University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and Hall of Fame head men’s baketball coach Jim Calhoun joined an exclusive club Friday night, earning his 900th career win as the Blue Jays downed the Pratt Institute Cannoneers, 105-61, inside the O’Connell Center in non-conference action. The victory is the 10th straight for the Blue Jays as they improve to 11-2 on the season.
Calhoun becomes the 11th coach in men’s college basketball history to amass 900 career wins, and is fourth all-time amongst head coaches with 10 plus years at the NCAA Division I level. Calhoun sports a career record of 900-394 (.695). He won 248 games in 14 years at Northeastern, 625 in 26 years at UConn, and is now 27-14 halfway through year two at USJ.
Victory 900 was never in doubt. The Blue Jays raced out to a 51-28 lead at the half and were never threatened. Sophomore guard Delshawn Jackson Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) led the way with 21 points (7-11 FG, 1-3 3FG, 6-6 FT) and junior forward Jordan Powell (Middletown, Conn.) logged his second career double-double with the Blue Jays finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore gyard Tyree Mitchell (East Hartford, Conn.) was a spark off the USJ bench, netting a career-high 19 points and grabbing a career-high seven boards. Sophomore Griffin Levine (Dallas, Texas) had a game-high 25 points to go with five rebounds to lead the way for the Cannoneers.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Saint Joseph 105, Pratt 61
Records: USJ (11-2), Pratt (5-7)
Location: O’Connell Center | West Hartford, Conn.
COACH QUOTE [Jim Calhoun on career win 900]
“Here I am in this situation because of so many great players and so
many great schools, just so many kids. They [players] fill a void that
was missing…I do love it [coaching]. I know it doesn’t appear that way
all the time. It’s a funny kind of love, that’s all I can tell you. But
it’s a true love…As long as I coach it has to be all about building
the relationships with my players — the day I lose that, I don’t care
about the Xs and Os, then I won’t coach. It’s got to be about them. It’s
got to be about all of us.”
PLAYER QUOTE [Jordan Powell on Coach Calhoun]
“It’s crazy because we’re all from here and we all watched him when we were young on TV, winning national championships. Seeing him every day, it’s really a blessing. He doesn’t make it about him. He helps us on the court and off the court.”
http://www.usjbluejays.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/releases/20200111grb7n5
