Reynolds' 24 points leads Saint Joseph's to win over No. 18 Villanova
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) Erik Reynolds II scored 24 points, Xzayvier Brown added 16 and Saint Joseph’s beat No. 18 Villanova 78-65 on Wednesday night.
Rasheer Fleming had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Lynn Greer III scored 15 for St. Joe’s (5-2), which advanced to the first-ever Big 5 Classic championship game on Saturday night. The Hawks will play Temple for the title.
“To have this opportunity, it's God-given, that's the only thing I can say,” Hawks coach Billy Lange said.
Justin Moore scored 17 and Eric Dixon had 14 for the Wildcats (6-2), who struggled on offense all night. Villanova shot 22 of 56 and committed 17 turnovers.
However, the Wildcats focused afterward on their defense.
“We didn't come out and play as hard as we can defensively,” Moore said. “We didn't set the tone.”
St. Joe's made 29 of 51 shots and 14 of 27 3-pointers.
“They got matchups they liked and took advantage,” Wildcats coach Kyle Neptune said.
Villanova was playing for the first time since re-entering the Top 25 following its title in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, with wins over Texas Tech, North Carolina and Memphis in the championship game on Friday.
Villanova dropped both of its games in the Big 5, losing 69-61 at Penn on Nov. 10 in another upset. This season, the Big 5 abandoned the traditional round-robin format that yearly saw La Salle, Penn, St. Joe’s, Temple and Villanova play each other, with the team with the best record being crowned the Big 5 champ. Instead, Drexel was added as a sixth Big 5 school and two three-team pods were set up, with the top seed in each pod meeting in the title game.
A Wildcats victory would’ve put them in the title game, but the Hawks were the better team from the opening tip.
“They were exceptional at things they needed to be exceptional at tonight," Lange said.
After a strong first half in which they took an eight-point lead at the break, the Hawks opened with six straight points to start the second half. They were ahead 49-35 when Kacper Klaczek drained a 3-pointer 2:26 after the intermission. The Wildcats got as close as 56-49 on Tyler Burton’s follow with 8:27 to play but never closer.
St. Joe’s responded, as Reynolds hit a 3, Greer scored a layup and then Reynolds converted his own basket from close range to give the Hawks their biggest advantage, 66-51, with 5:46 remaining.
“Every single game, I get all of my confidence from my teammates,” Reynolds said.
The victory snapped St. Joe’s 11-game losing streak to Villanova and was the Hawks’ first over the Wildcats since 2011. It also was St. Joe’s first victory versus a ranked opponent in its last 12 tries, with a 78-48 triumph over No. 17 Rhode Island on Feb. 27, 2018 the last occurrence. The Hawks pulled within 55-26 in their rivalry with Villanova that dates to the 1920-21 season.
“We just had a lot of confidence,” Brown said. “I wanted to play in the Big 5 and get wins."
St. Joe’s had high hopes entering the season but suffered a shocking home loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 17. The Hawks responded with a strong performance at No. 16 Kentucky on Nov. 20, holding a lead late in regulation before falling 96-88 in overtime.
In the first half against Villanova, St. Joe’s looked every bit like the team that played so well at Kentucky while taking a 43-35 lead. Reynolds got whatever shot he wanted, scoring 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting and Brown chipped in 10. The Hawks made 17 of 28 field goals and 7 of 16 from long range.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, committed 11 turnovers. Dixon’s 12 points kept Villanova in it.
WRIGHT WAY
Villanova honored former coach Jay Wright by naming the thoroughfare in front of Finneran Pavilion, the Wildcats’ on-campus arena, Wright Way.
Wright won 520 games over 21 seasons that included two national titles and four Final Four appearances.
“I hope it reminds them you have a short period of time to be a coach or player,” Wright said. “Make sure you put everything into it and know it’s not about you.”
UP NEXT
Saint Joseph’s: Plays La Salle in the Big 5 Classic title game on Saturday night.
