Washington, DC—-In a stunning quarterfinal matchup, the sixth-seeded St. Joseph’s Hawks pulled off an upset over the No. 3 seed Dayton Flyers, winning 73-68 in an overtime battle.
St. Joseph’s set the tone early with a stifling defensive effort, holding Dayton’s high-powered offense in check and heading into halftime with a commanding 33-24 lead.
The second half saw momentum shift as Dayton fought back, led by their standout freshman forward, Amael L’Etang of France. L’Etang delivered key baskets and crucial defensive plays, keeping the Flyers within striking distance.
Despite St. Joseph’s building another sizable lead, Dayton clawed their way back, forcing overtime with the score knotted at 60.
In the extra period, St. Joseph’s seized control once again. Senior guard Erik Reynolds, a Maryland native from Temple Hills, stepped up with a game-high 20 points and six rebounds.
Sophomore Xavier Brown matched his effort, contributing 20 points, seven rebounds, and two assists to help secure the victory.
With this hard-fought win, St. Joseph’s advances to the semifinals, where they will face hometown favorite George Mason.
