Saint Joseph's defeats Delaware St 67-51
Delaware St 51 - Saint Joseph's 67: Hawks Soar at Home
In a closely contested non-conference matchup, the Saint Joseph's Hawks (HOME) emerged victorious over the visiting Delaware St Eagles with a final score of 67-51.
The game was a tale of two halves, with the home team taking an early lead and maintaining it for most of the contest. At halftime, the Hawks were up by 15 points, leading 33-18. This margin would only continue to grow as the second half began, with Saint Joseph's largest lead being 26 points.
For the Hawks, Austin Williford was a dominant force, scoring 14 points on 4-of-9 three-point attempts and shooting an impressive 50% from the field. Dasear Haskins provided strong rebounding and defensive efforts, grabbing eight rebounds while also chipping in nine points and one assist.
Meanwhile, Delaware St's Ponce James led the Eagles with 12 points, hitting two of his five three-point attempts and converting at a 33.3% clip from the field. Cyril Obasogie was a key contributor on the glass, snagging seven rebounds while also scoring three points and recording one steal.
Advanced statistics painted a nuanced picture of the game, with both teams struggling to find their footing in terms of efficiency. The Hawks' two-point shooting percentage was significantly higher than that of the Eagles, but Delaware St made up for this by hitting more free throws and having a slight advantage on the offensive glass.
The true difference-maker, however, was Saint Joseph's superior defense. With 20.6 turnovers per 100 possessions, the Hawks were able to capitalize on the Eagles' mistakes and limit their scoring opportunities.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Hawks celebrated a hard-fought victory at home, solidifying their position in non-conference play. For Delaware St, it was a tough road loss against a strong opponent, but one that provided valuable experience for the young Eagles team.
Box Score:
* Saint Joseph's (HOME): 67
+ Field Goals: 24/61 (39.0%)
+ 2-Point FG: 16/34 (47.1%)
+ 3-Point FG: 8/27 (30.0%)
+ Free Throws: 11/18 (61.0%)
* Delaware St (AWAY): 51
+ Field Goals: 20/62 (32.0%)
+ 2-Point FG: 16/45 (35.6%)
+ 3-Point FG: 4/17 (24.0%)
+ Free Throws: 7/11 (64.0%)