Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. – Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Saint Peter's 77-62 in non-conference men's basketball action on Saturday.
Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) paced the Peacocks (1-4) with 17 points and seven rebounds. Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) added 16 points and Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) chipped in 13 points in the loss.
Earl Potts Jr. powered the Knights (2-4) with 19 points while Stephan Jiggetts posted 18 points and Darian Anderson recorded 14 points in the winning effort.
Fairleigh Dickinson closed the first half strong and then held on in the second half until the Knights used another run to pull away and end a three-game losing streak against Saint Peter's.
Fairleigh Dickinson closed the first half on an 18-6 run to go into the locker room with a 39-34 advantage.
After Cameron Jones (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) gave Saint Peter's a 28-21 lead on a triple at 7:17, the Knights went on a 12-0 run to take its first lead of the day at 33-28. Marques Townes started the spurt with a layup at 5:38 before Jiggetts converted a traditional 3-point play at 5:03 before Malik Miller scored in the lane at 4:15 to tie the score at 28. Potts then gave Fairleigh Dickinson its first lead on a trey at 3:39 before Mike Holloway scored in the paint at 2:44 for a 33-28 lead. The Knights went into the locker room with a 39-34 advantage.
The Peacocks opened the second half on a 9-3 run to close the margin to 44-43 with 17:29 left. It was the Welton and Portley show during the three minutes and 31 second stretch with Welton scoring the first three points and Portley draining a pair of threes.
Fairleigh Dickinson responded with six unanswered points thanks to four points by Potts to extend the lead to 50-43 with 14:52 left.
Saint Peter's trimmed the margin to four points three times at 56-52, 58-54 and 60-56, but after Elisha Boone (Laurelton, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) scored in the lane at 6:41, the Knights went on a 13-1 run to pull away and earn the 77-62 victory.
Keyed by the 3-point shot, the Peacocks jumped out to an 11-2 lead after Portley drained a pair from behind the arc and Chazz Patterson (Brown Mills, N.J./Trenton Catholic) added a trey. Powered by six points by Anderson and five points from Potts, the Knights went on a 17-8 run to tie the score at 19 midway through the first half.
Saint Peter's then rolled off the next six points thanks to two baskets from Portley and one from Welton to take a 25-19 lead, but then saw the Knights close the half on a big surge to take the lead at the break. Fairleigh Dickinson then held on in the second half before closing the game on a run to seal the victory.
The Peacocks return to action when it opens up Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play in an hOURglass Rivalry matchup at Rider on Wednesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
