Game Info: Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Gentile Arena - Chicagoi, Ill.
TV: CBSSN | Listen: sjuhawks.com | Live Stats: sjuhawks.com | Saint Joseph's Game Notes | Loyola Chicago Game Notes

Social Media
Twitter/X:@sjuhawks_mbb | Instagram:@sjuhawks_mbb


Opening Tip
The Saint Joseph's men's basketball team plays its third road contest in four games, heading to the Windy City, taking on Loyola Chicago. Tipoff from Gentile Arena is slated for 2:00 p.m. ET with the game on CBSSN.

We're Halfway There    
Saturday's game marks the midway point in the A-10 schedule for St. Joe's. At 4-4, the Hawks have the same record through eight games as they did last season when it went on to a 9-9 conference record and a berth in the NIT. SJU is one of five teams tied for fourth place at 4-4 in the conference. The top four teams in the A-10 earn a bye into the conference tournament quarterfinals.

Keeping It 100    
With his scoring output against Duquesne, Erik Reynolds II posted his 98th career game in double digit scoring. With two more such contests, he would become the 10th active player to reach 10+ points in 100 career games. Along with Tucker DeVries of West Virginia, he would be one of two on that list to accomplish the feat in four seasons.

Closing In    
With his 20 point effort against Duquesne, Reynolds now has moving him to 1,948 for his career. He is 16th among active Division I players in career scoring. Reynolds now stands 37 points behind Bernard Blunt (1990-95) and 43 away from Langston Galloway (2011-14) on the Hawks' all-time scoring list. The senior also delivered two three-pointers versus the Dukes, giving him 314 in his career, good for a tie with LJ Cryer of Houston for ninth among active players. With those 314 career treys, he is 29 away from matching Galloway's program standard.

Swiping Left
Justice Ajogbor made quick work of extending his consecutive game multiple block streak, recording two in a matter of five minutes against Duquesne on Wednesday, on his way to a season-high tying four against the Dukes In the span he is averaging 3.0 rejections a contest. The stretch has moved him to third in the A-10 and 22nd nationally at 2.0 blocks a game overall. The Benin City, Nigeria native now has multiple blocks in 10 straight games and has achieved the feat 13 times this season. Since 2002-03, only six other St. Joe's players have had 13 or more games with multiple blocks in a season. 

Rambling Past The Ramblers    
Xzayvier Brown has seen his share of success against Loyola Chicago during the course of his career. The sophomore is averaging 20.7 points per game and shooting better than 50 percent from the field against the Ramblers. He posted a career-high 29 against Loyola on February 14 last season. Erik Reynolds II has also enjoyed success, posting 17.8 points per game against LUC.

Charitable Efforts    
Free throws haven't been a major part of the Hawk offense this season, ranking ninth in the A-10 at 13.9 makes per game. Against Duquesne, SJU more than doubled that, hitting 29 at the stripe. It nearly doubled its season average for attempts as well of 18.6, shooting 35 times. St. Joe's excelled down the stretch, connecting on 13-of-14 at the free throw line in the final 2:14. The 29 makes are the most in a game since knocking down 36 against Illinois-Chicago on November 28, 2018.

Staying Inside    
The elevated number of points from the line helped the Hawks counter taking a season-low in three-point attempts. SJU shot just 16 treys against Duquesne, matching its number against American on December 18. It is only the third time this season in 21 contests St. Joe's attempted less than 22 threes in a game.

SPF 4-0    
Day games have been good to Saint Joseph's this season with a 4-0 record in games tipping off before 5:00 p.m. local time. The average margin of victory for the Hawks in those day games is 18.5. SJU plays three more in the sunshine following Saturday, with games at George Mason, Fordham, and La Salle and home game against Richmond all with earlier tipoffs.

Scouting Report    
Loyola Chicago enters play 12-8 overall and is 3-4 in the Atlantic 10 following a 58-53 overtime setback against conference leader George Mason on Wednesday. It has been a tough patch for the Ramblers who are 3-7 following a 9-1 start to the year

Leading the offense for Loyola is Des Watson at 12.2 points per game with Sheldon Edwards Jr. close behind at 12.0. Jayden Dawson rounds out a trio of double figure scorers at 11.8 a contest. Francis Nwaokorie tops the team with 5.7 rebounds an outing. Watson has 56 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 16.0. They also protect the rim well, ranking fifth in the conference at 4.2 blocks a contest.

Turnovers have been a big part of Loyola's season, both in a good and bad way. It is third in the Atlantic 10, forcing 13.5 opponent miscues a night. It is also 11th in the A-10 in giveaways, turning it over 12.6 times an outing. Free throw shooting has also posed an issue, with LUC connecting on just 66.1 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 10th all-time meeting between the Hawks and Ramblers with SJU holding a 6-3 series edge. St. Joe's snapped a two-game skid against Loyola with its win on January 11. Saint Joseph's is 1-2 at Gentile Arena.

Last Time Against Loyola Chicago    
Erik Reynolds II hit four three-pointers, including the 300th of his career as the hawks posted a season-high in points, toppling the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers 93-57 on January 11 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. St. Joe's connected on 18 treys in the game, its most since 2021. SJU dominated from the start, holding Loyola to 1-for-9 shooting in the first five minutes and built a 37-14 lead midway through the first half.

Wait, Since When???    
With their win on January 21, the Hawks claimed a victory more than half a century in the making. It had been an astonishing 54 years and five days since Saint Joesph's last won a game at Davidson. The Hawks most recent road victory at the Wildcats on January 16, 1971, an 85-84 victory at Johnston Gym. It was the first win at Belk Arena for the Hawks in nine tries.

Look Ma, I'm On TV!!    
Saturday is Saint Joseph's ninth of 14 appearances on national linear television this season. The Hawks appear on ESPN2 four times and ESPNU twice. SJU is also on CBS Sports Network four times and USA  four times. St. Joe's is 4-4 on national TV so far this year.

Up Next    
The Hawks are off from game action until Friday, February 7 when they host the Saint Louis Billikens at 9:00 p.m. The game is scheduled to air on ESPNU.