PHILADELPHIA, PA. 2/11/2020 – The Saint Joseph’s Hawks came into the game looking to snap their losing streak. They met the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure who were trending the opposite way. It is a simple game at times. It is decided by who makes the most baskets, and the game in its present form is tilted by making more three-point shots.
That fell in favor of the Bonnies, especially in the second half who extend their winning streak to five games with a 74 – 56 win over the Hawks at the Hagan Arena. St. Bonaventure made 13 of 31 from beyond the arch where Saint Joe’s converted 6 of 28.
“They made more threes and that’s where the game is played today,” said Saint Joseph’s Coach Billy Lange. “We knew that coming in. We have to make more threes.”
“The winning and losing is attached to threes and they shot the ball well and we didn’t.”
Despite the disparity the Hawks led 34 – 31 at halftime. In the second half the Bonnies seven of their first nine baskets were from three-point range. SJU tried to answer with Ryan Daly getting the first seven Hawk points despite playing on a tender ankle.
“I got out to a hot start in the second half,” said Daly. “It didn’t hamper me at all once I got it loosened up.”
Then a dry spell set in for Saint Joe’s. From Daly’s last basket of the game at the 16:10 mark that cut the deficit to 46 – 42, over the next eight plus minutes the Hawks would score 7 points and trailed 62 – 49, and SJU could get no closer. The hosts could not overcome that run.
‘We needed to rebound the ball better,” Daly said. “That was a key to the game. They had a stretch where they had four consecutive offensive rebounds. You always pay when you give up offensive rebounds. That’s an effort thing.”
St. Bona won the battle of the boards 38 – 30.
Daly scored a game-high 21 points making 6 of 17 from the field and was 3 of 8 from distance. Myles Douglas had 10 points, all in the first half. Daly added 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Tolliver Freeman took down a career-high tying 7 rebounds. The SJU total of 56 points was their second lowest offensive output this season.
The Bonnies had two players get 20 points. Justin Winston had a season-high tying 4 made three-pointers as did Kyle Loftin who set his season-mark at that number. Osun Osunniyi scored 12 points and had 12 caroms.
The Hawks look to snap their six-game losing streak when they travel to Rhode Island who is in second place in the league. Saint Joe’s wants their first win in conference.
“We’re searching,” said Lange. “We’re here and we want to win. Everybody that is associated with this basketball program is in the moment.”
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
Be the first to comment