Saint Joseph's Overcomes 19-Point Deficit to Defeat Cal in NIT

Jaiden Glover-Toscano's late block seals comeback win for Hawks

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:10am

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Visiting Saint Joseph's University overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to defeat the University of California, Berkeley 76-75 in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) on Sunday night. Jaiden Glover-Toscano led the Hawks with 24 points, including a game-ending blocked shot to preserve the victory.

Why it matters

This comeback win for Saint Joseph's showcases the team's resilience and ability to battle back from a large deficit on the road in a postseason tournament. It also highlights the competitive nature of the NIT, where underdogs can pull off upsets against higher-seeded opponents.

The details

Saint Joseph's trailed Cal 61-42 with 13:34 remaining, but chipped away at the lead with a 19-0 run. A dunk by Dasear Haskins and a late three-pointer by Derek Simpson gave the Hawks the lead, and Glover-Toscano's block on the final possession sealed the comeback victory. Chris Bell led Cal with 23 points, while Haskins added 17 for Saint Joseph's.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 23, 2026.
  • Saint Joseph's overcame the 19-point deficit in the second half.

The players

Jaiden Glover-Toscano

A key player for Saint Joseph's University, scoring 24 points and making the game-ending blocked shot to preserve the victory.

Chris Bell

The leading scorer for the University of California, Berkeley, with 23 points including five 3-pointers.

Dasear Haskins

A forward for Saint Joseph's University who contributed 17 points, including a rim-rattling dunk that sparked the comeback.

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What they’re saying

“We never gave up and kept fighting until the end. I'm so proud of the way our team battled back from a big deficit on the road.”

— Jaiden Glover-Toscano, Saint Joseph's University Player

“It's a tough loss, but credit to Saint Joseph's for not quitting and making the plays down the stretch to win the game.”

— Chris Bell, University of California, Berkeley Player

What’s next

Saint Joseph's will advance to play New Mexico in the NIT quarterfinals.

The takeaway

This thrilling comeback win for the underdog Saint Joseph's Hawks showcases the unpredictable nature of postseason basketball, where any team can get hot and pull off an upset on any given night.