PHILADELPHIA – Erik Reynolds II hit four three-pointers, including the 300th of his career as the Saint Joseph's men's basketball team posted a season-high in points, toppling the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers 93-57 in an A-10 matchup on Saturday afternoon.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Reynolds hit his milestone trey with 5:56 to go in the first half. He ended the game with 18 points, adding two assists and a block.
• He is the second player in program history to connect for 300 triples, joining Langston Galloway who hit 343 from 2011-14.
• Derek Simpson had a personal best in a Saint Joseph's uniform with 19 points, also contributing six rebounds and three assists.
• Xzayvier Brown led all scorers with 20. Rasheer Fleming tallied 14 with nine rebounds.
• Justice Ajogbor had seven points, seven rebounds, three steals and a season-high matching four blocks. He now has multiple blocks in six consecutive games and seven of eight.
• St. Joe's scored 53 points in the opening stanza, the second time this season it hit the mid-century mark in a half this year (50 vs. Virginia Tech). It is the most points in a period for SJU since posting 54 against Stonehill on November 14, 2023.
• The Hawks hit 18 three-pointers, a season-high and the most since also knocking down a dozen-and-a-half against Dayton on February 24, 2021.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Showing energy both from the court and the bench, the Hawks got off to a fantastic defensive open, holding Loyola to a 1-for-9 start from the floor, also forcing three turnovers as SJU grabbed a 9-2 lead less than five minutes in.
• Saint Joseph's continued to put its foot on the gas, using an 20-4 run for five minutes midway through the half to take a 37-14 lead with under eight minutes remaining in the half. Reynolds was key in the run, scoring 10 points as SJU shot 8-for-11 in the span.
• The onslaught continued through the remainder of the frame with the Hawks connecting on 61.3 percent of their shots overall (19-for-31) and going 10-for-18 from three-point range.
• Defensively, Saint Joseph's had seven blocks and five steals in the first half, leading to a 53-29 advantage at the break.
• Early in the second stanza, Loyola went on a 9-4 run, trimming the lead to 57-38.
• Saint Joseph's regrouped and commanded the remainder of the game, eventually pushing the lead as far out as 39 at 91-52 on Brown's final trey of the night.

 
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.