Saint Joseph's delivered a resounding 85-64 victory over Loyola University Chicago at Gentile Arena, led by a stellar performance from Austin Williford. The Hawks' forward tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds, pacing his team to a decisive win. Loyola Chicago's Joshua Ola-Joseph was a bright spot for the Ramblers, contributing 13 points and 7 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to stem the tide of Saint Joseph's onslaught.
The Hawks stormed out of the gates, building a commanding 51-24 lead by halftime. Saint Joseph's shot a scorching 58% from the field in the first half, with Williford and Jaiden Glover-Toscano combining for 23 points. The Ramblers, meanwhile, struggled to find their footing, hitting just 9 of 31 field goal attempts. Derek Simpson, Saint Joseph's point guard, orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out 10 assists to go along with his 15 points.
In the second half, Loyola Chicago showed some signs of life, outscoring Saint Joseph's 40-34. However, the deficit proved too great to overcome, and the Hawks cruised to a 21-point win. The Ramblers' Deywilk Tavarez and Xavier Amos chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively, but their efforts were ultimately overshadowed by the Hawks' balanced attack.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
CHD Scout's pre-game prediction had Saint Joseph's emerging victorious by 4.6 points, but the actual margin of victory far exceeded that projection. The convincing win serves as a reflection of the Hawks' depth and resilience, as they improved their record to 13-8.
This contest was classified as a Quadrant 4 game for both teams, with Loyola Chicago's net ranking sitting at 317 and Saint Joseph's at 182. While the win doesn't significantly bolster the Hawks' tournament resume, it does help to avoid a potentially damaging loss. For Loyola Chicago, the defeat drops their record to 5-17, making their already-steep climb to postseason contention even more daunting.
As the season enters its critical stretch, Saint Joseph's want to build on this momentum, leveraging their strong team play and individual talents like Williford's to make a push for a tournament bid. With this win, the Hawks reinforce their position as a formidable mid-major program, capable of dominating lesser opponents on the road. The loss, on the other hand, underscores the challenges facing Loyola Chicago as they strive to regain their footing in the college basketball landscape.