Box Score The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team managed to battle back from an 18-point first half deficit to get within 4 points in the final four minutes of action, before dropping a 54-46 decision to the visiting Niagara University Purple Eagles.
With the loss the Peacocks drop to 0-14, 0-3 MAAC, while Niagara improves to 7-7, 2-1 MAAC.
Niagara established an 18-point advantage (their largest of the game) with 8:27 remaining in the first frame, but the Peacocks slowly chipped away at the lead to get within 10 at the half-time break. The Peacocks opened the second half out-scoring the visitors 7-2 to get within 5 (31-26), but Niagara rattled off six straight points to regain a double-digit advantage.
The hosts came within 4 points on two occasions in the last five minutes of play, but proceeded to go 0-8 from the floor in the ensuing minutes; scoring their remaining points from the free-throw line.
Aziza May led the Peacocks with a career-high 20 points in the loss. Jesika Holmes finished with a team-high 10 boards; marking the third time this season she has recorded double-figures rebounds.
Kaydine Bent added 8 points, 11 rebounds.
The Peacocks struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 16.7% (6-36) from the field. The hosts trailed 7-0 to open up the contest, scoring just their first basket at the 16:25 mark on a trey by Aziza May.
Just over a minute later, two made free throws by Kaydine Bent would bring Saint Peter's within two, until the visitors exploded for an 18-2 run to establish an 18-point advantage (8:27). During that stretch, the Peacocks committed 4 errors while going 1-10 from the field.
Saint Peter's did manage to outscore the Purple Eagles by a 12-4 margin in the final eight minutes of the stanza; capped by a three-ball at the buzzer by May, to head into the half-time break trailing 29-19.
Niagara shot 40.7%, knocking down 11 of 27 shot attempts. The visitors finished with a blistering 62.5% shooting percentage from long distance in the half (62.5%).
May led the Peacocks in scoring in the half with 8 points, while Kristal Edwards added 5.
Saint Peter's carried their momentum into the second half; outscoring the visitors by a 7-2 margin in the first few minutes to come within five (31-26), after a conventional three-point play by May.
Niagara soon responded with a 6-0 run however (37-26), aided by 5 Peacock turnovers. The visitors maintained at least a seven-point lead, until an 8-2 Saint Peter's run made it a two-possession game.
The Peacocks cut the Purple Eagle advantage to four on two separate occasions in the last five minutes of play, but were unable to come any closer before falling by a final score of 54-46.
Overall, Saint Peter's finished 15-70 from the field (21.4%), and drained just 3 of 17 three-point attempts (17.6%). The Peacocks were however successful from the charity stripe, converting 13 of 15 free throw attempts (86.7%).
Niagara shot 38.2% from the line, 35.7% from three-point range and 63.6% from the foul line.
Saint Peter's was out-rebounded by a 48-45 margin, and committed 19 turnovers while forcing 25.
The Purple Eagles were led by Meghan McGuinness's 16 points.
Saint Peter's returns to action this Saturday, as they host Canisius at 2pm.