Villanova: Will play Drexel in the Big 5 Classic fifth-place game on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Anthony Finkley vs. Eric Dixon (Wildcats gains possession) | |||
19:45 | +3 | Tyler Burton makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists) | 0-3 | |
19:17 | +2 | Lynn Greer III makes two point driving layup | 2-3 | |
18:53 | TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot | |||
18:51 | Cameron Brown defensive rebound | |||
18:42 | Tyler Burton blocks Rasheer Fleming's two point layup | |||
18:40 | Rasheer Fleming offensive rebound | |||
18:22 | Lance Ware shooting foul (Rasheer Fleming draws the foul) | |||
18:22 | +1 | Rasheer Fleming makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-3 | |
18:22 | Rasheer Fleming misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
18:22 | TJ Bamba defensive rebound | |||
18:02 | Justin Moore turnover (traveling) | |||
17:50 | +2 | Lynn Greer III makes two point layup | 5-3 | |
17:29 | Justin Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
17:27 | Cameron Brown defensive rebound | |||
17:19 | Erik Reynolds II misses three point jump shot | |||
17:17 | Tyler Burton defensive rebound | |||
17:09 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Tyler Burton assists) | 5-6 | |
16:52 | +2 | Rasheer Fleming makes two point layup (Lynn Greer III assists) | 7-6 | |
16:30 | Tyler Burton misses three point jump shot | |||
16:26 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
16:11 | Jordan Longino turnover (lost ball) | |||
15:56 | TJ Bamba shooting foul (Erik Reynolds II draws the foul) | |||
15:56 | TV timeout | |||
15:56 | Erik Reynolds II misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:56 | +1 | Erik Reynolds II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-6 | |
15:43 | Justin Moore turnover (bad pass) (Kacper Klaczek steals) | |||
15:27 | Eric Dixon personal foul (Erik Reynolds II draws the foul) | |||
15:19 | Rasheer Fleming misses three point jump shot | |||
15:17 | Justin Moore defensive rebound | |||
15:05 | Hakim Hart misses three point jump shot | |||
15:03 | Xzayvier Brown defensive rebound | |||
14:49 | Rasheer Fleming misses three point jump shot | |||
14:47 | Hakim Hart defensive rebound | |||
14:22 | Xzayvier Brown personal foul (TJ Bamba draws the foul) | |||
14:22 | Wildcats turnover (5-second violation) | |||
14:03 | +3 | Kacper Klaczek makes three point jump shot (Erik Reynolds II assists) | 11-6 | |
13:39 | Mark Armstrong offensive foul (Xzayvier Brown draws the foul) | |||
13:39 | Mark Armstrong turnover (offensive foul) | |||
13:26 | Shawn Simmons II misses three point jump shot | |||
13:24 | Justin Moore defensive rebound | |||
13:19 | +2 | Justin Moore makes two point driving layup | 11-8 | |
13:19 | Kacper Klaczek shooting foul (Justin Moore draws the foul) | |||
13:19 | +1 | Justin Moore makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 11-9 | |
13:04 | +2 | Kacper Klaczek makes two point cutting layup (Erik Reynolds II assists) | 13-9 | |
12:42 | Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot | |||
12:40 | Eric Dixon offensive rebound | |||
12:39 | Kacper Klaczek personal foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
12:20 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 13-11 | |
12:05 | Cameron Brown misses three point jump shot | |||
12:03 | Brendan Hausen defensive rebound | |||
11:54 | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Eric Dixon assists) | 13-14 | |
11:34 | +2 | Xzayvier Brown makes two point driving layup | 15-14 | |
11:10 | Anthony Finkley shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
11:10 | TV timeout | |||
11:10 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-15 | |
11:10 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-16 | |
10:40 | Hawks turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
10:25 | Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot | |||
10:23 | Lynn Greer III defensive rebound | |||
10:14 | +2 | Xzayvier Brown makes two point driving layup (Lynn Greer III assists) | 17-16 | |
9:59 | TJ Bamba turnover (bad pass) (Anthony Finkley steals) | |||
9:54 | Anthony Finkley turnover (lost ball) | |||
9:38 | +2 | Jordan Longino makes two point driving layup (TJ Bamba assists) | 17-18 | |
9:17 | +3 | Cameron Brown makes three point pullup jump shot (Anthony Finkley assists) | 20-18 | |
