Box Score In their first overtime contest of the 2012-13 season, the Saint Peter's University men's basketball team came away with a 70-68 win over Marist College in the Yanitelli Center. A steal by junior guard Chris Burke, which resulted in a fast break layup in the final 6 seconds of the extra period proved to be the game-winner; snapping an eight-game losing streak for the Peacocks.
"Both teams fought hard today, played tough on the defensive end and made plays offensively. Fortunately for us, we got that steal late and scored to win the game", remarked Head Coach John Dunne following the win.
Desi Washington finished with a game-high 26 points; going 10-21 from the field and 6-11 from three-point range. 16 of his 26 points came in the second half alone.
Karee Ferguson finished with a career and season high 16 points. Ferguson went 6-9 from the floor and added 4 boards, 2 blocks and a steal.
Senior forward Darius Conley also finished in double-figures for the Peacocks with 14 points. Conley would foul out with six minutes remaining in the second half.
The Peacocks entered the overtime period tied at 62 with the Red Foxes. Saint Peter's trailed by as many as seven points in the opening stanza to head into the half-time break trailing 25-22. John Dunne's squad was able to out-score the visitors 40-37 in the second half, led by Desi Washington's 16 points, to enter their first overtime game of the year.
Senior forward Karee Ferguson aided the come from behind cause with 9 second half points.
Saint Peter's opened up the over time period knocking down back to back buckets by Washington and Ferguson to go in front by five (67-62). Marist proceeded to rattle off six straight points of their own to erase the Peacocks advantage and attain a slim one-point lead with just over two minutes remaining.
A free throw by Markese Tucker with 1:15 remaining tied the score at 68, before Burke picked the pocket of Marist's Manny Thomas and converted the game-winning layup for his only two points of the game.
"We didn't have a lot of good energy to start the game, but we managed to finish the end of the first half well, which we carried over to begin the half", added Dunne.
"Once we made shots our energy increased tremendously. Karee had a nice second half and brought good energy to the game. You have to be able to make shots and make free throws; and when we do that, I think we can compete with anyone."
The contest featured a whopping 16 lead changes and 13 tied scores. Saint Peter's trailed by as many as 7 points nearing the end of the first half, but was able to cut the deficit to 3 to head into the half-time break.
Marist reopened a seven-point lead three minutes into the second half, until the hosts formed a 6-2 run to get within one at the fifteen-minute mark. Devin Price led the visitors to another 5-point lead; assisting on a three-ball by teammate Phillip Lawrence and connecting on a layup at 12:50 to make the score 37-32.
Five straight Peacocks points however, capped by a trey by Washington knotted the score at 37, marked the 4th tied score of the game and the closest Saint Peter's had been since 9:18 of the opening frame.
Eight lead changes and six tied scores would soon follow before the game entered extra time.
Saint Peter's did have the opportunity to attain a late lead in the second half however; as senior guard Blaise Ffrench was fouled from three-point range with 18 seconds remaining with the hosts trailing Marist 62-61.
Ffrench threw up a three-ball attempt in desparation just before the shot clock expired, and managed to draw a foul by Devin Price. Ffrench proceeded to miss the first two free throw attempts and connect on the third to tie the game at 62.
In the first half, Saint Peter's shot 36% from the floor, 50% (3-6) from three and 33.3% (1-3) from the line. Marist shot 36.4%, 20% (2-10) and 87.5% (7-8), respectively. Washington had 8 first half points to lead the Peacocks, while Price led the Red Foxes with 6.
The Peacocks were much improved offensively in the second half; connecting on 53.3% of their field goal attempts. The hosts also knocked down 4-7 attempts from long distance (57.1%), but still struggled from the charity stripe; finishing 4-8.
Marist also shot well in the second half; going 59.1% from the floor, 42.9% from beyond the arc and 80% from the line.
Washington also led Saint Peter' in the second stanza with 16, while Chavaughn Lewis matched his point total for Marist.
Saint Peter's went 3-9 from the floor in over time (33.3%), while the Red Foxes went 2-5 (40%),
Overall, Saint Peter's shot 43.8% from the field, 53.3% from three-point range and 46.2% (6-13) from the line. Marist shot 49.5%, 25% and 85%, respectively.
The Peacocks out-rebounded the visitors by a slim margin (32-31) and forced 21 turnovers while committing 16.
Marist was led by Chavaughn Lewis's 23 points. Isaiah Morton added 11 points in the loss.
Dunne's squad returns to the hardwood this Sunday, as they look to avenge a two-point loss from earlier this season against the Manhattan Jaspers. Tipoff is slated for 3pm in Riverdale, NY.
