PHILADELPHIA –
Khaafiq Myers scored 30 points, becoming the first Saint Joseph's player to reach the mark since March 2024, as the Hawks rallied for an 83-77 Big 5 win against the Penn Quakers on Saturday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hawks started on fire as a pair of threes and a dunk put SJU up 8-0, forcing a Penn timeout four minutes into the game. The breather helped the Quakers, who ripped off a 19-5 run.
- St. Joe's came back to take a 20-19 lead, but buoyed by seven first-half three-pointers, Penn took a 41-37 lead at halftime.
- The Quakers increased their advantage to 50-41 four minutes into the second half. From there, Myers took over, scoring eight of the Hawks' points in an 11-5 run that cut the deficit to 55-52 in just two-and-a-half minutes.
- Continuing the charge, SJU took the lead as back-to-back triples from Myers and BJ Ranson moved Saint Joseph's on top, 58-55 with 11:43 to play. Penn tied the game at 58-58, but Myers scored on a driving layup to ignite an 18-7 run that nearly put the game out of reach.
- Not going down easily, the Quakers got the lead down to 78-76, but Myers scored the last five points for St. Joe's, beginning with a layup and then hitting 3-of-4 at the line to seal the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Myers is the first Saint Joseph's player to score 30 or more points since Erik Reynolds II netted 30 against Richmond in the quarterfinals of the A10 Tournament on March 14, 2024. His seven assists also marked a career high.
- Ranson scored 17 points, shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, and added two steals.
- Jaiden Glover-Toscano scored eight points and pulled in a team-high eight rebounds.
- Mekai Johnson had personal bests with seven rebounds and three assists, while also blocking his first shot of the season.
- St. Joe's turned the ball over just one time in the second half and did not give it up for the final 13:55.
UP NEXT
The Hawks continue their homestand, hosting the Wagner Seahawks on Tuesday, November 17. Tipoff from Hagan Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
