FAIRFAX, VA. 2/22/2020 – The Saint Joseph’s Hawks hoped to build on their momentum started with the dramatic win over Davidson on Tuesday. It was a key game as the Hawks hoped to rise in the standings two games behind the George Mason Patriots. Saint Joe’s also had leading scorer and rebounder Ryan Daly back in the lineup after missing two games.
But the win streak would end as Mason wins 62 – 55 over Saint Joe’s at the Eagle Bank Arena.
Three point shooting was a factor as Saint Joseph’s made 7 in the first half. All of the field goals in the first twenty minutes came from beyond the arc. In the second stanza only one three-pointer fell and that was the first basket of the second half. George Mason made seven in the game, five in the later twenty with the biggest was by Javon Greene with just under two minutes to play that gave the hosts a 56 – 48 lead. This game had flash backs to the Davidson game.
“They went five for seven and we went one for fourteen, and that was the difference in the game,” said Saint Joseph’s Coach Billy Lange. “For us that’s everything. The more you make them the more they’ve got to come out, the more we get to the rim, and that’s what happened in the second half against Davidson. It’s not a live by or die by, it just creates the spacing that puts the duress on the defense.”
The Hawks started out like the win streak was going to continue. Daly made his first three-ball 8 seconds into the game. Saint Joe’s was hitting their three-pointers and playing good defense holding a 17 – 6 lead. The Hawks went cold and made one of their last nine shots in the half. The Patriots got hot and used a 14 – 3 run to move in front 29 – 24 at halftime. This span turned the game around in their favor.
“I didn’t think it was our defense over the last eight minutes, it was our offense,” Lange said. “We struggled and that gave them some fuel coming in from halftime.”
George Mason kept the lead. The Hawks crawled back behind Daly who scored 8 of the last Saint Joe’s points. But they could not stop Mason.
“Ryan wants to play great in every game,” said Lange. “I felt like he was able to get off the ball and find ways to score.”
Daly led Saint Joseph’s with 20 points, the only Hawk player who scored in double figures was Tolliver Freeman with 10.
Greene had a team-high 20 points for GMU. AJ Wilson added 13 as did Jamal Hartwell II.
Saint Joe’s (5 – 22, 1 – 13) try to start another positive trend on Wednesday at Saint Louis
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
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