Galloway’s perimeter game holds the key for Hawks

BALTIMORE -- Langston Galloway knows that there are more ways he can help Saint Joseph's team than just shooting, but on the other hand, this is a different team when the junior guard is hitting consistently from the perimeter.

This season Galloway hasn't matched his marksmanship of a year ago when he connected on more than 46 percent from beyond the arc.

Galloway is shooting 36.7 percent from three-point range, which many shooters would gladly take, but he knows he is capable of much better.

What is interesting is that Galloway isn't really forcing shots. He is taking open looks and the ball simply isn't going in as much.

So even when he hit just 2 for 8 from beyond the arc in Saturday's 70-60 win at Morgan State, Galloway, who scored 16 points, drew on his variety of skills to help the team. Those skills are on the defensive end. Galloway had two blocked shots and a steal and he also continued his iron man role by playing 40 minutes.

"I tried to step up when the team needed me," he said. "I really struggled, but helped out in little areas."

That is exactly what coach Phil Martelli expects from his junior captain.

"Lang has to make other plays," Martelli said. "People can't worry about his outside shot, it's the other parts of the game."

That includes rebounding and defending.

It's true that Galloway helps in so many areas, and even if he isn't shooting the way he did a year ago, he will contribute in a variety of ways.

Yet if St. Joseph's has designs on earning an NCAA bid and this year it will be more difficult than ever with the likes of VCU and Butler in the A-10, Galloway will have to have better consistency from the perimeter.

The expectations are higher for Galloway but he has shown that he can be among the top shooters in the country.

And if a few more of those open threes start falling in, which opens things up for everybody else, then St. Joseph's will indeed be an extremely dangerous team.