PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Saint Joseph’s advanced to the Atlantic 10 tournament final Friday night, defeating Davidson 70-58 at 84 Lumber Arena. The Hawks used a balanced attack to pull away, holding a 33-29 halftime lead before outscoring the Wildcats 37-29 after intermission. Derek Simpson led Saint Joseph’s with 16 points and six assists, while Jaiden Glover scored 19 points. Justice Ajogbor added 18 points. Josh Scovens paced Davidson with 15 points. The Wildcats’ offense struggled throughout, never leading in the second half. Saint Joseph’s improved to 22-10, while Davidson fell to 20-13. An announced crowd of 8,114 watched the Hawks secure a spot in Saturday’s championship game.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — In a gritty, defensive-minded Atlantic 10 Conference tournament quarterfinal defined by physicality and free throws, the Saint Joseph’s Hawks methodically pulled away from the Davidson Wildcats for a 70-58 victory on Friday night at 84 Lumber Arena. A crowd of 8,114 saw the third-seeded Hawks, fueled by a decisive 22-for-26 performance at the foul line and a potent three-pronged offensive attack, advance to the semifinals. The sixth-seeded Wildcats, meanwhile, saw their season end, unable to replicate their overtime triumph from the previous night or solve Saint Joseph’s defensive pressure in the half-court. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded not with a single shot, but with a sustained defensive effort by Saint Joseph’s that strangled Davidson’s offense for over seven minutes bridging the halves. After Davidson’s Roberts Blums hit a layup with 33 seconds left in the first period to cut the Hawks’ lead to 31-29, the Wildcats would not score again until the 18:41 mark of the second half. That drought spanned seven possessions and allowed Saint Joseph’s to build a 37-31 cushion, a margin Davidson would spend the rest of the game chasing but never seriously threatening. Saint Joseph’s established control early through its interior presence and aggression. Justice Ajogbor, the 6-foot-10 force from Benin City, Nigeria, set the tone with 10 first-half points, including a powerful dunk off a Derek Simpson assist. Simpson, the crafty guard from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out four of his six assists before halftime while also drawing fouls and converting at the line. Davidson, which shot just 41% from the field and a frigid 8 of 29 from three-point range, struggled to find consistent offense outside of Josh Scovens and Blums. Scovens, a 6-foot-6 forward from Greensboro, North Carolina, led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Blums, the guard from Riga, Latvia, added 13. The Wildcats’ ball movement was stifled, resulting in a season-low five assists against 11 turnovers. The Hawks, conversely, operated efficiently, posting an offensive rating of 114.1 points per 100 possessions compared to Davidson’s 93.9. While both teams took nearly the same number of field goal attempts, Saint Joseph’s maximized its opportunities by relentlessly attacking the basket and earning trips to the line. Davidson attempted only eight free throws, making four. After Davidson’s scoring drought to start the second half, Saint Joseph’s steadily expanded its lead. A key three-pointer from Derek Simpson at the 14:56 mark, assisted by Austin Williford, pushed the advantage to 42-35. Every time Davidson managed a mini-run, the Hawks had an answer, often at the charity stripe or via their standout trio. Simpson finished with a team-high 16 points to go with his six assists. Jaiden Glover, the 6-foot-5 wing from Brooklyn, New York, provided a game-high 19 points, including three critical free throws after drawing a foul on a three-point attempt late in the first half. Ajogbor was a constant menace inside, concluding with 18 points and anchoring the defense. Davidson made a final push midway through the second half. A JaQualon Roberts dunk off a Scovens feed cut the deficit to 55-49 with 8:35 remaining, prompting a Saint Joseph’s timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Hawks executed perfectly, with Simpson finding Glover for a layup to immediately push the lead back to eight. On the next possession, Ajogbor scored on a putback to make it 59-49, effectively sealing the outcome. The victory improved Saint Joseph’s to 22-10 overall and avenged a regular-season loss to Davidson in Philadelphia on Jan. 3. The Hawks also won the most recent meeting between the teams on March 4. Davidson concludes its season with a 20-13 record. Saint Joseph’s will face the winner of the Dayton and George Mason quarterfinal in Saturday’s semifinal round. The Hawks’ formula of inside dominance, timely perimeter shooting, and superior free throw execution proved too much for a Davidson team that never found its offensive rhythm in the tournament atmosphere.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — A pivotal Atlantic 10 Conference tournament semifinal tips off Friday night at 84 Lumber Arena, where the Saint Joseph’s Hawks seek a third win this season over the Davidson Wildcats. The seed Hawks (21-10) edged the Wildcats 70-67 in Davidson just nine days ago, splitting the regular-season series after Davidson’s 62-56 win in Philadelphia on Jan. 3. Friday’s rubber match sends the winner to Saturday’s championship game with an NCAA tournament bid likely on the line. Saint Joseph’s enters on a six-game winning streak, its latest an 88-76 victory over La Salle on March 7. Forward Justice Ajogbor led the way with 20 points and two blocks, continuing a strong stretch for the team’s interior anchor. In the win at Davidson, Ajogbor played 34 minutes with eight points and two assists. The third-seeded Wildcats (20-12) advanced with a gritty 64-59 overtime win against Loyola Chicago on Thursday. Guard Josh Scovens, a key player to watch, logged 30 minutes with 13 points and five assists in that victory. Scovens scored 14 points in the loss to Saint Joseph’s last week. Davidson has won four of its last five, with the lone loss coming against the Hawks. Their defense has been stout, holding three of their last five opponents under 65 points. National Statistical’s ELO system projects Saint Joseph’s with a 62.1% probability to win. The over/under is set at 131.5 points. The game is scheduled for a 9 p.m. EDT start on March 13. The winner will face either top-seeded Dayton or fourth-seeded VCU in Saturday’s final.