The Saint Joseph's basketball team entered a 2023-24 cross-conference matchup against a tough Villanova Wildcats team. The Hawks came away with a stunning upset win against the 18th-ranked Wildcats. In the process, the team accomplished a feat that had not been done in almost two decades.

Saint Joseph's beats Villanova basketball at home for the first time since 2004

For the first time since Jameer Nelson and Delonte West's time in 2004, the Saint Joseph's basketball team beat Villanova on the home floor, per John Fanta.

The Hawks' 78-65 victory moved them to 5-2 on the season and sixth in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Saint Joseph's had standout performances from multiple players on Wednesday night.

The team was led by junior guard Erik Reynolds II, who scored 24 points and grabbed three rebounds. Meanwhile, sophomore forward Rasheer Fleming supported the team with a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards.

Freshman guard Xzayvier Brown bolstered the Hawks' bench attack. He scored 16 points, dished three assists, and grabbed two rebounds. Saint Joseph's defense made the key difference in the game.

The Hawks forced 17 turnovers on the wanted Villanova basketball team. In addition, Saint Joseph's got nine steals and blocked three shots.

Villanova could not get the offense going. The Wildcats shot just 39% from the field compared to the Hawks 56% on the night. Justin Moore and Eric Dixson were the only two Wildcats to score in the double-digits for their team.

As the college basketball season progresses, Saint Joseph's hopes to ride the momentum from the Villanova game to pile up wins and compete for an Atlantic 10 title.