PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Ahmad Nivins scored 18 points and Pat
Calathes had 15 to lead Saint Joseph's to an 81-56 win over St.
Bonaventure on Wednesday night.
Rob Ferguson added 12 points to help the Hawks (16-7, 7-3
Atlantic 10) snap a two-game losing streak and beat the Bonnies for
the 13th straight time. St. Bonaventure (7-16, 1-8) hasn't defeated
Saint Joseph's since 2000 and dropped to 0-12 on the road this
season.
After a pair of disappointing losses last week at Duquesne and
Xavier hindered their NCAA tournament hopes, the Hawks used 12
3-pointers to bounce back to form.
Ferguson, Darrin Govens and Tasheed Carr all sank 3-pointers
during an 11-0 run that started the second half and broke the game
open. The Hawks cruised from there, shooting 58 percent from the
field.
Zarryon Fereti scored 15 points for the Bonnies.
The Hawks are Philadelphia's best hope to send a team to the
NCAA tournament. Postseason regulars like Penn and Villanova have
slumped this season, potentially making this tournament the first
one since 1977 without a Philadelphia-area team.
Saint Joseph's likely needs to at least split games against
Rhode Island and No. 12 Xavier and make a deep run in the A-10
tourney to have a shot at an at-large bid. Of course, winning the
conference tournament would assure them of an automatic berth into
the NCAA field.
Nivins went over the 1,000-point mark in the first half, joining
Ferguson and Calathes as Hawks who have reached that career
milestone.
Fereti hit three 3s and scored 11 points to help the Bonnies
keep close in the first half. Fereti, however, landed awkwardly on
a Hawks player's foot and appeared to hurt his left ankle. He
needed assistance to the bench and returned in the second half.
The game was tied until Carr hit a 3 and Calathes made one after
the ball hit the rim, popped high in the air and plopped through
the net at the buzzer to give St. Joseph's a 41-36 halftime lead.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
