Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Marvin Dominique (Miramar, Fla./Miramar) scored 18 of his season-high 26 points in the second half to power Saint Peter's past Siena 65-57 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's basketball action on Monday.
Dominique went 6-for-8 from the floor and 6 of 7 from the free throw line in the second half for his 18 points after going 2-for-5 from the field and 4 of 4 for the charity stripe for eight points in the first half. It was the senior's third 20-point performance this season and first since scoring 22 points against Boston University on Dec. 3. He matched his career best at the Yanitelli Center with his 26 points and now has 13 20-point games in his career.
The Peacocks (12-13, 6-8 MAAC) recorded 48 points in the second half and received 31 of those points from Dominique and fellow senior Desi Washington (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), who had 13 points in the final stanza after being held 0-for-1 shooting in the first half.
Marquis Wright paced the Saints (9-14, 6-8 MAAC) with 14 points while Javion Ogunyemi added 13 points in the loss.
Saint Peter's used a strong final 10 minutes to take the lead and pull away from Siena to earn the season sweep against the Saints for the first time since the 2011-12 season and pull even in the standings with the Albany program at 6-8 in league play.
After Jamel Fields (Albany, N.Y./Cheshire Academy) evened the score at 38 on a 3-pointer at 11:24, Rob Poole gave Siena the lead for the final time at 41-38 on a 3-pointer 14 seconds later.
The Peacocks then went on a 17-4 run over the next eight minutes to take the advantage and pull away from the Saints.
Washington started the run with four-straight points on a layup at 9:55 and two free throws at 9:38 for a 42-41 advantage.
Ogunyemi momentarily gave Siena the lead one last time on a basket in the paint at 9:14, but Dominique answered with two free throws at 8:42 to give Saint Peter's the lead it would not relinquish at 44-43. Dominique then brought the Peacocks fans and the Saint Peter's bench to their feet with a layup with 7:21 left and then converted the free throw to complete the 3-point play at 7:21 for a 46-43 edge.
Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) scored in the lane at 6:30 before Long ended seven unanswered points by the Peacocks with two charity tosses at 5:48 to trim the margin to 49-45.
Saint Peter's then scored the next six points to take a 55-45 lead with 4:23 left. Dominique started this portion of the run with a layup at 5:34 before Washington hit two freebies at 4:48 and then Dominique capped the run with a thunderous dunk for a 10-point lead.
The Saints cut the margin ton seven points after a Ogunyemi traditional 3-point play with 2:24 left only to see Dominique make two charity tosses and Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) hit 1 of 2 to restore the 10-point lead and Siena could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
The Saints scored eight of the first 10 points to take an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game thanks to six points from Ogunyemi.
After Saint Peter's trimmed the margin to 10-8, Siena went on a 12-5 run to take a 22-13 lead after a 3-ball by Poole with 4:13 left in the half and the Saints would maintain that nine-point margin going into the locker room with a 26-17 advantage.
The Peacocks used a 9-2 run to start the second half to trim the margin to 28-26 with 16:34 left in the game thanks to points from four different players.
After Wyche cut the margin to 34-33 on a free throw, Long and Poole made back-to- back jumpers for a 38-33 lead. Washington made two free throws and Fields nailed a trey before Poole gave Siena the lead for the final time on a 3-pointer with 11:10 left. Saint Peter's then closed the game strong to earn its second-straight win and complete the season sweep.
Tyler Gaskins (Roswell, Ga./Centennial) added eight points, three rebounds and three assists while Wyche posted seven points, four boards and three assists in the win.
After shooting 21 percent in the first half, the Peacocks made 15 of 26 shots from the floor (57.7 percent) in the second half.
Saint Peter's, who will play four of its remaining six games on the road, returns to action at Niagara on Friday night. Game time is 7 p.m.
