Jesuit Jammed: Men’s Basketball Blown Out Against Saint Joseph’s

Loyola men’s basketball turned out a terrible first half performance against Saint Joseph’s University Jan. 27. The Hawks outscored the Ramblers 51-24 in the first 20 minutes and were led by first-year guard Austin Williford with 17 points, one of five Hawks who scored in double figures. Fourth-year forward Joshua Ola-Joseph came off the bench and scored 13 points to lead the Ramblers. 

Redshirt third-year guard Justin Moore, fourth-year guard Kymany Houinsou and second-year guard Kayde Dotson all made their comebacks to the roster for the Ramblers. Head coach Drew Valentine was happy to have his starters back, despite them not having their best performances.  

“I think they give us so much ability, so much confidence,” Valentine said. “When we started the game, they were trying to get themselves settled within the game because it’s been a while since they had been out there. I thought as the game wore on, they started trying to push their bodies more and more.” 

The Hawks started the game off with two successful possessions before the Ramblers even had a chance to attempt a score. Hawks fourth-year guard Derek Simpson opened the game with a 3-pointer. On the Ramblers’ inbound pass, second-year guard Jaiden Glover-Toscano intercepted the ball and hit a layup directly under the net for a quick 5-0 Saint Joseph’s lead. 

Third-year center Miles Rubin got the Ramblers on the board with a tip-in before Williford and Dotson traded jumpers. 

The Hawks took two more consecutive scoring possessions as Williford made a second-chance layup, and Simpson stole the ball to find graduate center Justice Ajogbor for a dunk. Fourth-year forward Xavier Amos got the Ramblers back moving with a 3-pointer to make it an 11-7 game. 

Simpson stole another possession from Dotson and missed a layup, but Glover-Toscano was there to grab the rebound and made the second-chance basket. 

In the next four minutes, the Hawks maintained their control of the game, only allowing the Ramblers to score a single point from Ola-Joseph at the line. Redshirt second-year forward Dasear Haskins scored a three and a jumper, Simpson hit a layup and Williford and third-year forward Anthony Finkley each slammed a dunk for a 24-8 lead over Loyola. 

Williford kept it going with one at the line before the Ramblers went on a run of their own. Third-year guard Deywilk Tavarez hit a jumper to end the drought and Dotson followed after three empty possessions with a floater. Houinsou added on with a hookshot jumper, making it a 25-14 game and forcing a Saint Joseph’s timeout. 

Williford and Ola-Joseph traded threes before Ajogbor hit a jumper, prompting another run for the Hawks. Glover-Toscano hit a three before Williford recorded another steal to find Simpson for a dunk. Williford added another three, and Ajogbor and Glover-Toscano each slammed a dunk, giving the Hawks a 42-17 advantage over the Ramblers. 

Amos countered with two at the line, which Simpson matched with a floater. Houinsou made a second-chance layup as Glover-Toscano drained a three and a dunk. Amos scored a 3-pointer, which Simpson answered with a jumper, ending the first half in favor of the Hawks 51-24.

The second half started with what Valentine thought should’ve been a shooting foul for Amos, but the referees disagreed, continuing the game. The Hawks started on a six-point run, with two buckets from Ajogbor and one from Williford, giving the Hawks their largest lead of the game at 33 points. 

Ola-Joseph clocked in the first points for the Ramblers with a three, and Rubin added on with a layup to make it a 57-29 game. 

Williford and Dotson each added field goals before Simpson stole another possession and slammed in a dunk. After four scoreless possessions, Ola-Joseph drained another three to keep the gap within the 20’s.

Tavarez drove in a layup through tough defense before Haskins hit a three. One at the line from Amos was countered by a 3-pointer from Finkley as Tavarez drove in another layup to give the Ramblers a trailing 67-39 score. 

Saint Joseph’s redshirt first-year guard Khaafiq Myers jumped over a Rubin block attempt for a layup as Tavarez hit a corner three. Haskins and Dotson traded field goals before a steal by Rubin, which ended in an unsuccessful possession for the Ramblers. 

Glover-Toscano blocked a 3-pointer attempt from Tavarez and sprinted ahead to the basket to receive a pass from Myers and slammed a dunk. Rubin countered the action with a turnaround jumper before Haskins made two at the line to make it 75-46. 

A Tavarez three gave the Ramblers some hope, and Rubin added on with one at the line. Moore hit a three for his first points of the night before Ajogbor missed both attempts at the line. 

Ola-Joseph completed a three-point play to inch the Ramblers closer, going into the final media timeout down 75-56.

Amos made two at the line, which Finkley undid with a three. Moore matched it with one of his own before the Hawks picked up a shot clock violation to give the Ramblers possession. 

Finkley and Simpson each slammed a dunk before Loyola called a timeout with under a minute left to play, sending in their bench players to close out the game. 

Anderson and Saint Joseph’s second-year guard Mekai Johnson traded threes to end the game in the Hawks’ favor, 85-64. 

The Ramblers toughened up in the second half, outscoring the Hawks 40-34. Valentine said he wants to take the good he saw in the half and translate it into a full game. 

“We have really good team speed and really good team skill,” Valentine said. “When we get stopped, it allows us to show those skills. I think, moving forward, just trying to continue to jump the game up with different zones, different switching, different ball screen coverages would be something we continue to do.” 

The Ramblers go on the road to face Virginia Commonwealth University in hopes to pick up their second conference win. Tip off in Richmond, Va. is scheduled for 8 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN2.