Men's Hoops Tops Old Westbury, Wins USJ Holiday Tourney, 96-83

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Sophomore point guard Delshawn Jackson Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) equaled a career-high 34 points, going a perfect 11-of-11 from the foul line, to lead the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's basketball team to a 96-83 win over SUNY College at Old Westbury (OW) in the USJ Holiday Tournament Championship Sunday afternoon.

The O'Connell Center was treated to an intense battle among the two finalists, who had fans on both sides of the aisle edging them on. 'DJ' scored 19 in the second half and was named the tournament's most valuable player, averaging 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on the weekend. He shot 47% from the floor (14-30), 40% from downtown (8-20), and 94% from the foul line (17-18) over the two-game span. Junior forward Jordan Powell (Middletown, Conn.) scored 20 big points inside to go along with nine rebounds on Championship Sunday. Powell and DJ were both selected to the all-tournament team.

2019 USJ Holiday All-Tournament Team

Jalen Williams (Pine Manor)

Jason Augliera (Fisher)

Pierce Perry (Old Westbury)

Jordan Powell (USJ)

Delshawn Jackson Jr. (USJ) [MVP] 

All five starters scored in double-figures for the Panthers, but it wasn't enough, as they got as close as five in the second half, but could not get over the hump to take the lead. Senior guard Justin Alleyne-Washington (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) led the way for OW with 21 points. Freshman forward Pierrce Perry (Elmont, N.Y.) had a double-double (12 PTS, 12 REB). Junior guard Charles Wingate (Baldwin, N.Y.) shot best for OW, scoring 20 on 8-of-13, including 4-for-5 from three. Sophomore guard Jaecee Martin (Hartford, Conn.) broke a school record with nine assists for the Blue Jays, surpassing DJ's record of eight (done twice). He also had 14 points and five rebounds.

Sunday's doubleheader was the finale of the inaugural USJ Holiday Tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England. The tournament field includes USJ, Fisher, Pine Manor College, and SUNY College at Old Westbury. The winners of each semifinal game played in the championship on Sunday. All four games were streamed live on usjbluejays.com.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Saint Joseph 96, Old Westbury 83
Records: USJ (9-2), Old Westbury (4-6)
Location: O'Connell Athletic Center | West Hartford, Conn.

COACH QUOTE [Jim Calhoun]
"We kind of got punched in the face a little bit early, and today we came back. We started the game like we were still up 20. We weren't, and in the second half, we turned it up. DJ played the best game he has played all year far and away. Jalen Samuels gives us a sense of toughness most teams don't have. Good win, we will take a couple days off and get ready for the new year.

NUMBER TO KNOW

8 - The Blue Jays continue their winning ways, earning their eighth straight win, now doubling the school record, which was previously set at four.

NOTES

• The Blue Jays have won each of the last eight games by double digits, defeating opponents by an average margin of victory of 25 points during the streak.
• 96 points matches USJ's season high. The Blue Jays have eclipsed the 90-point plateau four times so far this season and are 4-0 in those games.
• Saint Joseph shot 53.6% (30-56) from the field versus Old Westbury. It marks the fifth game this year that they have shot better than 50% in a game.
• Old Westbury's starting five accounted for 80 of the Panthers' 83 points in the game.
• Saint Joseph is now 1-0 all-time against Old Westbury.

UP NEXT
It's a trip up to Vermont for a head-to-head matchup with Castleton. The Blue Jays tip-off with the Spartans on Monday, January 6 at 7:00 p.m.

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