Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Sajanna Bethea (Levittown, Pa. / Pennsbury) scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds to fuel Saint Peter's to a 65-58 victory over Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women's basketball contest on Thursday evening.
Bethea shot 7-for-13 from the field and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe in the contest. Alyssa Velles (Franklin, Conn. / Norwich Free Academy) tallied 15 points while Antonia Smith (Bronx, N.Y. / Dwight School) posted 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in the victory.
Meghan McGuiness paced the Purple Eagles (8-12, 4-7 MAAC) with 19 points while Victoria Rampado recorded 16 points and five rebounds in the loss.
Saint Peter's (2-17, 2-8 MAAC) scored a season-high 48 points in the second half to earn the victory and split the season-series against Niagara.
Trailing 21-17 in the second half, the Peacocks used an 11-2 run to take the lead and would not look back.
Niagara got within one possession of tying on two occasions in the second half, but the free throw shooting of Saint Peter's held off the Purple Eagles from ever reclaiming the lead.
The Peacocks attempted 30 free throws in the second half, converting on 24 of them.
Saint Peter's opened up a 52-42 lead with 3:11 remaining following a 3-ball from Velles. The Purple Eagles countered with back-to-back triples to get within four with 2:33 on the clock.
Following a basket from Smith at the 2:01 mark, Saint Peter's finished the game converting 11-of-14 from the line to outlast Niagara for the 65-58 victory.
Hala Mostafa (Cairo, Egypt / Modern Narmer Language School) finished with nine points, four rebounds and two blocks. Samantha Meier (Manalapan, N.J. / Manalapan) posted four points and eight rebounds.
Rebecca Sparks (Teaneck, N.J. / Teaneck [Saint Francis]) tallied three points and three assists, while Talah Hughes (Beacon, N.Y. / Beacon) and Neechelle Ingram (Pocono Summit, Pa. / Pocono Mountain East) notched two rebounds apiece.
The win marks the second straight season that Saint Peter's has defeated Niagara at home.
The Peacocks return to action on Feb. 1, when they welcome Quinnipiac to Jersey City for an afternoon league matchup. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.
