JOLIET, Ill. -- A career-high 27 points and eight three pointers from Joffrey Nunnally combined with a team season-best .682 shooting mark from beyond the arc (15-of-22) and .607 percentage from the floor (34-of-56) boosted the University of St. Francis men's basketball team to a decisive 99-78 victory over Saint Xavier University in opening-round play of the 2025-26 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.  Three Saints produced at least 19 points en route to the team's highest single-game three-point percentage since the 2024-25 season when the Saints authored a .667 measurement (16-of-24) versus Saint Xavier.  With the win, St. Francis improves to 21-7 overall.

St. Francis' 34 field goals in 56 attempts, 15 three pointers, 22 assists and 99 points were all season-high marks, leading the Saints to having 10 players reach the scoring column on the day.  Topping the list was Nunnally, who was perfect from three-point range (8-for-8) and from the charity stripe (1-for-1) while finishing the night 9-for-11 from the field for a combined 27 points.  Damarcies Moore and Merrick Small both registered double figures in the scoring column as well, with Moore going 5-for-10 from the field in recording 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Small went 8-for-14 on his way to scoring 19 points with eight boards for USF.

After seeing the Saints score 14 of the game's first 17 points to start the first half, Saint Xavier (11-17) quickly responded with a 20-9 scoring spurt over a seven-minute stretch to tie the game at 23-23 with eight minutes remaining in the period.  USF quickly took the lead back off a Justen Morgan three-pointer on the Saints' next possession and from there, the Saints exploded from beyond the arc, rattling off five more three-pointers in the closing minutes as part of a 24-9 scoring outburst that turned the 23-23 tie game into a 15-point advantage (47-32) at the intermission.

The Saints continued their offensive pressure to begin the second half and pulled further away with 13 of the first 19 points after the break.  Another Nunnally three-pointer – his fifth straight of the night - at 15:56 put the Saints up by 22.  USF would expand its advantage to as high as 25 points over the Cougars, who would never get the deficit under 18 points the rest of the night.

St. Francis' 47 points in the first half, which came off 15 field goals in 26 attempts (57.7 pct.), and an eye-popping 8-of-9 showing from beyond the arc (88.9 pct.), was later bested by its 52 points scored in the second half as a result of a 63.3 percent (19-of-30) showing from the field and a 53.9 percent account from long range (7-of-13).

As a team, the Saints out-boarded Saint Xavier 39-22.  Dakoda Joachim joined Small and Moore defensively with his seven rebounds, while Joachim (six assists) and Delshawn Simms (seven) each accounted for career-highs in assists.

Up Next
The win puts the No. 2-seeded Saints in a semifinal-round matchup with No. 6-seeded St. Ambrose University on Friday (Feb. 27).  Tip-off will commence at 7 pm in the Pat Sullivan Center.

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