Hoops: St. Joe's Embarks on Key Three-Game Road Swing
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- St. Joseph's University got back on the winning track Wednesday night, hammering Fordham University at Hagan Arena, 80-62.
The Hawks were led in that one by Langston Galloway (photo). The sophomore guard was brilliant, tying his career high with 30 points, which included a 7-for-9 performance from behind the arc.
St. Joe's head coach Phil Martelli says Galloway's hard work in practice made this explosion possible.
"I kind of anticipated that we would see the real Langston Galloway," Martelli tells KYW Newsradio. "Last week we didn't. Monday and Tuesday, in practice, he was really grinding and working and preparing, so that when these opportunities arose against Fordham, he would be ready. So he deserves a lot of credit for how hard he worked."
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The win against the Rams improved St. Joe's record to 12-5 on the season (2-1 in the Atlantic 10). Much of that success has come at Hagan Arena, where the Hawks are 8-1.
Now the Hawks get the chance to show they can win some key games on the road, as they start a three-game run away from home, on Saturday afternoon at UMass.
"Separation (in the standings) in a really, really packed and really, really competitive Atlantic 10 is going to be teams that get road victories," Martelli says.
The Minutemen are tough this season, especially at home, where they are a perfect 9-0. Success in Amherst?
"They are longer than we are," Martelli says. "They really shot-challenge a lot, they pressure a lot. We're going to really have to take care of the ball. Kind of an under-the-radar stat from our Fordham game is that we had five turnovers. We had none in the second half until the last 30 seconds of the game. So, care of the ball is going to be very, very important."
St. Joe's and UMass will tip off at 4:00pm on Saturday. After UMass, the Hawks will visit Xavier and then Penn.
