Game Info: Monday, November 3, 2025 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Hagan Arena - Hawk Hill, Philadelphia
Tickets | TV: ESPN+ | Listen: sjuhawks.com | Live Stats: sjuhawks.com | Saint Joseph's Game Notes | Lafayette Game Notes | Atlantic 10 Notes

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Opening Tip
The Saint Joseph's men's basketball team opens the 2025-26 season as the Hawks host the Lafayette Leopards on Monday, November 3. Tipoff from Hagan Arena is at 7:00 p.m. with the game on ESPN+.

A New Era    
Steve Donahue takes over as the head coach at Saint Joseph's. He is the 16th head coach in St. Joe's men's basketball history. Donahue comes to the Hawks with a long coaching resume of 23 years, including stops at Cornell, Boston College, and Penn. He is the 2010 winner of the Clair Bee Award, presented to the NCAA Division I men's basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contributions to his sport during the preceding year. He enters this season with 331 career wins.

More New Faces    
It is a much different roster than the one that took the floor for the NIT last season as St. Joe's brought in four transfers – Al Amadou (Marquette), Jaiden Glover-Toscano (St. John's), Deuce Jones II (La Salle), and Jaden Smith (Fordham). Jones was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year last season and averaged 14.3 points per game in conference play. Glover-Toscano and Smith were both four-star recruits coming out of high school. Amadou is a local product who starred at Chestnut Hill Academy. The Hawks are also without Erik Reynolds II (graduation) and Rasheer Fleming (NBA).

Some Things Remain The Same    
Despite the changes, SJU returns a core group of players who contributed to the roster in 2024-25. Leading the way are captains Anthony Finkley, Dasear Haskins, and Derek Simpson. Each of the captains appeared in all 35 games for the Hawks last season. Finkley started 13 contests and averaged 9.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.6 SPG when he was on the floor to open the game. He also ranked fifth in the A-10 in three-point percentage at 39.6. Simpson started 22 games and scored in double figures in 15 contests. He is the returning assist leader for SJU, averaging 3.6 per game last year. Haskins made the All-Rookie Team in the A-10 last season. He turned things up in the postseason, averaging 7.7 points per game during the Atlantic 10 Championship while shooting 9-13 from the floor in 17.3 minutes per contest. The Hawks also return Justice Ajogbor, who started all 35 games last year on his way to All-Defensive Team honors. The Benin City, Nigeria, native was fifth nationally with 86 blocks a year ago. Returning to the fold are Mekai Johnson, Will Lange, Billy Rayer and Steven Solano. The quartet combined to contribute 29 points and 34 rebounds in reserve roles. Kevin Kearney and Khaafiq Myers return after injuries in 2024-25.

For Starters    
The Hawks are 83-29 in season-opening games. St. Joe's has won its last two openers, beating Lafayette (2023) and Navy (2024). Saint Joseph's has won 32 consecutive games to start its season from 1950 through 1982.

Preseason Props    
Saint Joseph's placed two players on Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference teams. Deuce Jones II is a Preseason First Team selection, and Justice Ajogbor is a Preseason All-Defensive Team honoree. As a team, the Hawks were voted seventh in the preseason poll.

A First Look    
Fans got an initial look at Saint Joseph's in an exhibition game against Delaware on October 25. SJU came away with an 86-65 victory against the Blue Hens. Four players scored in double figures for the Hawks, led by 19 off the bench from Jaiden Glover-Toscano. Deuce Jones II scored 16 with Anthony Finkley adding 13. Austin Williford netted 10 in the contest and topped the team with seven rebounds. Jones dished five assists. As a team, St. Joe's had eight blocks and eight steals. Moving the ball more than in the past, SJU had 24 assists on 30 made baskets, an 80-percent assist rate.

Home Sweet Hagan    
Playing at home has been a positive thing for St. Joe's throughout the building's history with a .631 winning percentage. The last two seasons have been particularly good, going 27-8 (.771). The 27 victories are the most in a two-year stretch since the building was renovated and renamed Hagan Arena in 2009. The Hawks also went 8-1 in A-10 games at home in 2024-25. The eight conference wins at home are the most in a season since 2004-05 and the most ever in Hagan Arena/Alumni Fieldhouse.

20-20 Vision    
The Hawks went 22-13 last season. It was the 24th time in program history Saint Joseph's had won 20 or more games in a season. Combined with a 21-14 record in 2023-24, St. Joe's hit the mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2003-04 and 2004-05 when the team collected 30 and 24 victories, respectively. It was the eighth time that SJU has earned 20+ wins in back-to-back years.

Scouting Report    
Lafayette went 13-20 last season and finished seventh in the Patriot League with a 7-11 mark in conference. After defeating Holy Cross in the First Round of the PL tournament, the Leopards were edged out by second-seeded and eventual tournament champion, American, in the quarterfinals.

Sophomore Caleb Williams, who was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team a season ago, is the leading scorer among returnees for Lafayette, averaging 11.0 points per game. Andrew Phillips also comes back after posting 9.5 PPG last year. Phillips also pulled in 4.8 rebounds per contest. Mark Butler dished 3.0 assists per outing.

The Leopards did not put teams at the line much last year, averaging just 15.5 fouls per game, ranking 55th nationally. That helped to keep opposition scoring down as they were in the top 25 percent nationally, allowing 68.9 points per game.

Lafayette struggled defensively from beyond the arc, as it ranked eighth in the PL and 294th in NCAA Division I in three-point percentage defense at 35.3.

Mike McGarvey is entering his third full season and fourth overall as the head coach of the Leopards with a record of 26-44 in Easton. Prior to joining the Lafayette staff, he was the head coach at Division III Lycoming for four seasons, leading the Warriors to a No. 9 ranking in the D3Hoops poll during the 2017-18 season and a MAC Commonwealth tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2020.

All-Time Series    
Saint Joseph's holds a 36-9 all-time series lead against Lafayette in a series that dates back to 1930. The Hawks have won 13 of the last 14 against the Leopards and are 20-4 in games played in Philadelphia.

Last Time Against Lafayette    
St. Joe's opened its season with an 81-60 win against Lafayette on November 6, 2023.  Erik Reynolds II led the Hawks with 18 points while Rasheer Fleming scored 14 and pulled down four rebounds. Holding just a three-point lead at halftime, Saint Joseph's shot 55.1 percent in the second stanza to pull away.

Next Up    
Saint Joseph's begins Big 5 play on Saturday, November 8, as it hosts Drexel. Tipoff from Hagan Arena is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with the game to air on ESPN+.