numbers are up from 4.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 1.3 BPG in the first 12 games of the season. The graduate student from Benin City, Nigeria had his first game in double figure scoring for SJU at Duquesne, netting 10 along with six rebounds and two blocks. Prior to that, his game against UMass was his best yet in a Saint Joseph's uniform, coming up one point shy of his first career double-double, setting season-highs with nine points and 10 rebounds. He is also fifth in the A-10 and 56th in NCAA Division I with 25 total blocks for the year. As Ajogbor's overall play has improved, so has his block total as he has multiple rejections in five consecutive games, totaling 13 overall in the span, including a season-high four against Virginia Tech on December 21.

Distribution Center    
Saturday features the top-two teams in the A-10 in assists per game. The Hawks lead the way at 16.4 a night. The Ramblers are hot on their heels at 16.3. Both schools rank in the top-65 nationally in APG. Saint Joseph's has seven games this year with 19 or more dimes while Loyola has six. Both teams have at least four games with 20+ assists.

Scouting Report    
Loyola Chicago enters play 10-5 overall and is 1-1 in the Atlantic 10 following a 79-68 win against La Salle on Wednesday. It has been a tough patch for the Ramblers who have lost four of five following a 9-1 start to the year

Leading the offense for Loyola is Jayden Dawson at 12.6 points per game. Sheldon Edwards Jr. and Des Watson are close behind at 12.3 and 11.8 a contest, respectively. Francis Nwaokorie tops the team with 6.1 rebounds an outing. Justin Moore has 48 assists.

The Ramblers have done an excellent job of sharing the ball this season, ranking second in the A-10 in assists per game at 16.3. They also protect the rim well, ranking fourth in the conference at 4.1 blocks a contest.

Turnovers have been a big part of Loyola's season, both in a good and bad way. It is second in the Atlantic 10, forcing 14.9 opponent miscues a night. It is also 12th in the A-10 in giveaways, turning it over 12.3 times an outing. Free throw shooting has also posed an issue, with LUC connecting on just 66.0 percent of shots from the stripe.

Drew Valentine is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Ramblers with a record of 68-44. He was an assistant coach on Loyola's Final Four team in 2018.

All-Time Series    
Saturday is the ninth ever matchup between the Hawks and Ramblers. Saint Joseph's holds a 5-3 series edge. SJU won five of the first six contests, but Loyola claimed both games last year.

Last Time Against Loyola Chicago    
Xzayvier Brown scored a career-high 29 points, but the Hawks fell to the Ramblers on the road, 64-59 on February 14, 2024. Brown also led SJU with seven rebounds and recorded his first career block. Erik Reynolds II was also in double figures with 12. Loyola came out hot in the second half and built a nine-point lead at the 9:30 mark before St. Joe's battled back to 58-56 on a free throw by Reynolds with 15 seconds remaining. The Ramblers went 6-for-6 at the line in the final 10 seconds to seal the win.

And Then There Were Three    
With his first basket of the night at Saint Louis, a three-pointer with 15:22 remaining in the first half, moved Erik Reynolds II into sole possession of fourth place on the Saint Joseph's career scoring list. He enters the contest against the Ramblers with 1,860 points. Bernard Blunt (1990-95) is in third at 1,985. Reynolds also comes into the game against Loyola with 297 career threes and needs just three more to become the second ever Hawk with 300 career treys. Langston Galloway (2011-14) knocked down 343 triples in his SJU career.

Up Next    
The Hawks remain at home to face the VCU Rams on Friday, January 17. Tipoff from Hagan Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with the game to be broadcast on ESPNU.