Saint Joseph's Preview and Game Thread -- 1/27/2026

[RamblerRagas]

Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2026/1/ ... night.aspx

Saint Joseph Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... sephs/men/

Record: 12-8 (4-3, 5th in A-10 MBB)
Coach: Steve Donahue
PS/G: 74.8 (229th of 365)
PA/G: 73.0 (168th of 365)
SRS: -1.41 (175th of 365)
SOS: 0.09 (147th of 365)
ORtg: 106.2 (256th of 365)
DRtg: 103.8 (143rd of 365)
Preseason Odds: Championship +50000


Saint Joseph’s Hawks 12-8 (4-3) at Loyola Chicago Ramblers 5-16 (1-7) – 8:00pm CST, Gentile Arena, Chicago IL

The Ramblers, losers of 7 straight, host St. Joe’s.

Saturday afternoon the Ramblers dropped their sixth straight, losing to Duquesne 71-59. Tarence Guinyard led all scorers with 23.The only Rambler to reach double figures in scoring was Xavier Amos with 12 alongside two assists, while Nic Anderson added nine points with six boards. Half of the Ramblers attempted field goals in this game were from 3pt (5-26). The Ramblers were severely outmatched.

Saint Joseph's is 12-8 overall and 4-3 in A-10 play. All four league wins have come in the last five games for the Hawks. The Hawks started the season at 8-5, taking losses to Virginia Tech, Penn, UNLV, Syracuse and Coastal Carolina. The Hawks are 4-3 in the 7 games since then, beating Arcadia, Duquesne, Richmond, St. Bonaventure and Dayton in that time. The losses were versus Saint Louis, Davidson and VCU.

In the Dayton matchup on Saturday, the Hawks went into the second half clinging to a 38-36 lead. Saint Joseph’s got better from there on a 43-38 run and ended up with the win 81-74. Leading the team in scoring were Derek Simpson (nine assists; four rebounds), Dasear Haskins (five rebounds) and Jaiden Glover-Toscano (seven rebounds), each with 20 points.

Joe’s is one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, averaging 39.45 rebounds per game. It's the third most in the league and ranks in the NCAA's top-50. Their 26.9 defensive boards per game ranks second in the A-10, while their 12.55 offensive rebounds per game ranks third.

48.7% of minutes played and 36.0% of scoring return from 2024-25 roster. Besides head coach Billy Lange pulling a fast one in late summer, other key losses are Xzayvier Brown who transferred to Oklahoma, Rasheer Fleming drafted second round #31 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Erik Reynolds career scoring leader who graduated.

Losing talent from last year, they've replenished it nicely. This year’s Joe’s squad is led by newcomers, Jaiden Glover and Deuce Jones, and key returnee Derek Simpson. Glover, who transferred after freshman year with St. Johns shares the scoring load with Jones at 15.5 and 15.8ppg apiece. Jones transferred from LaSalle following his freshman year as well. Glover has 13 games with at least 10 points scored and eight with at least 20 points. In their win over Dayton last weekend, Glover had 20 points on 6-19 from the field and seven rebounds. Returning second year starter, Derek Simpson puts up 13.0ppg, 5.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Saint Joseph’s comes into this one after a very nice win at home over Dayton and winning 4 of their last 5. Despite slowly returning key players back from injury, the Ramblers are struggling these days with seven straight losses, giving up 70 or more points in all losses. This season the Ramblers are 3-8 in home games, and have a 3-12 record against opponents over .500.


St. Joe’s Probable Starters – 6-5 G Jaiden Glover, 6-3 G Derek Simpson, 6-2 G Deuce Jones, 6-10 F Justice Ajogbor, 6-4 G Austin Williford

Loyola Probable Starters - Rubin, JOJ, Amos, Anderson, TBD


LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADS

Ramblers: 2-8, averaging 66.4 points, 32.2 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.5 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 73.6 points, 35.4 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 42.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.0 points.


Watch / Listen – Tuesday night’s game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Tom McCarthy and Chris Walker on the call, and can be listened to Rambler Sports Network with our friends Sudikoff and CT.

Postgame Show - Tune in to Sudikoff on RSN, followed by TalkinBlers Spaces on the X: https://x.com/blerstalking?s=21


Odds: Joe’s -3.5

[goramblers2011]

St. Joe's only -3.5 seems like free money!

[natetheskate]

never good when TBD is in the starting line up...Todd Dufelmeeir?

[natetheskate]

IF anyone has attended a game against St.Joes and been aggravated by that damn bird flapping his wings.....I am generally opposed to violence but that bird.........

[JC64]

That bird has more stamina than the current Ramblers do. He makes it through the entire game without collapsing in the second half.

[RamblerRagas]

TBD might also be a better starting point guard than anyone we've got available

[JoeCabrey]

Update on Hawks roster

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSnfCW1jt6K/?hl=en

[bmh_twosix]

Well, that was one of the more embarrassing halves of basketball I’ve watched recently.

This team is just completely allergic to defense.

Start Caleb Reese in the second half. At least he tries.

[goramblers2011]

St. Joe's only -3.5 seems like free money!

I'd be rich if it wasn't for damn JB Pritzker's pointless ban on betting on Illinois colleges!

I do not want Drew to be the coach of my alma mater's basketball team anymore.

[goodknight]

The question that is in my mind is just how much of this St Joe's blowing out our Ramblers at Gentile due to our returning players getting back to playing shape?