8:46 | Lance Ware turnover (lost ball) (Cameron Brown steals) | |||
8:34 | +3 | Xzayvier Brown makes three point pullup jump shot (Lynn Greer III assists) | 23-18 | |
8:05 | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists) | 23-21 | |
7:41 | Lynn Greer III turnover (bad pass) (Lance Ware steals) | |||
7:29 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Lance Ware assists) | 23-24 | |
7:05 | +3 | Xzayvier Brown makes three point jump shot (Rasheer Fleming assists) | 26-24 | |
6:36 | Anthony Finkley personal foul (Brendan Hausen draws the foul) | |||
6:36 | TV timeout | |||
6:33 | Hakim Hart turnover (bad pass) | |||
6:18 | +3 | Erik Reynolds II makes three point pullup jump shot | 29-24 | |
5:44 | Tyler Burton turnover (lost ball) (Rasheer Fleming steals) | |||
5:34 | Rasheer Fleming misses three point jump shot | |||
5:32 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
5:17 | Shawn Simmons II shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
5:17 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 29-25 | |
5:17 | Eric Dixon misses regular free throw 2 of 3 | |||
5:17 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 29-26 | |
5:06 | Rasheer Fleming misses three point jump shot | |||
5:04 | Tyler Burton defensive rebound | |||
4:55 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point hook shot (Mark Armstrong assists) | 29-28 | |
4:55 | Rasheer Fleming shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
4:55 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 29-29 | |
4:26 | Kacper Klaczek turnover (lost ball) | |||
4:12 | Kacper Klaczek blocks Mark Armstrong's two point layup | |||
4:10 | Xzayvier Brown defensive rebound | |||
4:03 | +3 | Erik Reynolds II makes three point jump shot (Xzayvier Brown assists) | 32-29 | |
3:45 | Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot | |||
3:43 | Hawks defensive rebound | |||
3:43 | TV timeout | |||
3:33 | +2 | Erik Reynolds II makes two point driving reverse layup (Lynn Greer III assists) | 34-29 | |
3:02 | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point pullup jump shot | 34-32 | |
2:41 | Xzayvier Brown misses three point jump shot | |||
2:39 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
2:29 | Brendan Hausen offensive foul (Xzayvier Brown draws the foul) | |||
2:29 | Brendan Hausen turnover (offensive foul) | |||
2:19 | +2 | Erik Reynolds II makes two point pullup jump shot (Lynn Greer III assists) | 36-32 | |
2:03 | Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot | |||
2:01 | Cameron Brown defensive rebound | |||
1:40 | Erik Reynolds II misses three point jump shot | |||
1:38 | Lynn Greer III offensive rebound | |||
1:37 | Tyler Burton personal foul (Lynn Greer III draws the foul) | |||
1:35 | +3 | Erik Reynolds II makes three point jump shot (Lynn Greer III assists) | 39-32 | |
1:05 | Cameron Brown shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
1:05 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 39-33 | |
1:05 | Eric Dixon misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
1:05 | Rasheer Fleming defensive rebound | |||
0:51 | Lynn Greer III misses two point layup | |||
0:49 | Rasheer Fleming offensive rebound | |||
0:45 | +2 | Rasheer Fleming makes two point putback layup | 41-33 | |
0:40 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
0:28 | Mark Armstrong turnover (bad pass) (Lynn Greer III steals) | |||
0:23 | +2 | Lynn Greer III makes two point driving layup | 43-33 | |
0:05 | Justin Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
0:03 | Tyler Burton offensive rebound | |||
0:01 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point layup (Mark Armstrong assists) | 43-35 | |
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:45 | Anthony Finkley turnover (bad pass) (Eric Dixon steals) | |||
19:22 | Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot | |||
19:20 | Rasheer Fleming defensive rebound | |||
19:18 | Eric Dixon blocks Lynn Greer III's two point layup | |||
19:16 | Hawks offensive rebound | |||
19:14 | Eric Dixon personal foul (Rasheer Fleming draws the foul) | |||
19:06 | +3 | Rasheer Fleming makes three point jump shot (Anthony Finkley assists) | 46-35 | |
18:35 | TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot | |||
18:33 | Wildcats offensive rebound |