History was made Wednesday night at Hagan Arena as Erik Reynolds II etched his name atop Saint Joseph’s record books.
The Hawks’ star guard passed Jameer Nelson to become the program’s all-time leading scorer, capping off a dominant 91-74 win over Rhode Island.
For two decades, Nelson’s name was synonymous with greatness on Hawk Hill. Now, Reynolds has taken center stage.
Entering the game just three points shy of history, he wasted no time, surpassing Nelson’s mark of 2,094 career points with a three-pointer late in the first half.
He finished the night with 22 points, bringing his career total to 2,114 and counting.
“I was well aware of Jameer Nelson growing up,” Reynolds shared. “Never thought I’d be at his alma mater, let alone breaking his record. It’s surreal.”
Reynolds is also closing in on another mark, needing only seven more three-pointers to surpass Langston Galloway as the program’s all-time leader from beyond the arc.
But for the Hawks’ leader, personal achievements take a backseat to winning basketball games.
“All year, I haven’t paid much attention to the records,” Reynolds admitted. “I usually don’t even realize it until I see a graphic pop up. My focus is on winning with this team.”
And winning is exactly what Saint Joseph’s has been doing.
The Hawks have taken six of their last seven games, clinching their 20th win of the season for the second consecutive year—something the program hasn’t accomplished since 2002-04.
The game itself was a tale of two halves. Rhode Island came out strong, jumping to a 26-17 lead behind a 12-0 run midway through the first half.
But Saint Joseph’s methodically chipped away, closing the half on a 21-10 run to take a 38-36 advantage into the locker room.
Once Reynolds made history, the momentum swung entirely in the Hawks’ favor.
They dominated the second half, forcing 11 turnovers and converting them into 20 points, never allowing the Rams to seriously threaten.
Rhode Island struggled to keep pace, surrendering 80+ points for the 10th time in their last 13 games.
The Rams had five players score in double figures, led by Sebastian Thomas with 15 points and five assists, but they couldn’t contain the Hawks’ offensive firepower.
By the Numbers:
- Erik Reynolds II: 22 points, Saint Joseph’s all-time scoring leader (2,114 points and counting)
- Rasheer Fleming: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals
- Anthony Finkley: Career-high 18 points
- Saint Joseph’s: 20-win season for the second straight year
With one regular-season game remaining against La Salle on March 8, the Hawks aim to keep their momentum rolling into the postseason.
As Reynolds continues his record-setting campaign, Saint Joseph’s looks primed to make noise in March.
Jameer Nelson’s record will forever be celebrated at Saint Joseph’s, but now, a new chapter belongs to Erik Reynolds II.
